Meet Teona Willingham of RoyalT Sweets LLC in West Valley (Estrella Mountain)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Teona Willingham.

Teona, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always had a love for the kitchen, so to speak. I used to watch my mom and my grandmothers and help whenever they would let me. The kitchen always excited me. I cooked for the first time when I was seven years old. My aunt Kris was a cake decorator and I can remember watching her and being so amazed by her creations. Though I always wanted to learn how to bake and decorate cakes, I never actually made that leap. I instead chose the college route, obtained multiple degrees and became a journalist and political scientist. But still that itch to bake lingered. When I lived in Ohio, my favorite bakery Resch’s, was always my go to for everything. It wasn’t until I moved to Arizona that circumstances forced me to finally make that leap. I knew no bakers here and could find no reasonably priced bakeries that could do the level of customization I was looking for. The only option was the grocery store cakes. One day I said to myself, “Teona it is time. Do it.” I started with purchasing a few online classes while soaking up everything I could on YouTube. I joined Facebook groups and sought knowledge from wherever I could get it. I connected with veteran bakers as far as DC and some locally. Most importantly, I practiced. I must have produced a hundred ugly cakes before I had my “Aha” moment. I initially used baking as a stress reliever. There was something so rewarding about channeling all that energy into creating something tasty and beautiful. Baking and decorating treats went from being therapeutic to becoming a challenging and exciting source of income, while at the same time helping me gain new skills and friends in that community. I became good at it and that is when I decided to start my business in 2017. I had no idea what I was doing, I just knew I wanted to do it. So I did.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been anything but smooth. There have been so many times that I wanted to quit. I mean times, I wanted to throw a cake in the pool lol. I mastered dipped strawberries, cake pops, donuts, cookies, apples, etc, I mean EVERYTHING treat related, EXCEPT for cakes. It was frustrating—very. I invested so much money in classes on sharp edges and fondant coverage but every time I tried either method, I failed miserably. Cakes have made me cry. I have honestly wanted to quit many times. But I stuck with it. I also had some amazing cheerleaders, like my seven year old son, pushing me to keep going. And so I did. I tested so many products and spent a whole lot of money before I found what worked for me. Once I did though, there was no stopping me. I made my mother a cake on her 60th birthday that I frosted perfectly, with the sharpest of edges, covered in fondant, and decorated beautifully. I posted it and the social media response blew me away. That was my “Aha” moment and the rest is history. I took on order requests I was really scared to take to push and challenge myself and I used family and friend’s birthdays as the opportunity to sharpen my skills. Those struggles, those moments were necessary though because they taught me about myself. The most important lesson I learned was to keep going. Despite fear, doubt, frustration, failure, keep going. Today it still is no walk in the park but as long as I continue to learn and grow, I consider the success to be worth every bit of the struggle.

Please tell us about your business.
What sets me apart is the fact that everything I do is so over the top and extraordinary. I want my business to be the Marilyn Monroe of the treat and event planning community. Marilyn was beautiful and bold and unconventional. She couldn’t be summed up with one or even a few words. She was all over the spectrum and defined only by her desire and style. She was unapologetically herself. That is the kind of business I have. I’m not a part of the “group.”You won’t order strawberries from me and receive basic drizzle lines in traditional chocolate. You’re gonna get the color that pops, ART that expresses. You’re gonna get bling. You won’t order a cake from me and receive “simple” because I don’t do basic. I don’t do plain. I don’t do simple. RoyalT Sweets is where you come for things that sparkle, when you want to be “extra” just because. I cannot tell you how many times customers have said, “It is too pretty to eat.” When I hear that, I know I am living up to that “Marilyn” excellence. I’m most proud of being unconventional and coloring outside of the lines, just like her. I’m proud of using only the best ingredients and not shorting my customers for the sake of cheaper resources. My approach has gained me some amazingly loyal customers while at the same time allowing my business to remain authentic and true to who I am. From cakes and treats to custom party favors, balloon garlands, and decor, I pour all of me into every order.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
While a large following matters, I don’t put all of my eggs in that basket. Followers don’t amount to orders. An order does not amount to a loyal customer gained. I measure my success by happy and loyal customers and by that tingly feeling I get inside with each creation and when a customer is pleased with what they receive. I measure my success by my growth. I look back and where I started and where I am now, and that is the very definition of success. I’m wise enough to know that the rest (monetary gain, following, recognition, popularity), comes with time. It is a marathon, not a sprint.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 480-349-5127
• Email: royaltsweetsss@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/royaltsweets_?igshid=ec3zaxtlw8gr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalTSweets/

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