Business owner and website developer, Lesley, took a few moments to tell us about her business and share some tips that may help you with your business dreams!

What inspired you to start your business?

An avid baker for over 15 years, I caught the cake decorating bug about two years ago. After a while, I came across some cookie decorating blogs and a new love was born. It’s amazing what you can design on a cookie! I was just blown away with ideas. Cookies are easy to share, transport and ship, and can have the same wow factor as a beautiful cake.
I started posting my cookie pictures on my Facebook page, and things kind of took off from there.  I realized there was demand for something more than cakes and cupcakes — especially for folks who want to ship gifts to out of town friends and family. So, I investigated business opportunities in this niche market and officially launched Frosted by Lesley, Inc. (“Frosted”) in October 2011.

What is your favorite part of running your own business?

Stepping out of my comfort zone! It’s a new challenge every day, and I love it.

What lessons did you learn along the way that can help new businesses just starting up?

First thing I tell anyone who’s thinking of starting a business: Get yourself to your local Small Business Association/Small Business Development Center. They are invaluable resources to get your business on the right track – and most importantly, focus on the big picture things that can get lost when you’re so tuned into your “big idea”.  They generally assign you an adviser who holds you accountable every week for making great strides in your business.

How do you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) to promote your business and engage with customers?

Frosted uses social media to promote special offers on the Intuit Storefront and to engage fans. Last Christmas, there was a “Guess how many cookies are in the oven?” contest, and a limerick contest for St. Patrick’s Day. (Usually the prize is a free dozen cookies!)

What are some new or exciting things we can look forward to for your business in the near future?

Frosted will be participating in Chicago-area farmers markets this summer. Also, we just launched D.T.Y. – Design Them Yourself cookies for a truly custom cookie. Perfect for corporate logos, sports, teams and more!

Thanks so much, Lesley! Be sure to check out her website and Facebook page!

What inspired you to start your business?

Mr. Pete’s Cajun Spices was originally owned by my father. As a child, I can remember as it neared dinner time, I could hear the sounds of the pots and pans clashing, smell the different aromas coming from the kitchen, and recognize the hard work involved in preparing meals. I became interested in learning the art of preparing fine dishes, and assisted my father in the kitchen as often as I could. Over time, my father took his culinary skills and opened his very first authentic seafood restaurant. I was able to get involved; and more experience provided me with the same skills that my father possessed.  Unfortunately, after many years of success, the restaurant experienced devastation when it was stricken by fire. My father decided to accept his fate, and he moved on incorporating his love of cooking in a different undertaking.

Throughout the years in the restaurant, my father and I would blend spices to give our dishes just the right flavors. After much thought and plenty more mixing, my father decided to offer his authentic flavors as a wholesale dealer of spices to local supermarkets. This way, he was still able to bring his essence into the very kitchens of his customers. Recently, my father had decided that the business had become a bit overwhelming and approached me to purchase the company. He knew that I would continue to offer his true blends and create new flavors to accentuate his product line. I was truly honored by my father’s faith in my abilities to continue his legacy.

In July 2011, I purchased this company from my father and jumped in feet first. His hard work and dedication has inspired me to also embrace my love of food and its delectable flavors and to produce only the finest blends that I also serve in my kitchen today for my family.

What sets your company apart from its competitors?

My company is much different than the competitors in that I offer authentic flavors. I do not add fillers or load my products with unnecessary sodium to be financially competitive. In fact, I can include all of the delicious spices (which are more costly) and still offer my products at competitive prices, because I do not have the overhead that our competition has. My company is a family-based company that is run solely by our family. From the mixing to the distributions, myself and my wife handle all affairs with Mr. Pete’s Cajun Spices. Therefore, we are able to keep costs down and pass the savings on to our customers.

My products are also enhanced by the packaging labels, and as one of our customers describe “unique”. We design a separate label for each of our products. The graphics are very colorful and are eye-catching to potential buyers. We take pride in knowing that each design truly represents the product inside the packaging.

Finally, my company is also incomparable when it comes to product satisfaction. I guarantee that my products are of the very best of quality. Our goal is customer satisfaction, which begins at the creation of the products. I feel that if I can get you to try it, you’ll ‘Get Hooked On It!!!’

What is your favorite part of running your own business?

