Featured: Kylie’s Pop Shop

My name is Kylie Carey, and I am a senior at George Mason University (graduating this semester!) majoring in Communications with a minor in Entrepreneurship Practices. I live right outside of Washington D.C. in Lorton, VA and have lived here my whole life. I am passionate about helping others through my business and in my personal time, I am dedicated to doing charity work for childhood cancer organizations (like Icing Smiles and StillBrave) as well as organizations that address mental health issues. I really enjoy running my business and all the baking, talking to my awesome customers, and creativity that comes with it! I also enjoy spending time (and cooking) with my family, reading, writing, and going to bingo :-)

I was at Costco with my mom when I was 18 and I saw the cake pop maker. I didn’t have my wallet on me, so I asked my mom to buy it for me, which she did. I took the machine home and made a batch of cake batter and waited. My first cake pops were a disaster (I have a photo, but I’ll keep it to myself). I just kept making them and making them until I got better. Then I started getting orders, and then I decided I would go ahead and make it a legitimate business. A year after I created Kylie’s Pop Shop LLC, I decided it was time to quit my job as a waitress and take on my dream job full time. I am blessed that it has been going well and has been my sole source of income for the past year and a half now! :-)

My favorite design is a tie between the piggy pops and the Thanksgiving turkey pops. I like them because they have a lot of personality and they are just fun to make. My favorite flavor (and my customers’) is the dreamsicle pop (orange cake dipped in white chocolate) — they are awesome, but I only make them in the summertime.

I think the only thing I wish I had known was how running my own business would really make me “different” from my friends. I didn’t consider the effect starting a business would have on my personal life — I disconnected from a lot of friends just because I was so busy and didn’t have much in common with other people my age. BUT, on the flip side of that, I have met a lot of amazing people in the home-based food business that have been awesome mentors and friends. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything!

John 14:27 – “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” I love this verse because I have struggled with anxiety most of my life and this is a verse that has always given me peace! Plus, peace is something that everybody needs in various situations in their lives, and so it’s a helpful verse to be able to share with people. It is also the first verse I memorized :-)

Cake Pop Con was AWESOME. There is a whole community of cake poppers from all over the world and we all gathered for a 3-day weekend in Philly. I got to meet and learn from some of the best in the business: cake pop book authors (something I would love to do one day); Bakerella, the woman who essentially created the cake pop; and some cake pop product developers. It was a truly eye-opening experience. I also met some bakers in my area whom I did not know! Funny that I had to travel four hours from home to meet people who lived 30 minutes away. It was nice to become a part of that network of amazing talented sugar artists.

Being a Christian affects the way I run my business mainly because of the way I treat my customers. I love talking to my customers and getting to know them, especially those who come back regularly. Sometimes in running a business, owners desensitize to the fact that our customers are human beings with amazing stories and great things to share with us as owners. In addition to really treating my customers like the rockstars they are, I tie a lot of my service work into my business. Sometimes, if there is an organization I really want to support, but can’t write them a check, I send a gift basket of cake pops for their charity raffle. It just seems like the right thing to do and a good way to spread some positivity and love in the world. One of the organizations that I love to support is called Icing Smiles. Their mission is to provide birthday cake and treats to children who are dealing with critical illnesses and their siblings. So I am a “Sugar Angel” through Icing Smiles, and that such an amazing thing to be a part of.