Hidden Gems: Meet Anna Kupitz of Sugar Jitters

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Kupitz.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was in junior high, I was on the ketogenic diet for my seizures; this meant I had to eat less than 15 grams of carbs per day and load up on the fat. At the same time, I discovered that I really enjoyed baking cupcakes. I loved the creativity of it. But there was no taste-testing for me. I could never try any of the cupcakes I made, not even one taste of the batter. Due to this, I got to experience doing something purely for the love of the activity itself, and the joy others got out of it, not because of the gratification I experienced. My mom and now business partner, Mary, has always been a baker who would create beautiful desserts for events throughout the years. Leading up to college, she and I would bake cupcakes for weddings and such of friends and family, until we ultimately decided to go into business together. I went to school at Arizona State University for Business Entrepreneurship, and, in the summer of 2018, Sugar Jitters officially launched. It continues to grow while remaining true to our family and community based roots.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like with any small business, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. Running a small business is a lot of trial and error, constantly re-evaluating the goals we originally had. This past year has forced us to shift a lot of our business activities. As a food business, a lot of our marketing came from taste-testing and in-person, shaking hands, which is just not doable at the moment. One of the big things for us is getting into markets, but right as we applied, those events shut down. And, for me, there are days where my health can make it difficult. If I’m a “bad seizure day” or I’m really tired, using any amount of brain-power is a struggle. I’m blessed to have a partner who understands that and shares the load.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sugar Jitters bakes cookies, cakes and muffins, but we specialize in custom cupcakes, meaning that if there’s a dessert you want to try in cupcake form, we’ll do it! I’m very proud of the delicious and unique cupcakes we have created, like Skittles, Dole Whip, Cookie Dough, Churro, S’mores and so many more! It’s great to be able to go beyond our menu, working with clients to achieve their vision. It’s also great to be able to incorporate old family recipes.

What does success mean to you?
Success is being able to look back at your life and know that you put your efforts into things that were meaningful, whether that be professionally or personally.

Pricing:

• $15, $16.50, or $18/half-dozen cupcakes, dependent on flavor
• $10/dozen cookies
• $13.50/half-dozen muffins

Contact Info:

• Email: anna.kupitz@sugarjitters.com
• Website: http://sugarjitters.com/index.html
• Instagram: sugarjitters
• Facebook: @SugarJittersOfficial