How Faith and Flavor Shaped Delicious Sweets Bake Shop

One day I was on my way to work sitting in the

2

car and I heard it clear as day.

3

God did not give me the spirit of fear.

4

And that was the day that I

put, I got chills That was the

5

Cliff Duvernois (2): I got chills too.

6

Cierra Crudup: put my resignation in.

7

And I knew it was God

because I'm worrying.

8

And I'm doubting.

9

And I'm unsure.

10

And then you hear that word

and peace just comes over you.

11

I had $62 in my bank account.

12

Oh my goodness.

13

Cliff Duvernois (2): goodness.

14

Oh, this story is getting

better by the minute.

15

Hello everyone, welcome back to

Total Michigan where we interview

16

ordinary Michiganders doing some

pretty extraordinary things.

17

I'm your host Cliff DuVernois.

18

If you have paid attention at all

to this show you will know that

19

I have been shouting from the

rooftops that there's amazing things

20

that are happening in Saginaw.

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One of the places that has really

caught my eye, and I highly recommend

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you check it out when you're in

the area, is the SVRC Marketplace.

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Because this has become a hub for

entrepreneurs in the area, small business

24

owners, to really come together, to

work together, and to just do some

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amazing things to serve their community.

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One of the people that has come up

multiple times in conversations and I

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was like, you know I really do have to

check her out would be Cierra Crudup.

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And she's the owner of Delicious

Sweets Bake shop in The

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SVRC Marketplace in Saginaw.

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Cierra.

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How are you?

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Cierra Crudup: I'm good.

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How are you today?

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Cliff Duvernois (2): I am doing awesome.

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Thank you for asking.

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And i'm probably going to be

dumping some cash into your business

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because I can smell the sugar from

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Cierra Crudup: the sugar.

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So

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Cliff Duvernois (2):

Ha ha so this is great.

41

So Cierra if you would tell us

what is Delicious Sweets Bakeshop.

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So,

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Cierra Crudup: Delicious Sweets

Bake Shop is a business I

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started almost 13 years ago.

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And it started off with me

just doing homemade desserts.

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And, I've been baking

since I was 11 years old.

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When I became 19, I put out a

flyer saying, Hey, I'm having a

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Thanksgiving special sale, right?

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And then I got 27 orders.

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So,

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Cliff Duvernois (2): Oh, nice!

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Cierra Crudup: being like 19 years old

getting 27 orders the first time around.

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I did it.

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And people kept asking after

that like, do you make cakes?

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Do you make birthday cakes?

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So Delicious Sweets evolved from being

homemade desserts to birthday cakes,

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wedding cakes, and your favorite one of

a kind sweets that we offer every day.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): That's incredible.

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And we got a lot to unpack there.

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So, I can't wait to explore that story.

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if you would, just tell

us, where did you grow up?

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Where are you from?

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Cierra Crudup: So I'm

from Pontiac, Michigan.

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That's where I grew up.

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And it's not far from here.

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It's about an hour and 15 minutes away.

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And I got here in Saginaw because

I got a scholarship to SVSU.

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Yes.

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When I graduated from high school.

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So that's how I got here to Saginaw.

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I went to school for social work,

which is ironic because I did

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work in the social work field.

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But clearly this is what

God wanted me to do.

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Delicious Sweets.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): Did, and so what

was it going back to high school?

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Cause you said you got a scholarship

to SVSU what was it about social

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work that attracted you to it?

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Cierra Crudup: I really

have a heart for people.

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And I always wanted to help people.

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And I still feel like

I get to help people.

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It's just in a very sweet type of way now.

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But yeah, that's why I wanted

to, be a social worker.

83

But more so for the elderly population.

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That's really where my heart.

85

okay.

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Yeah, really where my heart is.

87

Cliff Duvernois (2): Okay.

88

And so you grew up in the Pontiac area.

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You've got the scholarship.

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Now you've moved to Saginaw, right?

91

And you're, what did you think about

Saginaw when you first came here?

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Cierra Crudup: only thing I knew was

like the campus of Saginaw Valley and

93

honestly, I was like, where is the city?

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You know, where is the city?

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Because all I see is like a touristy area.

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There's like Walmart.

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There's Sam's Club.

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There's restaurants.

