Daily Inspiration: Meet LaTanya Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to LaTanya Johnson

Hi LaTanya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The idea for a bakery came just a lil’ more than a decade ago through a photo I saw on the Fotolia images database. I printed out the image and placed it on my office bulletin board. I was certain that I could find something I loved to do but I was not sure what.

Fast forward about a year and my friend signed me up to take cake classes at a local craft store. I ended up taking several classes for about another year. I completed classes with an assurance that baking is what I wanted to do. Pink Piggy Sweets was born!

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?
Being an entrepreneur is definitely not a smooth road. There’s a learning curve in how to actually run a business. You learn as you go. Thanks to my local small business development centers, I learned a lot.

Struggles along the way can range anywhere from low sales, unplanned money expenditures like a running toilet, landlord issues that result in you having to unexpectedly move your business to a new location, and anything else that makes you question whether or not you should stay in this entrepreneurial world.

We all are aware that the curves in the road eventually straighten out and run way smoother on the other side.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Pink Piggy Sweets is a made-from-scratch bakery. We offer cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, cookies, some pies and more! We specialize in nut-free, gluten free, dairy free and vegan items,

Our most popular creation is our award-winning carrot cake, The Best Carrot Cake In Wayne County. It has received first and second place ribbons at the Wayne County Fair and the NC State Fair. It’s even been a finalist in Our State Magazine’s Made in NC Awards.

Two versions are offered. The “just” which is just carrot cake. The other being the “loaded” which has walnuts, raisins, coconut and pineapple. Both are offered in store each day. You can also have it made your way when a custom order is placed.

We also offer custom desserts for all celebrations. Sweetening others with their custom orders gives me an opportunity to use my creativity and provide the client with a cake pleasing to their eyes and their palate.

I am most proud of the fact that I found a welcoming community that adores my sweets. I am currently celebrating 8 years in Downtown Goldsboro.! I am so tickled to be able to sweeten in the city for this long.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
This is a great question. For right now, I love the business tips and business motivations that pop up on my business timeline on Instagram.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinkpiggysweets
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pinkpiggysweets