Episode No. 2
Resilience is Bliss: Embracing the Bittersweet Reality of Business with Teresa Ging
“Being [WBE] certified has been so important for me and getting more business.” - Teresa Ging
In this episode of Owning Your Legacy, Laurette is joined by entrepreneur Teresa Ging, Founder & CEO of the Chicago-based retail bakery Sugar Bliss. Teresa’s cupcakes and cookies have been a staple in the Windy City for the past 16 years, offering high-quality flavor experiences for those with an elevated sweet tooth. As a woman- and minority-owned business, Teresa has rewritten the recipe for success on her own terms and wants to inspire other up-and-coming female entrepreneurs to do the same.
When she was intentionally passed over for a promotion at an equity firm, Teresa channeled her energy into spending more time with her loved ones. In turn, she rediscovered a passion for the simple pleasures in life—specifically, the sweet treats that define our shared joyful moments. She invested in her education by attending a top pastry school in Paris, then used her background in economics to launch her first brick and mortar location in downtown Chicago. Teresa’s enthusiasm and resilience continued to strengthen from navigating the ups and downs of sustaining and scaling Sugar Bliss, and today she’s equally proud of her journey and excited to see where the business will expand next.
Laurette and Teresa discuss the competitive landscape of food & beverage, persevering through some of her biggest (and most costly and unexpected) challenges as a small business owner, and her priceless advice to avoid some preventable mistakes she made. They also highlight the advantage of wearing many different business-related hats, the importance of being WBENC-certified, and welcoming more women of color into entrepreneurship.
In this episode of Owning Your Legacy:
🦋 Teresa’s lightbulb moment that inspired her career shift
🦋 How to trust yourself during moments of struggle or doubt
🦋 Four non-negotiable business needs to address crisis
🦋 Teresa’s scholarship collaboration with WBENC
🦋 How to expand your creativity in problem-solving
