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00:00Good morning everyone, Tanika Griggs, the Director of External Affairs for the Michigan Black Business Alliance
00:05and we have the amazing Courtney from For the Love of Cheesecake.
00:09Alright, and that's Attorney Griggs by the way, ladies and gentlemen.
00:13Courtney, welcome.
00:15Hello.
00:16You look like Rihanna.
00:19Yeah, that's what I was trying to think.
00:21Yes.
00:22Yep, you look like Rihanna.
00:24Welcome to the show.
00:26Thank you for having me.
00:26How in the world do you learn how to make good cheesecake, first of all?
00:31Where did you get that from?
00:33I'm self-taught, so I just found a recipe and then made it my own.
00:39I think when we were here before, we talked a little bit about that.
00:42For the audience, for their first time, tell them how it all came about.
00:50Well, I made a cake for a friend and they brought it to their job and they gave it out
00:55and then they came back with so much tips.
00:58I was like, wow, I need to start selling this.
01:00And so then I started selling them to friends and family.
01:03I worked at Chrysler Plant, so I sold it at the plant as well.
01:06Then I went door-to-door to all the different salons and barbershops and different boutiques and stuff
01:11and sold it and I made it into a whole business.
01:14Wow.
01:14Now, when you went door-to-door to the businesses like that,
01:18did you take them samples or did you just tell them the idea?
01:21I actually sold slices door-to-door all around the metro Detroit area.
01:27Wow.
01:28Yep, and then I started doing pop-ups all over.
01:31So we started off doing like Arts, Beasts, and Eats, which we still do today.
01:34We've been doing Arts, Beasts, and Eats for about seven years.
01:36We just did it this past weekend.
01:38Whoa.
01:39And just how did it go?
01:40It went great.
01:41This year was our best year ever.
01:43Best year ever.
01:44Yes.
01:45If you were just starting business, they would tell you this is not the time.
01:50Especially with festivals and stuff, you're not going to make a lot of money.
01:53And there you are saying it was your best year ever.
01:58You went from selling slices.
02:01Was it always cheesecake or was it something different?
02:05Always cheesecake and only cheesecake.
02:07Is that right?
02:08Yes, yes.
02:09I tried one time to venture off and do like cookies and stuff.
02:11I said, no, I'm going to have to stay focused and just have my one great product.
02:16There you go.
02:17Smart.
02:17Beautiful.
02:18What does she do?
02:19How did she find the Black Business Alliance?
02:22Yeah, so she's been a member since 2023, and I think she's been through two of our cohorts.
02:28So if you want to go ahead and elaborate on that, you absolutely can.
02:29Yeah, Courtney.
02:30Yes, so with Michigan Black Business Alliance, I actually was a part of the Capital Connect back in 2023,
02:38and they helped me with getting all my business plans and everything together.
02:42It was a business plan actually for a food trailer, but that same business plan I used to actually open
02:48up a storefront.
02:49Oh, no kidding.
02:50Yes, and then I was actually a part of their other program called Hospitalities to Success,
02:56and that taught me a lot about how to wholesale, which I will be doing in the future as well.
03:00Wow.
03:02Yes.
03:02And again, I know you said it, but you've been in business now how long?
03:06I've been in business for about 12 years now.
03:08Yeah.
03:09That is amazing, and it's still fun for you, huh?
03:13Yeah, I love it, actually.
03:15Okay.
03:15Talk about the flavors that you have.
03:17We have a variety of different flavors.
03:19Our top-selling flavors are Strawberry Banana Putt and Oreo and Caramel Apple.
03:24Those are our signatures we have.
03:25Those are all of our events and our festivals.
03:27But if you stop by our store, we have a variety of flavors.
03:30We have like Lemon Drop flavors, Strawberry Banana Putt and Oreo.
03:34Hold on.
03:34Hold on.
03:36Angie's going to leave work.
03:38Lemon Drop.
03:40She's going to leave work.
03:43Real talk.
03:44But I was already talking to God about you because, like, you know, I cooked yesterday,
03:51and I cooked my little butt off, but I didn't plan my dessert.
03:54And all I could think about was, I wanted some banana putt and cheesecake.
03:59Yes.
04:00And then you walked in the door.
04:02Thank you, Jason.
04:04That's the Lord blessing me.
04:06Lord, Lord, Lord.
04:07I seen this.
04:08I didn't want to say it until I seen it.
04:10Look at the camera.
04:10Yeah, oh, goodness.
04:11Thank you, baby.
04:12Your brick and mortar is located where?
04:15On 7 Mile Liver Noise at 18685 Liver Noise.
04:19Okay.
04:20I seen it.
04:21Yeah.
04:21Now I know it.
04:22I've seen it, too.
04:23Oh, yeah, now I know.
04:24Okay.
