"The best way to find out about a new culture, a new city, a new place or person is to experience their food."Meet Melissa: businesswoman, Fiverr buyer, and proud DC resident. We met Melissa and the team at Sweeter Hue last year during our Doers Across America road trip, so we're excited to check back in with her as we head back to Washington this week for #DoersAcrossDC. Learn a little more about Melissa's entrepreneurial journey below, then follow along on our Instagram Stories as we visit her on Thursday IRL. But hold on to your hats: her baked goods are boozy!
I am Melissa Biggins, an accomplished entrepreneur from Jacksonville, FL, currently living in the District of Columbia. In addition to running a thriving marketing firm in Florida, I am the proud owner of Sweeter Hue, a neighborhood bakery located in Washington DC. We are known for our custom orders, as well as we are DC's boozy bakers -- we bake with alcohol. The bakery is coming up on its first year and it’s thriving.
What drives me as an entrepreneur is being able to interact with different people from all backgrounds and beliefs. I like being able to take a dream in my mind and put it into action and watch it grow and become successful. I do what I do because I love to create. Anything that allows me to wake up in the morning and create, and get paid for it is great. As I mentioned before I love interacting with my customers. The fact that I created something that brings so much joy and happiness to them makes me happy. So the reason I do what I do is at the end of the day, I know that I created something that makes people happy, and that works for me.
Fiverr has designed Sweeter Hue’s logo, menu, marketing flyers, marketing giveaways for a Taste of DC, and helped with our re-grand opening. They have been wonderful in handling all our graphic design needs. I like working with freelancers because they don’t have the same overhead as a graphic design company. They offer quick turnaround and are used to working with a broad array of clients so they think outside of the box. If I say, “Hey, come up with something new and exciting,” the sellers on the platform can get it done.
Starting a business in DC is unique because DC is this melting pot. I love the fact that the city is so diverse. You have everyone coming from all different areas of not just the United States but the world. Everyone kind of identifies with their neighborhood, where they're from, but they're always willing to be open and explore or try something new. And the neighborhood has just welcomed us so much, so we just love our little home.
That the current low point you’re in is just a phase. Every entrepreneur hits a low point and when you do you have to wake up and say, yes times are hard but I will persevere. No matter what happens on your journey to success you have to remember why you’re doing what it is you’re doing, and that no matter what may arise you will see it through until the end. So my words of wisdom to new entrepreneurs are that this is going to be 100 times harder than you expect, and you just have to hold your head up and push through and things will come together in the end.
I would say pay attention to reviews and recommendations, because just like anything else you want to start off with someone reputable. There will always be someone who might not be exactly what they say so just make sure you go with someone proven and trusted by others.
Everyone has the same vision for 10 years down the road. You want to make sure you have that same vision for next week and 30 days down the road because that's the tough part.
My next move is to continue providing great service and to continue to meet the needs of DC, while growing, and remaining a neighborhood bakery. My goals are to get stronger in the different areas of baking, to become a stronger employee in the food service industry, and to do more traveling so I can experience more flavor, and culture.
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