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There's the college.

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For like at least a year and a

half that's where I stayed so I

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didn't know much about Saginaw.

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I thought it was pretty boring and that I

needed to go home every weekend So that's

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what I did for the first year and a half.

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I went home every weekend to

work and to be with my family,

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Cliff Duvernois (2): So now,

let's take a step back here.

106

Because you said that you

started baking when you were 11.

107

Okay.

108

that in and of itself, we gotta unpack.

109

But, why did you start?

110

Cierra Crudup: my mom is a cook.

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And she always would have

me in the kitchen with her.

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And, as a kid, I didn't want

to be in the kitchen with her.

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But she would make me, come stir this,

come do this, mix this up, And my mom

114

was never a baker, but she would make

some desserts around the holidays.

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we needed a cake for my Great

Uncle's funeral when I was 11.

116

And my mom had to work, and she's like,

oh my goodness, I gotta do this cake.

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And I said, hey mom, I can do it.

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And she's looking at me like, what?

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And I was like, Yeah.

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I can do it.

121

I'll follow the directions.

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So I made the cake.

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The family loved it.

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And ever since that moment,

everyone was asking me to make

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them a German chocolate cake.

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Can you make me a cake?

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So that's how it started.

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That is my, that was the first cake

I learned how to make from scratch.

129

I have the same recipe

today, 21 years later.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): Right?

131

So let me ask you a question

here because I love to cook.

132

But I avoid baking at all cost.

133

Because baking is one of those things

where you you cannot adjust it on the fly.

134

If you're like sauteing on the stove

whatever it is you can add salt or

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whatever it is to change the flavor.

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Man baking that's a whole

you got to be precise.

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Cierra Crudup: you, you know,

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Cliff Duvernois (2): So how did

you being just 11 years old.

139

How did you, cause you

hit it out of the park.

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People are asking you to make other cakes.

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How did you have that?

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I guess the discipline

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Cierra Crudup: Yeah.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): make sure

that you had that precision.

145

Cierra Crudup: I would say

a lot of trial and error.

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I knew how to do German chocolate cake.

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That was like my, I was, I

felt like it was perfect.

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But when I wanted to explore

other things like caramel

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cake, that's where I struggle.

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I didn't know what I should do.

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So I practice and I try things and if it

didn't work, then I try something else.

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But I think what got me So, what

made me more interested in going

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further was people's responses.

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So, they would try it and they go.

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oh my goodness.

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Oh, I love this.

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And now, people tell me, oh,

it tastes like my grandma.

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You know, it reminds me of my mother.

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And that brings me so much joy.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): Yes, and

another thing you said too,

161

which is very impressive.

162

You were 11 making this from scratch.

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See, when I was 11, I

was like the box guy.

164

I was like, add some, vegetable

oil, eggs, whatever it is.

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So why, go that route?

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I mean, it's simpler

just to open up a box,

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Cierra Crudup: go from

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Cliff Duvernois (2): why

did you go from scratch?

169

Cierra Crudup: So my mom she would always

make German chocolate from scratch.

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So, the only recipe I knew for German

chocolate was the scratch recipe.

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I didn't know that I could get a

box and get German chocolate cake.

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And the can of German chocolate

frosting is like blasphemy.

173

Like, you know, you just don't do it.

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It's not a thing.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): right,

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Right.

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Oh, I love that.

178

It's blasphemy.

179

Okay.

180

And so you're 11 years old.

181

You've made this and people are

not asking you to make stuff.

182

At what point in time did you

start to think to yourself maybe

183

this could be like a business.

184

did you charge for these cakes

when you were making them?

185

Or did you just make them

because you just love to do it?

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Cierra Crudup: Yeah, that's

a really good question.

187

You know, when I was 11 and getting into

my teen years and people wanted me to make

188

those cakes for them, I wasn't charging.

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So I was just making them and I was, I

think at the time I was more so excited

190

about them wanting me to make it for them.

191

And then when I was 19 and I put out

that flyer, I literally was sitting in

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my dorm room typing Delicious Sweets.

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And at the time I wasn't thinking

that's the name of my business.

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I was just saying that my

sweets are delicious, right?

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um,

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Cliff Duvernois (2): a fact.

197

It's okay.

