Sugar Bean Bakery Sees Sweet Success

Christine Pinder discovered the value of homemade treats in 2009 when she started baking for her friends. A small grocery store approached her to sell her goods as part of their bakery, and to her surprise, the demand for her made-from-scratch treats was higher than she anticipated. She decided to expand her bakery offerings using a combination of recipes passed down from her grandmother, along with her own creations and experiments in the kitchen. Baking is more than just a business to her; it is a true passion.

“Nothing makes me happier than hearing how much my customers enjoy eating what I bake for them,” she says.

Along with her baked goods, Christine offers cupcake decorating workshops, events for children and adults, to-go dinners, and more, all with her signature care and attention to detail.

At the start of 2023, Christine set a personal goal to challenge herself and grow her business. She took the first step by attending a “Women in Business in Richfield” SBDC meeting.

“That one meeting changed my business – all for the better,” she says. “And it gets better with every meeting.”

Christine started working closely with Christine Hanks from the SBDC. The SBDC answered questions and provided tools to make shifts to grow her business, focus on her core concept, and build upon her previous success. She has seen exponential growth and increased revenue from working with the SBDC.

“This year, I have had multiple women, new and pending business owners, approach me for advice,” she says. “First, I let them know I would not be where I am today without the SBDC, Christine Hanks, and her staff. There is a wealth of knowledge there and the tools to help.”

The bakery owner encourages other business owners to continue to grow their knowledge by learning new techniques and processes as a way to continually add value to a growing business. That’s how she went from small-scale baking for friends in 2009 to the local iconic bakery she now owns.