My first Pop Up was in the Summer of 2019 to test market our new signature vanilla sugar cookies. We live in a quaint coastal community called Crown Point (San Diego, California) that doesn't have any bespoke cookie shops around..so I wanted to see what the response would be. We've been successful selling online (direct-to-consumer) but most of our clients are scattered around the Country so shipping product all over the United States became quite a chore. I wanted to shift my focus to the locals.

Thats when "Pop Up On Promontory" was born! A mini cookie stand in our driveway showcasing some of our most popular sugar cookies decorated with royal icing art. My ultimate goal was to not only gauge interest in the cookies but to get to know our neighbors and contribute more to our community! The first day was so well received that we did again the following day, I was so happy and grateful of the turnout. Before you knew it people were walking by asking when our next cookie pop up was!? Quickly I learned that there was a market for delicious homemade sugar cookies for locals AND businesses.

Now that I've done some R&D, do I pursuit Brick & Mortar Retail Shop or a Microenterprise Home Kitchen??

It's almost a year later and so far operations are smooth out of our home kitchen where we offer delivery and pick up services. In addition to our dtc business we're also featured at a local coffee shop where they sell gourmet coffees and snacks to go. Check them out at The Grounds Bean Bar! 
I couldn't be happier at how things have evolved from a simple pop up stand and I'm super excited to see what's next. A storefront and/or virtual kitchen is still in the back of my mind but what we have created up to this point feels good and I'm anxious to see what's around the corner.

Our Business Forecast Was Good Until Covid Hit!

Business took off like a rocket beginning of 2020 then covid hit. In a matter of a few weeks our corporate logo cookie business and all of my corporate catering accounts were gone not knowing when if any would return. Thank goodness for pop ups as I started offering lunch pop ups along with cookies to the neighborhood. I learned a lot during quarantine because if I didn't adjust my business plan then we would sink..fast! At the end of the day I had products AND services that helped solved peoples problems of where to get a fresh home cooked meal with restaurants being closed and long lines at grocery stores with depleted items. I chose not to participate in the pessimism and found a way to overcome.

 I'm sharing my story for those of you (any age) who have that entrepreneurial spirit but are unsure how and where to start. Perhaps you believe that you need to have "xyz" in place before you begin. My advice as a small business owner is keep it simple and start within your community where you can engage with others and create healthy relationships. Advertise locally with chaulk signs or something creative in your own driveway/yard to catch the eye of the passer by.. Then talk to people, share bits and pieces about your journey and ask for their immediate feedback.

 So far, my greatest takeaway has been that I didn't need to invest a lot of time and money into advertising and commercial space to see IF something might work! Small gains are ok, be patient and learn as you go.. Got questions? Here's some more tips on applying for a business certificate & how to obtain a seller's permit in San Diego. Otherwise, feel free to reach out and I'll help in whatever way I can. Check out these other valuable lessons I learned;
  • Pop Ups are an inexpensive way to test market your product/service.
  • Pop Ups open the door to new opportunities.
  • Pop Ups have minimal overhead.
  • Pop Ups are scaleable.
  • Pop Ups are transportable.
  • Pop Ups allow you to be creative as you wish.
  • Pop Ups are a good community builder.

Thanks for reading my blog post! If you gained value, please share! Stay tuned for my future endeavors and if you need catering services or want me to plan a pop up for you let me know.