My favorite part of running my own business is the results, of course. Not the results of profiting, nor the results of business growth. It is the seeing the satisfaction on the customers’ faces. It is hearing the feedback from the customers. Each weekend, my wife and I go out to the supermarkets that carry our products to demonstrate our flavors. We like to gain a response from the customers and hear their reviews. I like to tell this story, because it just feels so satisfying to experience it. As I am cooking, my wife serves the customers. We watch them take samples and continue walking down the grocery aisles. Then, it hits them… the flavors. They turn around only to come back and ask about the product. They become interested in reciprocating the same great tastes that we serve to them. Witnessing that fulfillment provides me with gratification in knowing that I am achieving my goals and ultimately my dreams.

What lessons did you learn along the way that can help new businesses just starting up?

Although my business is still fairly new under my ownership and I am learning something new each day, I would suggest to new business owners to complete a lot of research. Begin with a business plan. Set goals for yourself, and then determine how to carry out those goals. Research the market industry, your competition, and your customers. Don’t make hasty decisions. Instead, make educated decisions. You must also have the heart for your chosen business. If it is not something you yourself believe in, how will you make others (your customers) believe in your product(s) or service(s)?

How do you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, etc.) to promote your business and engage with customers?

Social media has been a great influence in my business. When my father had the company, he relied solely on word-of-mouth. Even though that may be a large part of marketing, I was able to take my business a step further by offering my products on line through my website. However, I was not seeing the visitors I was hoping for. Incorporating social media has allowed me to introduce my company to so many more people from all over the world. Social media is also an excellent outlet for others to share my products with their family and friends. I like to inform my customers of new products, events, or simply give them a recipe to follow using my spice blends. Even though my website features these topics, I can share them through more channels to gain more visitors and ultimately customers. I also use one specific form of social media for professional business contacts. I have been able to locate and instill interest with major supermarket networks. I have also been contacted by distributors and other types of business that can help in my company’s growth. I would highly recommend any business owner to take part in social media. After all, that is where your potential customers are congregating.

What are some new or exciting things we can look forward to for your business in the near future?

My business is growing beyond even my own belief! I will be introducing many more products into my line in the next couple of months. I am also marketing my products to more grocery chains, so that I can offer my Cajun seasonings in many more areas. Look forward to Mr. Pete’s Cajun Spices possibly sitting on your local grocery shelves!

Anything else you’d like to share?

I think that by managing my own company solely without the use of employees at this time is my best quality, as I am able to offer my customers the personal service they have come to appreciate. I believe that the personal service, as well as the competitive pricing, gives me a step up to the competition, which ultimately gains success. I wouldn’t have been able to manage my own website, as I am not technology-savvy to say the least. Intuit has made this task accommodating and enjoyable. I am able to provide an accurate depiction of my company by customizing my site in a Cajun theme, and it is fun to be able to observe my very own creative works.

Thanks, Cory!  Check them out at

www.mrpetescajunspices.com

www.facebook.com/MrPetesCajunSpices

Intuit Websites: What inspired you to start East Coast CPR Training?

Hosey: I started the business because my family and I have a passion for teaching CPR and first aid to the community. I was finally able to combine my love of health care with my dream of starting my own business, and I had the perfect opportunity to do so. Starting your own business is a very frightening thought: The setup costs, overhead, marketing expenses, etc., can become very pricey. But I have the support of my entire family, and there is nothing else I could ask for.

What sets your company apart from its competitors?

East Coast CPR Training is family owned and operated, so right from the start customers will get the personal attention they deserve. I wanted to start a business that focused on “lay rescuers,” or people who are not medical professionals. Almost everyone I talk to says they should — or they want to — learn CPR, but do not know where to look for a class, do not think they would be good at it, or have other barriers that prevent them from taking the first step to learning. I want everyone to know that there are very few reasons why you can’t learn CPR. We will come to your home or place of business to teach, seven days a week, and will work with your schedule to make sure you learn these precious skills. All of our instructors have health-care experience and bring real life scenarios into the classroom. Most students are scared to learn CPR, but our instructors have lost count of how many times we’ve performed it in real life. We will make sure our students are not afraid of learning.

What is your favorite part of running your own business?

My favorite part of running my own business is the hard work that goes into the entire process, from marketing materials to finding customers, to seeing the looks on their faces while they enjoy learning these life-saving skills. I enjoy coming up with new ideas to make customers happy and different ways we can engage different audiences to learn CPR and first aid. The skills our students learn can be implemented into every aspect of their lives, from being prepared for family emergencies to emergencies at work.

What lessons did you learn along the way that might help new businesses?

