Chiquita Kirby-Green
SWEET RUBY’S
As part of National Business Women’s Week 2021, we’ll be featuring some of our Academy Alumna and their stories on this blog page. Meet Chiquita Kirby-Green, owner and founder of Sweet Ruby’s Bakery, Academy Alumna, and a dedicated Academy Facilitator.
Chiquita always had the passion for baking and creativity, but she wasn’t sure how to take that passion to the next level and start her own business. “The Academy provided me with the basic needs to build a sturdy foundation for my business. From name, business structure, pricing and marketing, they helped me move in the right direction and become a profitable business.”
In 2020, Sweet Ruby’s hit a major hurdle alongside so many other small businesses: Covid-19. The pandemic brought uncertainty and hesitancy to our community. “Having a public-service-based business during Covid was hard. The fear alone kept my customers from wanting to host parties, and me from wanting to serve those parties.”
As an Academy Alumna, Chiquita had access to our program The Academy Amplified. This program is focused solely on offering continued support to our alumni. That support can come in many different forms, from small business loans to video marketing classes to more. For Chiquita it came in the form of a business loan through The Academy Invested. “The loan provided me with the funds to get my business back on track. Speaking with my mentor helped me realize that while my prices were sufficient, for my quality of work, I should have been charging more.”
As she continued to learn about running a business, she realized she wanted to get more involved with the Corner to Corner community. “I loved the thought of being able to give what I was once given. I measure my success not only by how much money I make, but also by how much I give back to others. Facilitating at The Academy allowed me to help others build the foundation that The Academy helped me to build.”
As she helps other women take their business ideas and turn them into money-making realities, she has one major suggestion: “Starting small isn’t as bad as it sounds. In order to build a successful business, it takes time. Oftentimes, we want it all right now and by moving too fast, we make mistakes and often cheat the process.” Chiquita is a perfect example of our motto “Start small, start now!”
To invest in the continued support of and success of our local entrepreneurs, invest in Corner to Corner today.