This week is National Small Business Week and because small businesses are so near and dear to our hearts, we were thrilled to feature an amazing local talent and small business owner – Renee Camacho with Simply Renee Sweets!
Located just north of Nashville in Greenbrier, Tennessee, Simply Renee Sweets raises the bar for all other cookie businesses by decorating cookies that are almost too pretty to eat. Renee is the “Queen of Cookie Decorating” in our book! From intricate designs and delicate personalization, every cookie is a true work of art. Edible art!
Imagine a Baby Shower with Cookies this Pretty
Simply Renee Sweets Instagram has over 13,000 followers who are delighted with each new design. She sells thousands of cookies, but her most popular occasions are new baby and birthday cookies. She says, “Baby cookies are my favorite theme to design!”
There is also a huge cookie demand for birthdays and holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. She dedicates the majority of December each year to meet the holiday demand. Businesses can even create custom cookies with their logo. Her cookies also make unforgettable housewarming and realtor gifts.
Cookie Orders Started Rolling In!
Renee was inspired to start a cookie business after seeing a friend’s Christmas cookies online. As she improved her cookie decorating technique, more interest came and she decided to sell a few for missions fundraising. People were wowed and orders started rolling in!
Incredibly Renee has never taken baking or decorating class. She owes much of her creativity to her mother who was a painter and craft store owner. “It truly does take practice and time when you learn anything new, but with today’s technology, all the information you need to learn is literally at your fingertips. I’m a HUGE believer in taking advantage of it!”
Using Social Media to Grow Her Business
The incredible fact that Renee has only advertised her cookies using Instagram and Facebook is a testament to her business savvy. She has grown to the point where she has to make a decision about expanding to a retail location or continuing in her home.
Renee’s dream of having a retail location may be just around the corner. She would be able to sell her sweets along with other products that support the cookie-decorating niche. In addition, she would also like to offer decorating classes and parties to teach her skill and bring cookie-loving people together for fun events.
Nashville Wraps Brought Brand Consistency
After she began looking for alternatives to traditional wicker gift baskets, Renee found Nashville Wraps. “When I first started creating various packaging options, cookie bouquets were among the items I wanted to be sure to offer. The typical basket I was using was getting too expensive. So after looking for basket options, I stumbled onto the Nashville Wraps basket boxes.
“I was so pleased to find a great quality box that also offered a supportive base for my cookie bouquets. These boxes along with tulle or raffia ribbon help me stay consistent in my cookie sets.” Renee also uses various cookie boxes, gift basket shred, and ribbon from Nashville Wraps as well.
Renee’s Online Marketing Tips
If you are considering a food-related or any online business, Renee generously offered these tips:
- Utilize your social media marketing and connect with as many like-minded businesses as you can find.
- Use the power of the algorithm within Instagram and Facebook to its full potential.
- Consistent branding, providing a clean look with your photography, and keeping your products fresh and updated will help you maximize these free online-marketing platforms.
- Continue to learn using online resources about growing your business.
- Growth may be slow at first, but stay consistent with your approach and you’ll be shocked to see what happens after about a year of continually following a strategic plan.
Renee says that after 1-1/2 years of consistently using this social media strategy, Simply Renee Sweets has exploded in growth!
Follow Renee on Instagram and Facebook, and consider her deliciously beautiful cookies for your next gift-giving occasion. We promise they will be the hit of the party!
This story is SOOOO much like my own! I grew up with a mother who is a florist. I’ve been around flowers/crafts/gifts since I was a little girl! Making a pretty bow or wreath is second-nature to me. I can just do it!!
When my identical twin sister stopped making cakes (she had an at-home business), people continued to ask me for cakes, and thought, since we were identical twins, that I could easily make them also! So….i immersed myself in blogs/videos…anything to teach myself about making a cake/decorating, etc. I made my very first cake for my niece 7 years ago this past May! I have been going FULL FORCE since. I owe all of my “crafty/decorating” side to my sweet momma. I also owe my strong-will to become a small business owner to my momma, just as she did. I have made thousands of cakes, cookies, cake pops and cupcakes over the years, and plan on making many, many more! I am putting my first order in with Nashville Wraps as soon as I’m done here! I’m so excited to get my items and incorporate it into my business!!
What a wonderful story! Thanks so much for sharing it with us, Heather! And please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-547-9727 if we can help you choose packaging for your cakes & cookies!