Meet Jenae Criswell | Owner and Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenae Criswell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenae, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I think one thing that most people don’t think about is the time and effort it takes to get from placing the order to get the product(s). I don’t just bake and decorate. For example, with my presales, there’s a lot of time spent looking for inspiration, coming up with designs, purchasing cutters, making and baking the cookies, decorating the samples, taking pictures, creating the order form, marketing the sale, etc. It’s so much that goes into the process of what’s posted. I have to be a big social media presence because that’s where a lot of my customer base comes from besides referrals. Being a small business, it’s just me running the whole show and there is so much that goes into it. I’m constantly learning, researching, and educating myself on how to do different techniques and how to run my business more efficiently. I think some times when I quote, it’s a shock for how much, but everything I’ve listed and more goes into my pricing so that I can continue to do what I love.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the owner and baker of Tink’s Sweet Shoppe. I specialize in custom desserts specifically decorated cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and cake pops. I also offer a variety of desserts. I’ve always had a love for baking and art and I started by making cakes and desserts for my son’s birthdays, to making them for my family. Somehow I jumped into making decorated cookies and those are my biggest sellers. It wasn’t easy starting or growing my business. It took a lot of dedication and time growing my social media presence which is how I gain majority of my customers. I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that everyone grows at their own pace. It’s easy to compare your success to someone else but everyone has their own journey and there’s plenty of business to go around for everyone. Another lesson I’ve learned is to charge your worth. I know that everyone is not my customer and that’s okay. I used to feel dejected at times when someone wouldn’t want to purchase from me, but as I’ve continued in business I know that there are customers that will pay for what is considered a luxury item. What I would want the world to know is that I am dedicated to providing the best that I am capable of and I will go above and beyond to make sure each and every customer I encounter has the best experience. I stand behind my brand and I know that even if there is a mishap, I will do what ever is in my power to make the situation the best that I can.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I absolutely love Broadway and we get a season of different shows that are traveling throughout the nation at our local performing arts theater, the Aronoff Center for the Arts. If a friend wasn’t from here, I would love for them to try Cincinnati-style Chili (there’s so many restaurants)!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely have to shoutout my family: my husband (Bryan) , my mom and dad (Madeline & Jarrod), my siblings (Jocelyn, Jayla, Joshua, and Jared), and my son (Bryan Jr.). They are my biggest support and encourage me when I’m feeling doubtful or overwhelmed. They helped me prepare for events, attended events, provided advice or been a helping hand. I dedicate so much time to my business and they’re so understanding of my drive to provide the best product I can. The support and recommendations from my customer base is amazing! I constantly get referrals from previous customers and I have a few loyal ones that I’ve done multiple family celebrations and birthdays for. I truly appreciate every time they choose to purchase from me. My friends are the best as well, I share my pictures and ideas with them all the time. As my business continues to grow, I truly am thankful for the community around me because they keep me going.

Website: www.tinkssweetshoppe.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tinksweetshoppe

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tinksweetshoppe

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tinks-sweet-shoppe-cincinnati

Other: www.tiktok.com/tinksweetshoppe