Sweet, Snowy, Innovative Artistry: Three creative startups from 2021.

• Author: Kay, Alexandra

COVID-19 allowed (or enforced) a pause for reflection, a strategic regrouping that led many Alaskans to seriously consider starting a business. While the class of 2021 is barely past, or still approaching, the first anniversary of their launch, a few of its members have already made enough of a splash that they can be confident of being around for many years to come.

Sweet Innovations By Bri

As a single mother caring for four daughters, Bri Foster found herself cooking more meals at home and entertaining and homeschooling her children during the COVID-19 pandemic. "My girls and I would try new recipes for dinners and desserts," says Foster. "We would use the time to learn how to read recipes, how to work with fractions and basic math. This helped us with homeschooling."

Foster and her daughters made meals and treats for loved ones they were missing. Foster posted pictures of the desserts on her personal social media accounts, and suddenly people were asking if she could make items for them. "I started out making chocolate breakable hearts, cocoa bombs, and chocolate covered strawberries for friends and family before gaining my business license and credentials," she says. Foster and her daughters chose the name "Sweet Innovations By Bri" because they thought it suited their desire to make and innovate different types of sweets.

Seeing a demand for the types of desserts she was creating, Foster then had to learn the rules and regulations for a cottage baker as well as how to price items and set menus. She started pages for her business on Facebook and Instagram to build a customer base beyond friends and family. She posted pictures of the creations on the business' social media pages, which earned some likes and shares, so she tried advertising on Facebook Marketplace and in a few different groups. Business took off.

"I never expected to get so busy so fast," Foster says. "My first huge sale was Valentine's Day. Word of mouth got out, and I started to get more and more customers."

Sweet Innovations By Bri now provides all kinds of sweet items and gifts, including holiday gift boxes, cake stands and dessert table trays, candy grapes, wedding cakes, and more. Foster also caters all types of functions from birthdays and baby showers to weddings and retirements. "I started creating new treats and special gift boxes and have now branched out from cakes and other treats to catering full events, such as being booked for weddings and other special...