Perrysburg Pulse Magazine Perrysburg Pulse November | Page 27

all orders are done to perfection. Whether Erin, Abby and Brittany are personalizing hundreds of cookies one by one, creating a dream wedding cake, or building s’mores from scratch, each and every step and detail takes time. life more than I touch theirs.” Erin shares that her work weeks can be “70 to 80 hours long.” When I asked each of them for a story about a favorite project or order they had done for a customer they had more than could be typed in one article. You can hear the excitement in their voices when the conversation steers toward making a client's vision come to life. Erin values the “connection and relationships” she has developed with her clients and Brittany loves “being a part of a customer’s day and making it better or helping them through a bad time.” Brittany bakes and decorates her cookies out of her house and that means “countless hours a week because I’m always around it.” Abby’s hours are just as crazy. She explains, “I average 80 hours a week and it goes up to 90-100 during the holidays.” The Sweetest Ladies may be busy preparing for an influx of holiday treat orders, but they’re making big plans for further into the future. How do these three bakers/businessowners/moms manage it all? They all say, “balance” is one of the toughest parts of the job. It might be clichè’, but it takes a village to help these Perrysburg business owners achieve success. Brittany’s husband will help decorate cookies or make a delivery when she is juggling an order and kids. Erin shared a story about her 80 year old grandpa washing dishes at the store to be helpful. A gesture as simple as Abby’s parents taking her son for a bit in order for her to run to the market is extremely appreciated. “This community has been what makes this business worth it for me, that it’s so much more than making a cute cookie and we hope we are able to grow into a business that is able to return the favor of support and encouragement to local businesses in the future. My day dream is a space to have everyday interaction with customers,” Brittany shares. Erin’s plans would include “a second location in Toledo, more collaborations with local businesses, more charity type functions and events, and to be the best baker in Toledo.” All three women have also had to learn how to manage family time and their own holidays. While they are baking up beautiful memories for their clients’ celebrations, they have to put their own on the back burner. So Many Somethings and 7 Little Cupcakes close for a few days after the holidays are over, so the busy bakers can rest and catch up on life. Abby’s goals will be a reality soon, “A new location—a shop/new space is being renovated currently, excited to see the vision and my happy place. It will be a consistent place for customers, more customer service friendly.” “We celebrate holidays after the holidays. In January, we combine all holidays and birthdays for a week of celebrations,” says Abby. No matter what the future holds for Brittany at Lemon Sprinkle Cookie Company, Abby at So Many Somethings and Erin at 7 Little Cupcakes, rest assured your sweet tooth will be satisfied. The Sweetest Ladies will continue to go above and beyond to make sure Perrysburg residents receive the best quality products in beautiful packages. Abby, Brittany, and Erin all have different backgrounds, experiences, and talents, however, what they do have in common is that they are proud to bake for and give back to the Perrysburg community and that’s what makes them the Sweetest Ladies of Perrysburg! Last Thanksgiving, Brittany and Austin were so busy with that week’s cookie orders that they spent the actual holiday resting. Erin, who has welcomed a new baby boy in addition to everything else, is looking forward to New Year’s. “We spend it on Mackinac Island with family and friends.'' The ladies say the sleepless nights and unique holidays are worth it because they are able to show their children what following your passion looks like. Erin says, “I’m doing it for my son's future. Raising him to know you can do whatever you want with your life.” Abby is “showing my son the hard work it takes to be successful and being a role model of hard work.” Brittany’s kids are her biggest cheerleaders. Her daughter tells her, “ other people’s mommies should start companies too.” One of the most rewarding parts of the baking biz and the reason they sacrifice so much is because of the customers and community they serve. Abby believes, “The customers touch my Karri Knoblauch is the CEO of her household. She spends her days trying to survive her three sassy kids, music loving husband, loud barking fur girl and a hermit crab that likes to play dead constantly. By night she likes to write funny facebook posts and dream about being a children's book author that writes comedic stories that adults will laugh through. Before Karri was CEO she got her Masters Degree in Higher Education and worked at Bowling Green State University. 27