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One of many oldest chocolate retailers in New York Metropolis, Aigner Candies has been serving chocolate treats and different sweets for 93 years. When Rachel Kellner and her husband Mark Libertini purchased and took over the shop in 2015, they needed to navigate the way to protect the shop’s identification whereas additionally maintaining it thrilling for future generations.
Mark is a pastry chef and restaurateur, however as a former social employee, Rachel had no expertise within the meals trade. Somewhat than seeing her untraditional background as a mismatch, she used it to deliver a brand new perspective to the shop.
“Enterprise is absolutely all about networking. It is all about constructing relationships, and I like doing that,” Rachel stated. “As a therapist, that is your function. A therapist-client relationship is predicated on the belief and security that you simply construct together with your consumer.”
Whereas the possession is totally different, a lot of Aigner Candies is similar. Mark and Rachel use the entire similar recipes as the unique house owners so prospects eat the identical traditional goodies they’ve been for years.
When it comes to evolving the shop, Rachel modified the branding, up to date the web site, and constructed a stronger on-line presence. She’s additionally single-handedly grown media relationships and written press releases.
“I constructed these relationships, and now it is to the purpose the place I will actually textual content my media contacts and say, ‘Hey, that is what is going on on,’ and I will pitch them tales,” Rachel stated. “There are such a lot of horrible issues occurring on the planet that the information could not go on in the event that they did not have some lighthearted items, so we’re at all times capable of present that.”
Whereas Rachel continues to develop Aigner Candies’s presence on-line and capitalize on media protection, she nonetheless thinks the shop’s energy lies within the in-person expertise for purchasers. She prioritizes coaching her workers and treats them like household, which comes throughout of their interactions with prospects.
For Yelp Neighborhood Supervisor Samantha B., the in-person expertise will at all times be preferable to ordering Aigner Candies on-line. She loves coming into the shop as a result of relationships the workers has constructed along with her over time.
“I am a folks particular person to start with, so it is at all times very nice to only stroll right into a brick and mortar and see a smiling face.” Samantha stated. “We obtained so snug through the pandemic simply sitting behind a display, however I am simply not that particular person.”
Along with treating all walk-ins as valued prospects, Aigner Candies engages the group by steadily giving again to native charities and organizations, such because the Queens Heart for Progress and an area hospital.
Rachel sees these efforts as a technique to mix her social work background along with her new expertise within the meals trade. Throughout the pandemic, the store donated chocolate totalling round $30,000 in worth. Now, Rachel units a donation finances and selects native organizations whose values align along with her enterprise.
“We have been gifted this unbelievable alternative to run this enterprise, to hold on a convention, and it is my husband and my social duty to unfold pleasure,” Rachel stated. “We have actually taken that on in each approach that we will, and we simply attempt to discover methods to try this.”
Different inventive methods to interact the group from Aigner Candies embody:
- Host group occasions. Aigner Candies steadily hosts fundraisers with native colleges and organizations. Internet hosting these occasions is an effective way to boost consciousness for each what you are promoting and causes you care about.
- Rent area people members. Rachel steadily hires college students from native excessive colleges and companions with native universities to present faculty college students internship alternatives. By providing jobs {and professional} improvement alternatives, you may develop your small enterprise’s ties to the group.
- Deal with prospects like household. As a longstanding enterprise, workers at Aigner Candies be sure that previous and new prospects alike really feel welcomed. Prioritizing customer support helps each buyer really feel like a valued a part of the group and creates loyal patrons.
Take heed to the episode under to listen to immediately from Rachel and Samantha, and subscribe to Behind the Overview for extra from new enterprise house owners and reviewers each Thursday.
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