Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Yang.
Hi Tiffany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sweety is our family business that has been in our family for as long as I’ve been alive. My aunt and uncle started the business, and my mom worked as Sweety’s first sales/office manager and finally retired in her 70s when we took over the business. When the manufacturing part of the company was first getting established in the 80s, it was a struggle and the whole family pitched in every weekend, even the kids. Instead of going to sports practice or birthday parties, we went to the factory on the weekends. The grandmas made the red bean base (that went into the popsicles and ice cream) at home, and all four burners were occupied at all times. As a teen, I scooped ice cream and handed out samples of popsicles/mochi ice cream in local markets. When I wasn’t working, I babysat my cousins in the factory office while the adults worked and kept them busy (and out of trouble). As the older generation of our family got into their retirement years, they talked about shutting down Sweety – the business had remained largely the same, and the business stagnated as a result of increased competition from cheap imports. At the same time, mochi ice cream was having a bit of a renaissance with larger companies launching in mass grocery stores. That’s when the three of us, myself and my cousins Sean and Stacey decided to try our hand at the family business. We knew Sweety had so much opportunity if we could modernize and update the business. Sweety was such a big part of our childhood that it would have been a shame to let it go.
Alright, 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?
Definitely not! All businesses go through ups and downs, but I think that is the most crucial part in learning, growing, and evolving. We launched at the start of the pandemic, so all we’ve known is working in a challenging environment. Working with family also adds a different dynamic to the business, but we work really hard to keep those relationships separate and focus on one at a time. We all share a love for Sweety and want to see it succeed, so I think that is our power to keep the road to success as smooth as possible.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My professional background is in Strategy and Marketing with a bit of corporate finance. I’ve worked in Fortune 500 firms and on passion brands like Neutrogena, Barbie, Taco Bell, and Vans. I have extensive experience in driving innovation, launching new products, and driving consumer-centered insights through the entire product lifecycle, from idea generation through creative development and activation.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I think being a founder and having worked at large, multinational corporations, I have learned how important it is to focus on building a healthy, productive culture within the company, no matter how big or small. There’s also no job too small – we have a roll-up-your-sleeves and get things done culture. We as founders, will put together a tradeshow booth, go find dry ice for a shipment or work a sampling session. We value everyone who works at Sweety; we appreciate their work and believe that it really impacts a small business like ours. Trusting your colleagues, providing flexibility, and being considerate of their personal circumstances are critical to having a positive work environment. I want everyone to enjoy coming into work and know their work, input, and feedback matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sweetyicecream.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetyicecreamco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetyicecreamco
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=sweety+ice+cream+mochi+tik+tok&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Image Credits
Headshot – Lovejoy Studios Product shots – Wonderkind and/or Lovejoy Studios