198

Cierra Crudup: yeah, so, I didn't

think I would have a business.

199

I never thought that I would own my

own business and only work for myself.

200

It, that's not something that I thought.

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it's funny you asked me that question.

202

Because yesterday, my husband was

having a conversation about things he

203

wants to do, and I was thinking like.

204

There was a lot of things

I said I wanted to do.

205

But when I started to be led

by God, I just kind of go in

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the flow of where he leads me.

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And that's how delicious sweets happen.

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That's how the locations happen.

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That's how this is even a business because

I mean he will put you in the places that

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you need to be to make those connections.

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And then you never know where that's going

to take you if you are being led by him.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): and

if you're open to it.

213

Yes, yes.

214

I know you said, you know, you came

to SVSU, you were studying social work

215

and you, you got your degree in that.

216

Yes.

217

Did you get a job in social work?

218

Cierra Crudup: Okay.

219

So when I came to Saginaw Valley and I

started that business, I was working, at

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a group home with elderly individuals.

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And then, while going to school, and

then I would bake on the weekends.

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So, I was continuing to

bake while I was in school.

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And then I would come back.

224

Have specials around valentine's day

easter every holiday I was doing some

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sort of special as well as the orders

that people would place, you know For

226

cakes and events and things like that.

227

So then I started becoming

a manager of the group home.

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So now i'm getting to work a little

bit in the social work field.

229

But I get to work with these elderly

folks every day and advocate for them.

230

Yes and advocate for them and

make sure they're being treated

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well and they're living well.

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And then I started to get more

jobs that required my degree

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Delicious Sweets full time.

234

Because I would get up at two

in the morning making cakes.

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I would do deliveries on my breaks.

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And I said, Lord, you have to have

a better way for me to do this.

237

And that's when I felt the nudge to jump,

to take the leap, you know, the big leap.

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So that's kind of how that happened.

239

I was working in the field.

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But I always was baking on the side.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): And I do want to go

back and explore something you mentioned

242

earlier, because I think you said you were

17, 19 and you put out this orders and

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you got flooded with, you have 27 orders

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Cierra Crudup: hmm.

245

Cliff Duvernois (2): So was it about

this time where you started thinking

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this could be a good side hustle?

247

Cierra Crudup: yeah,

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because I'm like, oh, wow, I just did

twenty seven orders and I made money.

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And I thought it was cool.

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Like, whoa, I'm making money from this.

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But I still, at that point, I didn't

think it would be my business.

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yeah,

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I didn't think.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): on going into social

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Cierra Crudup: Yes, I was still

actively in school and working,

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you know, in the field with the

elderly individuals and all of that.

257

I never really planned it.

258

It just happened.

259

Cliff Duvernois (2): Yeah, awesome,

So you you've done social work You're

260

praying to God because you're getting

up two o'clock in the morning, which

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by the way, those are Baker hours.

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Those are Baker hours.

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Yes.

264

So you're getting up two

o'clock in the morning.

265

You're like, hey God there's

got to be something here.

266

You felt the nudge.

267

And you quit your job.

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Sweet Moses.

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Cierra Crudup: right, while, since

we're talking about this, this sounds

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really easy, praying to God, feeling

the nudge and then taking the leap.

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But I had some doubt.

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I definitely had some doubt and I'm

like, yeah, I kept saying are you sure?

273

are you sure this is

what you want me to do?

274

And then one day I was on my

way to work sitting in the car

275

and I heard it clear as day.

276

God did not give me the spirit of fear.

277

And that was the day that I

put, I got chills That was the

278

Cliff Duvernois (2): I got chills too.

279

Cierra Crudup: put my resignation in.

280

Cliff Duvernois (2): Oh, wow.

281

So when you heard this, was it like on

a podcast, the radio, or did you just,

282

Cierra Crudup: it was, it

was something inside of me.

283

It's you know, how like God

speaks to you in different ways.

284

But he'll remind you of that scripture.

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He'll remind you of that thing.

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and he's spoken to me in different ways.

287

Sometimes I felt like I heard him audibly.

288

But this time it just popped into my head.

289

And I knew it was God because I'm

worrying and I'm doubting and I'm unsure.

290

And then you hear that word

and peace just comes over you.

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Cliff Duvernois (2): Yes.

