Interview
with Miriam
Rieder
Taste
by Spellbound – Dessert Studio
Avon,
CT
By
Kathryn
Gordon and Jessie
Riley
Kathryn: Hi Miriam! I met you in one of my macaron classes, but how did you get started in your business?
Miriam: My first business venture was at 10 years of
age, decorating cakes after taking a summer class at the local Parks &
Recreational department in my area. My
mother enrolled me when she got divorced.
And now we bake together!
 |
| Photo: HartfordMag.com |
Jessie: Did you always want to bake?
Miriam: I grew up with a love of food but it didn't
become a passion until a few years back.
Kathryn: How did you find the location for your
bakery? And how many square feet is the
bakery?
Miriam: I found the location through a family
friend. The bakery is 1,100 square feet.
I had saved up quite a bit over the past two years and was able to fund most of
it. We had to take out a small loan as
well for our business financing. I've been very blessed.
Jessie: You’re very young; when you started the
business a year ago, you were 20! What else is it that differentiates you from other businesses?
Miriam: The quality of my food and atmosphere of the
bakery.
Kathryn: You seem to have a pretty clear vision for a general patisserie, from
your personal look (retro hairdo), vintage apron collection, business card and
photos on Facebook. The bakery evokes
Alice in Wonderland. How did you develop your vision?
Miriam: I've loved
fairy tales for quite awhile and with my baking business being named Taste by
Spellbound, I was able to piggyback off my first business venture (fashion
headbands), Spellbound.
Jessie:
How many employees do you have?
Miriam: There are 2 part time employees who bake with
me. I don't even keep a running log of
how much I work. I just know it's A LOT. I’m baking, running a business and teaching
classes.
Jessie:
How do you see the role of social media for your business?
Miriam: It's
huge. Facebook is a major media outlet
for the business. I post photos and update my fans daily with what we have in
the bakery and fun pictures of all the projects we're working on. But I also have close to 1,000 followers on
Twitter as well. [Follow Miriam @MiriamHope on Twitter]. And
although Twitter is an amazing outlet I think Facebook is still “where it's at.”
You can connect and interact with
customers and friends so easily.
Jessie: Who takes your photographs?
Miriam:
I take all the photos for Facebook and
Twitter; I love taking pictures of food.
Kathryn: What is the link to the Z100 radio station,
and how often do you make an appearance?
Miriam: I sent Elvis Duran on the Morning Show some
of my truffles! Now I've made 5-6
appearances on Elvis Duran over the past 2 years.
Jessie:
Do you see a spike in internet orders after you're on the radio?
Miriam:
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But
regardless, it refreshes people’s memory about me and the business.
Kathryn: What advice would you give other entrepreneurs
regarding self promotion?
Miriam: Don't be afraid to put yourself out there
and sell yourself. Just keep at it and the fan base will grow.
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