04:25It will actually be at our one year next month.
04:28It will be our one year anniversary.
04:28Oh, I know why I see it.
04:30Okay.
04:30Because between here and going to all the places I got to go, going back toward Wyoming.
04:38Right.
04:38I keep running into it.
04:40That's your place.
04:41Nice.
04:42Excellent.
04:43That is nice.
04:45You've been in the brick and mortar how long?
04:47It will be one year next month.
04:49Oh, congratulations.
04:50You're celebrating an anniversary.
04:52Yes.
04:52Yes.
04:53What advice did you give them, Attorney Griggs, about opening that brick and mortar?
04:59So I was not with the Michigan Black Business Alliance when she first started.
05:04But I do know that she was also a part of the cohort of individuals that we made sure got
05:09opportunities with the NFL draft.
05:11So I think that that was something big for her as well.
05:13So if you kind of want to elaborate on that.
05:15Yeah.
05:16And how did that go?
05:17You were part of when we had the big NFL draft.
05:19Yes.
05:21Especially trying to get a business to participate in was an unbelievable thing to even attempt.
05:29Yes.
05:29People went to jail for not having the licensing.
05:33Right.
05:34Got raided the whole night.
05:35Yeah.
05:36Selling merchandise.
05:36That kind of thing.
05:37Yes.
05:37How did the process go for you, Courtney?
05:40The process went pretty good.
05:42It was one of the most serious and biggest events I've ever done.
05:47It was super official.
05:48Like you said, we had an official vendor spot at the event.
05:54Oh.
05:55Yep.
05:55At Heart Plaza.
05:56So, yeah, it was very, very big.
05:59And we got to serve people from all over the world, literally.
06:03So it was a great opportunity, and I was so thankful to get the opportunity through Michigan Black Business.
06:09Yes.
06:09I'm so proud of you.
06:10Yes.
06:11What was the biggest hurdle?
06:14The biggest hurdle was making sure I could keep up with the demand at the time.
06:19Yeah.
06:20But I was able to do it.
06:21So it was really good.
06:22Did they give you any idea how to go about preparing for that?
06:27Yeah.
06:28They just told us an estimated amount of people that would be attending, and we just made it happen.
06:33So I made it happen.
06:34I didn't run out of cake, so I did really good.
06:37Wow.
06:37Yes.
06:38That's amazing.
06:39And then after that, I actually, I think it was before or after that, I got an official concession stand
06:45inside of Ford Field.
06:47No kidding.
06:48Yes.
06:48So we've been there for about three years.
06:50This is our third season.
06:51So we'll be at the game this Sunday at Section 114-115 at Ford Field.
06:57And tell them the name again?
06:59For the Love of Cheesecake.
07:00For the Love of Cheesecake.
07:02Yes.
07:02And again, your location is?
07:04On Liver Noise in 7 Mile at 186-85-Liver Noise.
07:09Okay.
07:11Unbelievable.
07:12And this didn't, this is not a, my great-grandmother had a recipe, and I got a hold to it,
07:19so I learned how to do it, and I knew people would love it.
07:21This is not that story.
07:23No, it isn't.
07:24My family can't cook, though, but I'm the cheesecake person.
07:28Right.
07:28You're the cheesecake.
07:29She making the cheesecake, period.
07:31Don't play.
07:32Don't nobody else step in the lane.
07:34And you're vouching, too.
07:35That's right.
07:36I'm telling you.
07:37I can't wait.
07:37My grandma gonna be happy.
07:39She, ooh, Jesus, thank you.
07:43I'm so happy right now.
07:45You walked in with banana pudding, girl.
07:47So, you said the future for you, although, I mean, you know, being part of the NFL at Ford Field
07:54is future.
07:55That's, you, again, you just don't walk up to Ford Field and say, hey, who can I call because I
08:01want to have a business inside the stadium.
08:06What, you said three years already?
08:09Yes.
08:09With the NFL inside the building?
08:11Yes.
08:11That is amazing.
08:13When you talked to the NFL people, what did they say to you?
08:17Well, I got introduced to actually have a concession stand inside of Ford Field with Michigan Black Business Alliance.
08:25They connected me to the people.
08:26Wow.
08:27And then I actually did a tasting with them that they set up as well.
08:30Oh, they did.
08:31And from there, it's up to Ford Field.
08:32They just wouldn't take your word for it.
08:34Yeah.
08:34You have to do an official tasting.
08:35They're not going to just let you in.
08:37What did you serve at the testing?
08:39Yeah.
08:40The signature flavors, strawberry, banana, pudding, and Oreo.
08:43What was it like?
08:44Were they nice or were they kind of like weird or big time?
08:47No.
08:47How did it go?
08:48They were actually very cool.
08:49They were really cool.
08:50Okay.
08:51And they loved the product.
08:52So it was just like an instant.