292

And by the way, I love that feeling.

293

So let the record stand.

294

Uh,

295

So you went in, you turned in, you know,

you turned in, you're like, I'm done,

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Cierra Crudup: you're

297

Cliff Duvernois (2): out

and now no paycheck coming

298

Cierra Crudup: I had

$62 in my bank account.

299

Oh my goodness.

300

Cliff Duvernois (2): goodness.

301

Oh, this story is getting

better by the minute.

302

62.

303

Amazing.

304

So then I guess the next question is,

is that, did you, so did you, were

305

you like cooking in your own kitchen?

306

Cause I, I.

307

In your

308

Cierra Crudup: In my apartment,

309

Cliff Duvernois (2): Now how

quickly were you able to like, turn

310

around and start getting orders,

311

Cierra Crudup: So, at this point, I had

been putting myself out there in Saginaw.

312

So, I had met a lady through business.

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And she had a studio.

314

it was called You Me Paint.

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So, it was like an art studio

where you can come and paint.

316

She allowed me to bring my sweets there.

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As often as I wanted to and have a sale.

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So I used to call it like

a pop up shop, you know?

319

So twice a week I'm

popping up at this place.

320

Or I'm having a sale and I'm meeting

people literally in Cube Smart parking

321

lot or like Speedway parking lot.

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But when I tell you, I knew that,

okay, if you make a certain amount

323

of things, 500 in this pop up.

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So that's how I started off.

325

I was doing these pop up shops.

326

I was saving money.

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And then I got into the SVRC.

328

And that was like the second

location I had open after I said I

329

was never opening another bakery.

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But I did those pop up shops to

get the money, And money I didn't

331

have any money for my job because

I only had 62 dollars, you know.

332

But god showed me a way to make

money so that I could pursue

333

what he was telling me to do.

334

And I didn't even

understand it at the time.

335

I really didn't

336

Cliff Duvernois (2): No, you just,

you just went through the motions.

337

You have to do it.

338

Okay, awesome.

339

For our audience, we're going

to take a quick break and thank

340

our sponsors when we come back.

341

We're going to talk to Cierra a lot

more about her journey, including

342

her family's reaction to quitting

her job, and what you can expect when

343

you come to Delicious Sweets Bakery.

344

We'll see you after the break.

345

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346

Well, I can tell you

there's a lot more to come.

347

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348

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350

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351

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354

Hello everyone and welcome back to

total michigan where we interview

355

ordinary michiganders doing

some pretty extraordinary things

356

I'm your host Cliff DuVernois.

357

Today, we're talking with Cierra

Crudup of Delicious Sweets

358

Bake Shop here in Saginaw.

359

And, uh, Cierra, before the break, we

were talking about how you quit your job.

360

And you had 62 in your checking account.

361

I'm going to be remembering a lot of

numbers at the end of this conversation.

362

But you had 62 in your checking account.

363

So one of the things that I want

to do is I want to go back and I

364

know at some point you probably

told your family, I've quit my job

365

Cierra Crudup: because I

366

Cliff Duvernois (2): I feel

like God's called me to do this.

367

what was their their reaction?

368

Cierra Crudup: You I feel like the

only person that I really had this

369

conversation with was my mom and dad.

370

And they're believers too.

371

But they've never done anything like this.

372

So my dad was like, Okay.

373

Well, you know it if that's what

you feel like you should do Okay.

374

And my mom she was right on board with it.

375

But I learned early on and this is a good

tip for entrepreneurs or people who have

376

a dream that God gave you this dream.

377

It's something you can't get away from

like it's your passion like he didn't

378

give that that dream to anyone else.

379

So sometimes you're gonna be

the only person that can see it.

380

So if he told you to do it,

you have to trust him in that.

381

But then maybe not share it with

everybody else until it's done.

382

Because you don't want people

to discourage you and I

383

learned that early early on.

384

So at this point when I quit my job,

I was in the habit of not telling

385

people until after it was done So you

couldn't even try to change my mind

386

Cliff Duvernois (2): we go back and unpack

a couple of things because I could imagine

387

like from your parents perspective.

388

Anyways, they watched

you grow up doing this.

389

They see your passion.

