Rising Stars: Meet Crystal Rucker

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My intent was to start my business at the end of 2019. I had already purchased my products and packaging, but I would not start the business as planned because I received a cancer diagnosis. The dream I had of the name Crystal’s Cravings reaffirmed for me that I should continue to pursue my passion to start my business. Because I work a full-time job, I was able to invest my own financial resources into my business. I felt like this business had to be top-tier from the moment I officially launched because I was, in my mind, years behind where I should have been because of my health journey.

I was trying to do everything with a sense of urgency to make the business “perfect”. My late grandfather once told me, “If you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all.” His words have continued to resonate and have been etched in my mind as I launched this business. Once you have announced your vision to the world, the pressure you feel to ensure you do everything in your power to not fail, especially in the face of those who doubt your vision, can add to the stress of starting a business.

Once I got started, I have had a supportive customer base, and as I started selling more of my peach cobblers in the jars, vending at local businesses, and getting catering orders, I started second-guessing myself wondering how I would keep up with the demand. I wanted to slow down, thinking I may have taken on too much, but my desire to make the business successful meant that I pushed through even if it meant staying up all night to bake despite the fact that I had still had my responsibilities as a mom and working my full-time job.

One of the challenges I faced most is when people would ask me, “Do you make any other desserts other than just peach cobbler?” At first, I found myself stressing wondering how I could appease everyone’s “cravings.” Then, one day during a serendipitous moment, I met a man who had his brand of BBQ sauces sold at Costco. I shared with him my challenge of wanting to create a menu of desserts that I really did not have the time to make. In addition to sharing with me his business advice, he reminded me that I cannot please everyone and if the peach cobbler is my niche and is what sets me apart from my competition, continue to do all that I can to make it the best peach cobbler in the world. So, the next time someone asked me if all I sold was peach cobbler, I am confident and proud to say that I have my one product that everyone seems to love and enjoy.

My end goal is to provide generational wealth and economic sustainability for my son and generations to come, but I understand that starting, maintaining, and growing a business means that I must be willing to endure the challenges and struggles that come with it. Personally, considering all that I have been through up until now, I know that I have been positioned to use this adversity as a springboard for my success.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Outside of baking homemade peach cobbler, I am a fund development professional leading the fundraising efforts of a community-supported foundation investing in the power women and girls of color in the Washington, DC region. I started my career working in investment banking and wanted to find a way to align those client relationships with the opportunity to make a broader social impact in my community. I later transitioned into fund development. I consider myself the connector of financial wealth to the greater good. Over the course of my career, I have raised nearly $40 million to help provide equitable opportunities for children and youth, especially those in under-resourced communities in the Washington, DC region.

I started Crystal’s Cravings while working my full-time job after being encouraged to turn my hobby of baking peach cobbler into a business. I continue to find ways to set my business apart from others including packaging my peach cobbler in individual jars within shipping boxes and making sure each customer feels appreciated when they support my business. My experience working in investment banking coupled with my fund development experience and community involvement has been an asset to my business and the way I market my product and treat my customers to make them feel valued and appreciated.

I have always believed in supporting children and young people through my work by advocating for funding to provide resources and programs. To that end, my logo was designed by a Black college student majoring in graphic design at the University of Louisville. From my vision, he designed multiple logo options and shared them on his campus by conducting focus groups. My final logo was the one that resonated the most with students and staff on his campus. The student has also designed my website, and I look forward to helping him gain more support from others in my community and across the country.

I am most proud of my commitment to my faith and the vision. There were so many obstacles, but I continue to persevere and remain tenacious with hopes that Crystal’s Cravings peach cobbler will one day reach everyone across the country in grocery stores, bakeries, as a sought-after dessert menu item in restaurants, and be shipped to households across the country. When someone tastes my peach cobbler, I hope my story will be an inspiration to others reminding them that even when the directions are unclear, when we are assigned a purpose we will be guided and aligned with moments that will bring us to a chosen destination.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Crystal’s Cravings is currently an in-home, baking business with a vision to expand to reach more customers and households. My website is www.crystalscravings.com. In addition to selling my homemade peach cobbler in individual jars with options of one, three, and six, I also offer catering services for special occasions like baby showers, birthday parties, retirement parties, weddings, community events, and more.

I have been able to keep up with the demand thus far, but I am always wanting to collaborate with those owning a commercial kitchen space in my area. I also love to collaborate with other small-Black, female businesses, so we can continue to find ways to promote our businesses and gain exposure.

I currently label each of my individual jars with logo stickers and pre-cut by hand the foam protection for the jars within the shipping boxes. I would welcome the help of any companies who can offer services that will help me increase mass production of my product. This will help me focus more time on baking ensuring more households will have an opportunity to taste my delicious peach cobbler.

I am always appreciative of any monetary support from anyone interested in investing in my business. One of my aspirations is for my business to be financially positioned so I can give back to my community where I can use my career expertise as a fund development professional as leverage to make a broader impact. I am grateful for any and all support. My mantra is, “This world is not about me. It is about making it better because I am here.”