Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with DaVee Harned, owner of Little Peanut Pastries, located in Summerville, SC.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a small bakery that does a little bit of everything! We bake everything from cookies and brownies to cakes and pies and almost everything in between. We make all the classics like chocolate chip cookies and brownies, but then we also take those classics and will add a fun spin on them. Our kitchen sink cookie is stuffed full of everything you could want in a cookie, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, pretzels, Oreos, and M&M's. And if you think there isn't anything better than a plain brownie, wait till you try out Nutella M&M brownie; it is hard just to have one. If you have a sweet tooth, we definitely have something for you!

Tell us about yourself

I have been working in the food and beverage industry for 10+ years now. I started in the industry when I was in high school and decided if I was going to do something for the rest of my life, I should choose something I enjoy doing.  After high school, I moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to attend Johnson and Wales University. I have worked at so many amazing places since graduating, including hotels, restaurants, and bakeries. I enjoyed working at all of these different types of atmospheres because it gave me such a wide range of production levels. I really felt I was able to soak in a lot of knowledge from some very talented chefs, some of which inspired me to open up my own business. The biggest push for starting my own business, though, would, hands down, be from my wonderful and supportive fiancé.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think the biggest accomplishment would be just starting the business itself. It took a lot of courage to set out on my own, knowing the chance of failure. You really have to put everything into a business to get it off the ground and build it from nothing.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing is knowing when to turn it off and then actually turn it off. It is so easy to get caught up in wanting to do everything quickly as possible, but you need to learn a balance of work and personal time. It can be very challenging to separate the two and feel like you are always on the clock.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Do your research and ASK FOR HELP!

2. Find a system that works for you and stay as organized as possible.

3. Take baby steps, don't take on more than you can handle when you first start.

Anything else you'd like to share?

My company name comes from a nickname given to me by my father, and despite the fact that I just turned 30, my dad still calls me his little peanut!

Where can people find you and your business?

https://littlepeanutpastries.com/

https://www.instagram.com/littlepeanutpastries/

https://www.facebook.com/LittlePeanutPastries

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.