390

Cierra Crudup: do

391

sharing when you

392

Cliff Duvernois (2): You were

sharing when you were 19 you got

393

27 orders like right off the bat.

394

Cierra Crudup: you told

395

Cliff Duvernois (2): you

told your parents about

396

Cierra Crudup: They saw me.

397

I was in their home baking

for two days days straight.

398

Cliff Duvernois (2): Oh, yes.

399

Cierra Crudup: They saw everything

that I put into Delicious Sweets.

400

And they were on board with it.

401

know, I did it.

402

My mom, I remember her telling me,

like, Cierra, you're in college.

403

How are you going to open a

bakery and work and be in college?

404

And I'm like, mom, I'll do it.

405

So I kinda always was

one of those kids that.

406

It was like, if it was something

that I really believed in,

407

I was going to do it anyway.

408

And if that meant that I would learn

hard lessons while doing it, so be it.

409

Cliff Duvernois (2): You know, you jump

ship, you're now, on your own, basically,

410

whatever you bake, you have to sell.

411

And this is the money that's coming

412

Cierra Crudup: Yes.

413

So

414

Cliff Duvernois (2): talk to us maybe

about one, one of the key challenges that

415

you had to go through to make this work.

416

Cierra Crudup: You know what?

417

There were so many challenges.

418

Let me just say that like

finances being a huge one.

419

Because imagine you quit your job.

420

And you're going full time at this point.

421

I'm new into the SVRC marketplace.

422

And I'm here and I know how to bake, but

I don't understand all the other stuff.

423

So I have to hire people.

424

I have to trust people to be here.

425

I have to figure out how long it's going

to take me to prepare all these things.

426

Employees, right.

427

I'm trying to figure out my process.

428

how long does it take me to prepare this

stuff and how can I do this so that I'm on

429

time every day and then I have to sell it.

430

So going from, I'm really good at baking.

431

Some people know me for my desserts

to now I have this business.

432

And I have to operate it like a business.

433

So I struggle really bad.

434

Especially since when I opened

435

later, I opened up in the mall.

436

So you're talking about two locations

in the matter of five months and

437

still haven't got the processes down.

438

So, I learned so so much from how to

sell things, how to give the people what

439

they want instead of what Cierra wants.

440

And how to manage having employees.

441

How to keep my finances separate

from personal and business, cause

442

now I'm paying the business bills.

443

And my bills.

444

So I learned so much.

445

I had lots of challenges.

446

Finances was a big one.

447

Cliff Duvernois (2): And it

was a steep learning curve.

448

Cierra Crudup: absolutely.

449

Absolutely.

450

I feel like I have a wealth

of knowledge at this point.

451

Cliff Duvernois (2): That you do.

452

And we're going to discuss

that in a little bit.

453

And one of the things that you mentioned

before, and I thought was very telling,

454

is about It's about hiring the people.

455

Because I know that from a

lot entrepreneur standpoint.

456

It's like we try to put everything on

our own shoulders and wear like 50 caps.

457

so talk to us about like, how did

you break yourself of that and

458

say, I really do have to trust

459

Cierra Crudup: have

460

Cliff Duvernois (2): know, this

employee is going to be here or

461

like my accountant or whatever

462

is going to do it.

463

The graphics artist.

464

Things like that.

465

Talk talk to us about that.

466

Cierra Crudup: So it got to the point

where if I'm baking say for instance

467

I'm still in the kitchen baking.

468

But like we open at like 10 o'clock.

469

I had to like someone had to be there.

470

If I'm still baking, someone has

to be there to serve the people.

471

I don't think I really had a choice when

it came to the first employee, but once

472

I started hiring multiple employees.

473

And then, I'm stressing myself out because

I still feel like I have to do everything.

474

I have to bake everything.

475

I have to package everything.

476

I have to frost everything

because I don't trust anyone else.

477

And it took, for me, listening

to a business coach of mine.

478

And she said, You have glorified cashiers.

479

She's

480

like you're still running around like

a chicken with your head cut off.

481

But you have employees you have

to delegate And I tried it.

482

I didn't want to try it.

483

But I tried it and I felt so much better.

484

Because I could teach these people how to

do it the right way and then I could focus

485

on other things because they're helping me

486

You cannot do it alone

487

Cliff Duvernois (2): Yes, and

I think there's something very

488

important to be said there.

