Meet Katie Stenberg of ROCHESTER

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Stenberg

Hi Katie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started during the pandemic. I’ve always been a person who enjoys creative outlets, be it knitting, crocheting, or any sort of craft that requires intricate designs. I wouldn’t say that I was as much of a baker as I was an artist. I was, however, fond of royal icing sugar cookies and had bought them in the past for birthdays and for holidays.

So, fast forward to the first pandemic christmas season and I suddenly had the itch to try my hand at my own cookies, just to see if I could do it. I made a few trial cookies for friends and then jumped right in to full fledged public sales. I posted on local facebook pages and was overwhelmed by the response. My first sale was a smashing success and I was up multiple nights until 2 am fulfilling all the orders.

Since then, my processes have improved and I’m far more efficient at baking and flooding cookies. But my favorite part is still the infusion of creativity that I get to impart on each cookie, and I don’t rush that. It truly is a creative outlet for me and I enjoy each set I get to create. My business has evolved as well. There were years where I offered decorating classes and hosted in home parties, trying to capitalize on every cookie related revenue stream. Lately I’ve just been enjoying focussing on custom orders and trying out new techniques.

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?
I wouldn’t say the road has been too rocky, but there were some hurdles to overcome to get where I am today. Some of the struggles came from recognizing that things that worked last year don’t work this year and don’t generate the same interest from customers. I’ve also had to balance how many orders I can take on with what my personal schedule can handle.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in Royal Icing Sugar Cookies. I’m known for taking a theme or a few key ideas and synthesizing them into a cohesive set of cookies that celebrate a person or special occasion. The artist in me loves the opportunity to create something that not only takes good but elevates an event with cookies that are as many have told me “too pretty to eat!”

I’m most proud of any order that gets such rave reviews that the customer’s friends reach out to do an order for them.

I’m obviously biased, but my recipe for the cookie is really good compared to some others that I’ve had. They stay soft for longer and are not crumbly which can be hard to do.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
It is hard to say, but I think as long as I want to keep making the cookies people will keep buying them. There are not too many market disruptors in the cookie business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.viennatreats.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viennatreats
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viennatreats