The Power of Partnering (POP) is a half-day event where women entrepreneurs, business leaders, corporations and procurement professionals come together to train, network and create matchmaker opportunities to help create and reach procurement and business goals.
Each agenda includes educational resources from thought leadership and subject matter experts and the opportunity to showcase your capabilities statements in a meet the buyer setting or matchmaker sessions.
Sylvia Muwallif is head baker and owner of My Mom’s Pie. Her journey started over 25 years ago, as a single mom raising two boys who loved sweet potato pie. They would tell people “ My Mom makes the best sweet potato pie, you’ve gotta try one”.
As a result of their persistence, Sylvia started making and selling pies for family and friends, their teachers, and colleagues for the holidays and dinners, which helped her support her family.
Over the years, people have shared their stories of eating sweet potato pie and the warm memories they felt surrounding the delicious dessert. Sylvia realized that her sweet potato pie was more than just a pie, but it shared a history with others and that grew her desire to leave a legacy for her family and others to enjoy.
Follow My Mom’s Pie on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open For Business. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here, broadcasting live from GWBC Power of Partnering event at Georgia Power Headquarters. I’m so excited to be talking to my guest, Sylvia Muwallif with My Mom’s Sweet Potato Pie. Welcome.
Sylvia Muwallif: Thank you. Hi.
Lee Kantor: I am so excited to learn about your business. Tell us about My Mom’s Sweet Potato Pie.
Sylvia Muwallif: Well, My Mom’s Sweet Potato Pie started about maybe five, six years ago. I started out making pies for my sons, and it just grew into this business because people liked my pies. So, we started, like I said, about five years ago initially in farmer’s markets and mostly retail sales. But our focus now is to move our sweet potato pies more to the food service industry. We make our traditional sweet potato pie, and we also have one with pecans and brown sugar, in addition, we now have a vegan-friendly formula and a diabetic-friendly formula. So, we want to try to meet the needs of all of our customers dietary concerns.
Lee Kantor: So, why was it important to become part of the GWBC community?
Sylvia Muwallif: I wanted to find a group where I could connect with to help build my product. It has been very inspirational for me to be a part of a larger group of entrepreneurs who have a vision to move forward. And the purpose of my pie is to create and to leave a legacy for my family.
Lee Kantor: So, now, any advice for an aspiring home baker or a home cook, how do you transition from that thing that, you know, your family says it’s great to an actual business like you’ve done?
Sylvia Muwallif: Well, you have to have a passion and believe in your product. I tell you to research, find the environment that works best for you. I knew I wanted my product to be able to sell in every environment, so I researched and joined a shared kitchen where it allows me the opportunity to be able to produce my product on a commercial level and be able to expand into those commercial food service markets.
Lee Kantor: And if somebody wants to learn more, what’s a website? What’s the best way to connect?
Sylvia Muwallif: Yes, you can visit our website at mymomssweetpotatopie.com. Our email is mymomspie2018@gmail.com.
Lee Kantor: And then, your ideal customer is who?
Sylvia Muwallif: Anyone. Anyone who loves to eat. Anyone who loves pies.
Lee Kantor: So, individuals as well as corporations.
Sylvia Muwallif: Corporations. Everyone. Yeah, and our focus is really trying to move more towards the food service environments, hospitals, nursing homes, you name it, schools, clinics, anywhere where people eat food.
Lee Kantor: Well, Sylvia, thank you so much for sharing your story. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.
Sylvia Muwallif: And thank you for this opportunity.
Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor, back in a few with GWBC Power of Partnering.