I’ve learned to take my time and fully research products and services before I purchase them for my business. Many companies I have encountered offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. I can spend less time hoping I am making the right choice and more time deciding if a product is right for me by trying it out first-hand. I am not afraid to call a company and ask for my money back if it is not a good fit for me or my business. I have been trying different CRM products for four months and have yet to find the right one for me. I also bought products from eBay and Craigslist to help save money for other expenses, such as marketing materials. I plan to replace these used products with new products as soon as possible, but I am able to save about 50 percent until that happens. If these products are kept in good condition, they can usually be resold again to make it easier to buy new items.

How do you use social media to promote your business and engage with customers?

I plan to use Facebook for Business to promote East Coast CPR Training and to give potential students a way to easily visit our website to register for classes and buy products. I plan on hiring someone to create custom advertising for the Facebook page to further engage customers. I also plan on offering specials and discounts through Facebook and Twitter. I plan to make a video of students learning CPR and post it on YouTube. This video will help prospective students understand how easy and fun it is to learn CPR and first aid. Our company is also on LinkedIn, which makes it easy to promote the business to professional groups who would benefit from learning CPR.

What can we look forward to seeing from your business in the near future?

I plan to sell products and services on our website once I can get the capital to do so. I also plan to offer some service programs for first-aid supplies and AEDs (automated external defibrillators). Advertising on social-networking sites and using mass-marketing techniques will help us do this.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Intuit has made it very easy for me to create and update our website. I am trying out the StoreFront feature, and this will make selling products and services easier. I looked at other website services, and none compared to what Intuit has to offer. Anytime I have an issue, I call Intuit and I am greeted by a very friendly customer-service representative that knows exactly how to solve my problem.

JustinFit is active on just about every social media platform there is. From Twitter to Facebook to Pinterest, Seedman has his social bases covered, and you can really feel his passion in the video below.

Thanks, Justin, for sharing your story with us!

Initially, Bruno knew she needed a presence on the internet for her bricks-and-mortar business. While looking online for some help with building her web presence, she found Intuit Websites, and the vast selection of template designs caught her attention. She ultimately decided to use Intuit Design Services based on its customization options and ability to get her website up rapidly.

“It was awesome. They listened to my ideas and jumped right on it. Communication was the key,” Bruno says. “[The site] looked so professional. It had all the pages I needed, and they advised me beautifully on how to put a video up. The best part is that I can add and edit my site if I need to, with support.”

Since Bruno used Intuit Websites to help design and optimize her website, she has seen a healthy growth in online traffic. In December 2010, she had just 100 visitors to her site. By December 2011, that number had jumped up to 510 visitors, and January 2012 is looking even better.

Would Bruno recommend Intuit Websites to a friend? “Totally, and always have,” she says. “My suggestion is to do what I did. Go to Intuit and sign up. They are very responsive, quick, and the support makes it easy if you ever need any help.”

My resolutions swarmed in my mind with excitement and eagerness. Spend more time with my kids… Easy! Take more risks in life… I’m ready! Lose 10 pounds… does trying count? Find a way to appreciate the customers I have worked with every day at Intuit Websites for the past ten years… pause. Long pause.

The ball dropped in New York’s Time Square (OK, it was pre-recorded, since I’m on the West Coast) and hugs and kisses suffocated the room. At that moment I was ready for the New Year and the challenges it would introduce.

The following workday I sat at my desk thinking of the New Year’s resolution that eluded me. I’ve seen a ton of websites over the years. Some were absolutely amazing in so many ways; aesthetically soothing, innovative, informative, fun. I wondered how we could recognize these websites, and the owners that manage them.

When someone works hard to achieve a milestone, I believe they should be allowed to “show the world” what they’ve done. They’ve earned the right to be appreciated. So let’s do it: Let’s appreciate the hard work that Intuit Websites users, and all website owners, have invested into creating their little space on the internet.

Intuit Websites Sites We Love was created to show our appreciation to all people that invest time in creating, or managing, a website. It’s not an easy task, and it’s one that can be very time consuming, and we’re going to try to recognize that. So simply send us your website address on Intuit Websites’ Facebook or Twitter page, and your foot’s in the door. One website will be selected each week and will be featured on our social channels and blog (along with a super cool interview)!

I have nothing but gratitude to all of the wonderful people that entered Intuit Websites Sites We Love in 2011. It’s inspiring to see so many diverse websites and hear about how each entrant uses their website for their small business, their hobbies or for entertainment.

2011 is coming to an end in a few days and I’ll be back in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve with a glass of champagne and excitement to see what Sites We Love will bring in 2012. So please make it your resolution to enter!