489

And the fact that you're now able to

delegate these smaller tasks, frees

490

up your time to focus on the bigger

tasks, like expanding your brand.

491

Cierra Crudup: Yes.

492

Cliff Duvernois (2): working on

marketing, or whatever that is to get

493

more business, to make sure that, that

your employees can get a paycheck.

494

They know a paycheck's always gonna come.

495

Cierra Crudup: Yes.

496

Absolutely.

497

Cliff Duvernois (2): Why

open a second location?

498

Cierra Crudup: I met this couple

at an event that I was, doing

499

a, being a vendor at, Right.

500

And this is another like encounter

with people that God puts you

501

in the right place to meet.

502

They had told me like you should

reach out to so and so at the mall.

503

So I reached out to

that person at the mall.

504

And at this point I was already in

here but having the mall would give

505

me a larger space to prepare my items.

506

Because I was limited

when I first got here.

507

I was like, whoa.

508

I can do everything here.

509

This could be open.

510

And then that could be

just a smaller location.

511

So this is going to take us to the next

level because the refrigeration is there.

512

there's people already

shopping in the mall.

513

So we'll be able to sell the stuff.

514

So that's how that happened.

515

There was no real plan.

516

Again, just flowing in

the way of being led.

517

And it sounds crazy.

518

It really does sound crazy.

519

But it was, I wouldn't change anything.

520

Cliff Duvernois (2): Right.

521

Not only are you, taking your

knowledge and you're gaining these

522

experiences, but somehow you managed

to fit 26 hours into 24 hours

523

Cierra Crudup: yeah, wrote a

524

Yeah.

525

Yes.

526

Yes.

527

Cliff Duvernois (2):

Talk to us about that.

528

Cierra Crudup: Okay.

529

So this is another, I know this lady.

530

She's a customer of mine and

she owns a publishing company.

531

so she encourages people to write books

and write their stories so that you

532

Their legacy is always around, Right.

533

she often would post, Who wants

to write a 30 day devotional?

534

And I've seen this so many times.

535

But the last two times I've

seen her post it really spoke

536

to me like, You need to do it.

537

I ignored it.

538

I was like, no, I don't

have time for that.

539

So then the next time it came

around, I text her, I said,

540

every time, I see you post this.

541

I know I'm supposed to reach out to you.

542

So I reached out to her.

543

I signed up for her little

coaching program And I didn't even

544

know how I was gonna fit it in.

545

Like how am I gonna write this devotional?

546

And what is it gonna be about?

547

The first call I got on with her, I

heard what it was supposed to be about.

548

This is gonna be for entrepreneurs

even sitting down to write

549

this devotional I still didn't

know what I was gonna put in it

550

And then he told me, talk

about your experiences.

551

What would you tell people?

552

what advice could you give

them so they wouldn't make the

553

same mistakes that you did?

554

What are some struggles that you had?

555

So that's what I started with.

556

And yesterday I was looking back over the

book and I was like, whoa, I wrote this?

557

Like, this is really good.

558

So I believe that, God led

me to write the devotional.

559

And I believe it's going to help so

many entrepreneurs who are new, who are

560

seasoned, who are struggling, who don't

know, how they're going to continue on.

561

I believe it's going to encourage

them and give them some practical

562

things to do to keep moving forward.

563

Cliff Duvernois (2): Now is

it just a 30 day devotional,

564

or is it a 365 day devotional?

565

Cierra Crudup: So, it

is a 30 day devotional.

566

And it's also like a workbook because

there's some actions you have to

567

take, you know, in this devotional.

568

it's supposed to kickstart

you on a better journey.

569

say for instance, you read the devotional.

570

And you do the activities and you

complete the task, you should be

571

well on your way to turning some

things around once you're done.

572

Cliff Duvernois (2): so the book

isn't out yet, but it will be.

573

Cierra Crudup: It will be.

574

I'm hoping to have it in my hands by

October so we can celebrate our 13th

575

year anniversary and, launch the book.

576

Cliff Duvernois (2):

Oh, that would be great.

577

And your 13th anniversary.

578

Yes.

579

if somebody is going to come here

and they want to, they want to check

580

your place out, they want to sample

some, some things or whatever.

