Meet Jerry Zhou of Sparko Sweets in Pomona

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Zhou.

Jerry, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve had a vague idea of being an entrepreneur ever since I was a child. My family had a candy factory for many years, but sales were slowing and profits were skim. Being naive and overconfident, I thought I reinvigorate the company. Three months later, I was humbled by reality. Having idealistic ideas is one thing, but executing them is completely different. The entire infrastructure and culture of the factory were set up in a way that was geared towards producing a single product very efficiently, but not open to new ideas. In the following months, my family shut the factory down. Although it didn’t work out, I was blessed to have this experience.

A company without a clear mission is like a ship not knowing where its destination is. In 2014, Sparko Sweets was born with a clear goal of sharing happy moments through beautifully crafted lollipops. Starting from scratch, I learned the fundamentals of building a production facility, hiring, managing, marketing, and sales. It’s was an immersive process in understanding all the fine details.

My brother, Andy, who was in middle school at the time, came to the office after school to help me test out the different formulas. My close friends, Chris, Tara, and Jane, had design backgrounds and helped Sparko Sweets early on by creating marketing assets and website designs. They did this purely out of kindness and generosity.

Mary, our marketing manager, was the first person to officially join the team. Her bright energy imbued Sparko Sweets with a lively personality. Edith, our production manager, is one of the most determined people I know. She came in for an interview one day and started working on the first batch of lollipops ten minutes later. She pushed through hardships to finish deadlines that seemed unrealistic.

The positive energy that everyone gave is what made Sparko Sweets what it is today.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In the start, like many startup companies, we were extremely cash-strapped. We were issuing payroll on a weekly basis because we weren’t sure that our funds can sustain another week. At one point, an insurance bill came up unexpectedly and we didn’t have the funds to pay it off on time. I had to ask my little brother to borrow one thousand dollars to cover the cost, which he graciously gave me without any hesitation.

During the first Christmas season, we had more orders than we can fulfill. We were all overjoyed with the good news, but producing the lollipops in a limited timeframe created a challenge for us. There wasn’t enough time to hire and train new team members. To make sure that all the candy were pushed out on time, we worked 15 hour days. I am truly appreciative of the hard work and determination our team has displayed during these tough times.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sparko Sweets – what should we know?
Sparko Sweets specializes in personalized lollipops for events and parties. We strive to create a lollipop that is specifically tailored for you. Our unique handcrafted production process allows us to design images inside the lollipops. It can be a funny face of your loved one, beautiful picture, or your company logo. All of our products are handcrafted in Los Angeles using the highest quality ingredients. Our ultimate goal is to bring smiles and joy, one lollipop at a time. We also offer over 150 different types of lollipops that range from shapes, colors, and flavors. We are constantly trying new lollipops like creating the best tasting sugar-free formula or using only natural ingredients. We want to create a beautiful and delicious treat that resonates with your heart.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Our company does not have a rigid management structure. The team is very close and friendly. I have occasional meetings with the team to set the mission of our company and to discuss improvement opportunities. Other than that, I trust our team can solve problems and deliver results on our own. Every member can creatively and passionately contribute the way they are most comfortable with, as long as our company fulfills its mission for our customers. Overall, I believe the most important quality for a company’s success would be the deep trust we all have for each other to deliver our part for Sparko Sweets.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3207 Pomona Blvd.
  Pomona, CA 91768
• Website: sparkosweets.com
• Phone: 626-788-2690
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @sparkosweets
• Facebook: facebook.com/sparkosweets
• Twitter: sparkosweets

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