Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Scheatzle.
Hi Michelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The business itself started as something I had been looking into for some time. Then I got divorced. I found myself needing a way to make money after being a stay-at-home mom for 20 years. I was scared to death! But one thing I know about myself, I am ALWAYS up for a challenge. I took the challenge head-on. I went to the library and took out books on how to start a business. I have no formal education after high school. But I attribute much of my success to the fact that I have always tried to continue learning. Once I made a plan, I put my head down and did the work. It was an incredibly scary process because I had never taking anything like this on my own before.
I called all the local farmer’s markets to see if I could attend. I was denied many times. This is part of the learning curve. In order to attend these markets you have to apply in January for the year. This was July. Finally, I found one that had an opening and was eager for me to attend because the market manager herself was keto. A stroke of luck or divine guidance. I believe the later. I was able to sell out most weekends. I know I was out there helping people with both their diet goals and dietary restrictions. I was an incredible feeling. Once the market season was over, I moved to online sales. Then Covid hit. My local keto community did not fail me. They continued to order. I delivered. Literally. At that time I had three locations you choose to pick up from. The next fall I moved to another city and moved to another local market. From there, things have grown to online and shipping for certain items.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not. There is a huge learning curve both in baking keto and in starting a business with no prior knowledge. I had to figure everything out on my own. Starting from zero. I had to find markets to allow me to attend. I had to perfect recipes. Even figure out how to grow. It’s a continuous learning process.
We’ve been impressed with Deliciously Keto Desserts, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We specialize in low-carb, gluten-free and sugar-free, sweet and savory items. We cater to a wide, clientele who have diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s, as well as those that follow the keto diet for weight loss. What sets our bakery apart from the rest is that most bakeries simply offer carb-loaded sugar full desserts. We are offering an alternative.
We offer cakes, pies, donuts, breads, bagels, cheesecakes, scones, and many more! Our specialty is birthday cakes. There’s no other feeling like being able to give someone the opportunity to celebrate their birthday with their family with a cake that is safe for them. We also do wedding cakes!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey is that I have the ability to help people in a way I never imagined. Being able to provide a treat for someone that is safe for them to enjoy has truly been a gift. I never anticipated the amount of people I could help. I knew there was a group of dieters that I could offer treats to. The medical use for the diet was known but I didn’t realize the amount of people who use it for those reasons. Epilepsy being the most common.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://deliciouslyketodesserts.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/deliciously.keto.desserts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deliciouslyketodesserts