581

Okay.

582

First off, I understand

everything here is really good.

583

What would be one thing that thing that

you would say, you know, if you were going

584

to come here, going to come try this.

585

Cierra Crudup: have to

try the caramel cake.

586

You have to try the caramel cake.

587

Because it's next to the German chocolate.

588

It is The thing that I perfected

like after German chocolate.

589

I remember making caramel.

590

And i'm talking about this takes

three to four hours to make this.

591

caramel.

592

I remember making it and it would

you can see through it like it

593

looked like tan water, you know.

594

And I finally perfected

it and it's like amazing.

595

I have people that buy it by the jar.

596

So our signature caramel is on

our caramel cake we have customers

597

that They still call to try to

get it in the jar, you know now.

598

And eventually maybe we'll

be able to put it in stores.

599

But you have to try the caramel cake.

600

Sweet potato pies also are great

601

Yeah, and think about this is

something that really got me.

602

It's a fall dessert.

603

I usually only do it in the fall

604

last

605

So last year I started

making these smaller pies.

606

And i'm still making them in

August of the next year because

607

the customers love them so much

608

Cliff Duvernois (2): That is incredible.

609

And I saw on one of your Facebook posts

recently there was one day where you

610

posted and said we are out of pies

611

Cierra Crudup: Yes.

612

pies were gone.

613

We literally, we sell out a lot of,

of a lot of things every single day.

614

Because our customers, they just love it.

615

any given moment, if you come after

four, you might not get a pie.

616

You know, you might not

get any banana pudding.

617

It just depends.

618

But most of our items, we sell

out pretty much every day.

619

Cliff Duvernois (2): And that's

got to be a wonderful feeling.

620

Cierra Crudup: It is.

621

And it's a lot of work.

622

Yeah that is.

623

Cliff Duvernois (2): Yeah that it is

because I'm thinking of the fact that

624

you know if you did have a lot of stuff

left over the other day all sudden

625

you're starting to get into the day old.

626

Myself have wondered

627

know or this has been

sitting here for five days

628

Cierra Crudup: Yes.

629

Like

630

Cliff Duvernois (2): I myself

have wondered that when here?

631

Yeah, a bake shop, like how long

has this stuff been sitting here?

632

You're selling out

633

Cierra Crudup: That is a good

question because sometimes

634

people ask that question.

635

And I used to get offended.

636

But people don't know that we

make our stuff fresh every day.

637

But we do.

638

We do.

639

Cliff Duvernois (2): Oh interesting, okay

640

Cierra Crudup: every day.

641

We do have a baking day at the top of the

week where we bake a bunch of cakes off.

642

But all of our puddings, all of

our, the pies, all of that is

643

made caramel every single day.

644

We make it fresh.

645

Cliff Duvernois (2): Wait a

minute you said it takes four

646

hours to make your caramel

647

Cierra Crudup: hours every day

648

Cliff Duvernois (2): sweet moses.

649

Cierra Crudup: I've

650

Cliff Duvernois (2): did you write a book?

651

Yeah,

652

Cierra Crudup: yeah, You just

learn how to manage your time.

653

Once you've, you've been doing

654

Cliff Duvernois (2): You do sleep, right?

655

Cierra Crudup: I do sleep.

656

I used to didn't sleep when I was younger.

657

But now I have to sleep.

658

I'm not nice when I don't sleep.

659

Cierra if

660

Cliff Duvernois (2): Cierra if

somebody is listening to this and

661

they want to come and check you

662

How can can they find you?

663

How can they find you online?

664

Cierra Crudup: online?

665

They can find us on Facebook and

Instagram at Delicious Sweets,

666

Bake Shop or DSI bake shop.

667

com.

668

Or they can pop into the SBRC marketplace.

669

Cliff Duvernois (2): Cierra thank

you so much for taking time to

670

be with us on the show today.

671

I really appreciate

672

Cierra Crudup: Thank you.

673

Thank you for having me.

674

it was great.

675

Cliff Duvernois (2): For our audience you

can always roll on over to TotalMichigan.

676

com and click on Cierra's interview and

get the links that she just mentioned.

677

You We will see you next time when

we talk to another Michigander doing

678

some pretty extraordinary things.

679

We'll see you then