Meet Kailyn Croston | Business owner and mother

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

Hi Kailyn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Well, I have wanted to own my own business and “be my own boss” since I can remember back at 18. I like to think all that I have done since then had been preparing me for this moment now. The thought process or the why for Berried N Business felt simple to me at the time before I even knew this would become a business. That was to allow my children to be able to Experience the world of desserts and confections. Three of the four of my children deal with severe food allergies. Which makes going to birthday parties stressful on them and isolating for them. Which ignited the momma bear in me and made me do a lot of research until I was able to find and curate recipes that didn’t include their food allergies where they were finally able to feel included. This made for a bigger mission in me to make others feel included and accepted in a world not necessarily created for them. I was and am eager to help those who suffer with food allergies and intolerances feel and be included in the sweets world. Some adults young and older have gone their whole lives not having the opportunity to try specialty sweets like a chocolate covered strawberry and I just want to try and help make that possible for some people one dipped treat at a time, and so Berried N Business was born.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I like to think what I do is a form of art. Food art. I love to create and make food look beautiful. My favorite part of every part of my business is the presentation. Presenting what I do in a beautiful way that intrigues people and brings them in.

I believe what sets me apart from others is that I want to help people feel included, accepted and important. I want to make people feel seen. I try and do this by catering to certain common food allergies. Although all of my items aren’t allergy free, Dairy Free or gluten free, I do work in a way that keeps those allergens separate. I also source a chocolate that is dairy free.

Having a dairy free chocolate especially makes me excited to get feedback from people with dairy allergies who can consume my allergy friendly chocolate. It makes it all worth it, even if they don’t purchase but they express their gratitude and appreciation for the consideration of their circumstances.

I am where I am today because of my relation with the Lord and by trusting in God. I have learned from my mistakes and what people consider to be failures. I was able to get through these struggles because the Lord was my anchor. I had been in the corporate world for all of my late teens and adult life which also instilled certain practices refined leadership and conflict resolution skills. I also heard “NO” ALOT, and it wasnt always verbally but by peoples actions. If it wasn’t for all of the “no’s” ,un-read and read (left unanswered) messages. I wouldn’t have had to do as much research and find the answers and solutions I needed. I had to be innovative and continue to come up with my own solutions.

It was not and is STILL NOT EASY! However if it was easy everyone would do it and I wouldnt be strengthening my entrepreneurial muscle and continuing to grow.

I wouldnt say I necessarily overcome challenges but I work through them, I try to create a solution for the obstacles and challenges I face and I am the Pivot Princess, I’ve gotten really good at learning how to pivot.

I want the world to know I am just a little girl who got up, and because I got up, I grew into a woman. By continuing to be myself and walk in my purpose, I am going to help people Experience the sweeter things in life. I want people to know that you and I are not perfect and THAT is what makes up PERFECT! You have to give yourself grace, get UP and smile. Because a smile will save a life ! As for my brand I would love to be able to impact the world, however I am okay and happy with impacting and helping who God calls for me to impact.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a funny question to me and is going to probably embarrass me a little. In some ways I am a creature of habit so I frequent the same places. I have more recently been trying to get out and explore. So I can maybe do a three day Itinerary and work my way up to a week! Ha ha

I would definitely start my week and end my week at a spa either The Spa at River Ridge or Panacea because there is nothing like a REAL relaxing self care day.

through out the day I may visit a mexican restaurant my favorite right now is Los Mariachis and a close second is Chuys. If I am not in the mood for mexican defiantly stop through Fusian and build my own “sushi” bowl.

If its warm out and we are feeling adventurous go kayaking.

I love to relax in my free time and just be low key (which lately is few and far between).

Somethings that I plan to make time for and really would love to do is go to Hocking Hills, zip line and have a weekend cabin get away full of meditating, praying, journaling and being in nature.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I will say I feel like there are some pivotal moments in my journey that have contributed to my success and key people that have helped me with their love and encouragement. So I would like to shoutout My cousin and my best friend/sister who love me and cheer me on when it seemed like no one wanted to. My cousin is pivotal in my business growth because she introduced me to a whole new world of marketing myself and finding the people who need what it is I have to offer. I have also recently found a group of women entrepreneurs who have shown me what success can look like for me. Some have loved me like I was never a stranger taken me in and showed me what they learned and helped me when I wasn’t sure what I needed and validated what I was already doing right. They have all showed me that being apart of something is important even though we may not always feel like we are apart of whatever “it” may be. They all have also helped me learn how important my business mission is because people live their lives everyday feeling like outsiders and like they aren’t accepted just because they cant eat certain things that we don’t think twice about eating. So shoutout to my crew, they may not even really know the big impact they have on me.

Website: https://www.berriednbusiness.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berriednbusiness

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/berriednbusiness

Yelp: Berried N Business

Other: Google: Berried N Business
TikTok: B3rri3dNBusin3ss