MOUNT VERNON — Rising high school sophomore Allison Page has a lot on her plate. She’s an honor student, a track and cross country athlete and a member of the Mount Vernon 4-H club. She’s also a small business owner.
Page opened Alli’s Sweets and Snacks last spring, launching her cottage food bakery months before wrapping up middle school. There have been days she’s had to do her homework in the lunch room or rush straight from practice to set up her food stand at the YMCA fields, but Page doesn’t feel overwhelmed.
“I have to make sure I’m managing my time wisely,” the now 15-year-old says.
Growing up, Page had always enjoyed baking and often brought homemade treats to share at school. The idea to turn her hobby into a business came from Mindy Jones, her eighth-grade algebra teacher.
“She used to bring snacks into class all the time. They were always homemade and they were really good,” said Jones. “So I told her, ‘Allison, maybe this is your calling, maybe you should start a business.’”
Alli’s officially launched last spring, but really took off this year when Page and her cotton candy blue booth began making regular appearances at YMCA soccer games and the Mount Vernon farmer’s market. Alli’s Sweets and Treats offers everything from cookies, cakes and muffins to English toffee and homemade lollipops. Page said her flavored popcorn is consistently a top seller at the farmer’s market. Her bakery’s 37 flavors range from sweet to savory, with lots of unexpected twists. Classic caramel corn is available for more traditional tastes, while the adventurous can try blueberry cheesecake, taco and macaroni and cheese inspired varieties.
“We’ve definitely had some trial and error making those recipes up,” said Page’s mother, Becky, who sometimes helps her daughter with baking and labeling products.
In addition to concession-style sales, Alli’s Sweets and Snacks also makes custom products. Her first special order was a volcano cake—complete with edible fondant trees, dinosaurs and orange chocolate lava spilling out the top.
“She really likes combining her love of cooking and creativity,” said Becky. “Her creative flair takes a whole other direction than what I could possibly think of.”
An avid baker herself, Becky taught all three of her children the basics of cooking and baking at a young age. Page’s siblings eventually lost interest, but for her, it was just the beginning.
“She’s always been much braver in the kitchen than I have. She loves trying new recipes,” said Becky. “Years ago she wanted to start selling cookies at a garage sale…we thought ‘Oh, that’s cute.’”
While there were hints of Page’s entrepreneurial spirit early on, it wasn’t until she turned fourteen that she considered opening a small business.
“It surprised us how grown-up an attitude she has about it,” Becky recalled. “I was surprised when her interest kept growing in it.”
Becky said she knew her daughter was serious when she began asking for startup capital for her fifteenth birthday. With some help from her uncle, she designed T-shirts, business cards and a logo. After passing a health inspection, she bought her mobile food license and began marketing her products and custom orders.
Page said that the guidance from the health department made opening her business a fairly easy process.
“It’s not too difficult if you know what you’re doing,” she said. “Not as difficult as people think.”
Page said that keeping the business going has provided her with a lot of real world lessons in customer relations, balancing priorities and managing finances. She plans to keep the bakery going through high school and possibly through college.
Alli’s Sweets and Snacks can be reached via email at AllisSweetsAndSnacks@yahoo.com or by calling 740-501-7437.