08:53Yes.
08:54Wow.
08:55So Detroit, thanks to the Michigan Black Business Alliance, Detroit, the NFL has warned and told
09:06other cities that this is the blueprint for not just holding the draft, but for Super Bowl
09:14activity as well.
09:15That Detroit is the blueprint for all of that.
09:18So congratulations.
09:19Yes.
09:20On all those moves.
09:22Wow.
09:22So who helps you in the store?
09:24Well, I have a team of 10 people total from production and inside of the store.
09:31So yeah, I have a really solid team.
09:33So that, okay.
09:34So if you taught yourself to do it now, because this is where people lose it.
09:43Now you have to do it in production.
09:45So it's more of a mass production as opposed to individual cooking.
09:52How did you learn the production part of it to make more than two or three cheesecakes?
10:00Really about trial and error.
10:02And then I have a few mentors too.
10:04I had a mentor through, well, you know, the Hospitality to Success.
10:08I actually networked with a lot of people there and that program teaches you how to wholesale.
10:13So on wholesale, you learn how to scale as well.
10:15So I learned how to scale for just my production first.
10:20And then now I'm able to use that to be able to do wholesaling.
10:23Ooh.
10:24You just kept using every skill set, right?
10:27To keep building.
10:28Yeah.
10:29That's a great story.
10:30I'm just telling you, it's a movie, baby.
10:32It is because did you go to YouTube?
10:36I mean, no YouTube either.
10:38Dang, that's twice.
10:41It's inspiring.
10:41No great grandma, mama story and no YouTube.
10:45Nah.
10:45Child and error, she said.
10:46But why did you want to make cheesecake though?
10:51I just wanted to make some money at first.
10:53But when I actually seen how people really liked it and it was making people happy, I was like, wow.
10:58You just chose it.
10:59You just said, I'm going to choose this.
11:01How did you, where'd you get the recipe?
11:04Well, I tried a base recipe and then I added my own tweaks to it.
11:08No kidding.
11:09Yes.
11:10That's an amazing story.
11:12Yeah.
11:13Attorney, what would you like to add to this great story?
11:16That's an amazing story.
11:17I just want to thank her for working with the Michigan Black Business Alliance and trusting
11:22us to do the work with her.
11:23I'm just letting everybody out there know about the programs that we have and how intentional
11:27we are about closing the racial wealth gap.
11:31So just making sure everybody, we have a members meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. at 28 West Adams.
11:40So just, if you want to learn more about what we do with programs that we have or just meet
11:43some of our members, please make sure that you come down.
11:4628 West Adams, suite 800 tomorrow at 6 p.m.
11:5128 West Adams downtown.
11:53I just felt this to say, you know, I spoke earlier about how we have diamonds in our
11:59front yard and we step over trying to find something else.
12:02If you're an entrepreneur, you have something that you're selling, your alliance, the Black
12:08Business Alliance, you got to be a part of them because you're hearing a story about how
12:14someone was able to network and then network again and again and get the things that she
12:20needed to get to her next levels.
12:22And this is for you and they want you to be a part of this organization.
12:27And I consider this a gift from God.
12:29So you can use it or whatever, but I'm just telling you, this is the way God blesses you,
12:34the organizations like this, because you're going to inspire so many people, you know,
12:39because everybody said, I have rich parents or I have saved up and all that.
12:44No, you was like, hey, I wanted to make some money and then I made something that people
12:48liked and made them happy.
12:50I heard you say that.
12:51But then you connected to an organization that just took you where you, I mean, come on.
12:56How many of you celebrating what?
12:58How many years in your brick and mortar?
12:59One year.
13:00There you go.
13:01Period.
13:02According to your closing thoughts.
13:04My closing thoughts is, of course, thank you, Michigan Black Business Alliance.
13:08Thank you, 105.9, for having me.
13:11No problem.
13:12Also, I would love everyone to stop by my store on 7 Mile Liver Noise, 1-8-6-8-5
13:18Liver Noise.
13:18We're open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday, 12 to 7.
13:22You're open seven days?
13:24That's about that money.
13:25Okay.
13:26It is Sunday.
13:27We open every day but Christmas Day, too.
13:29So we're open all holidays but Christmas Day.
13:32Wow.
13:33If you've got a sweet tooth, Sunday, we're open.
13:36That is amazing.
13:38Because I needed you yesterday, but you came through today for me, baby.
13:41Oh, my God.
13:42No.
13:43And just one last quick thought.
13:47Employees.
13:47Of course, the Michigan Black Business Alliance helped you with how to do employees, right?
13:55Yeah.
13:55Because that's a whole other world, using employees, especially with your kind of passion.
14:02Yeah.
14:03And she didn't say two employees.
14:05She said ten.
14:06Then she said we've got a solid team.
14:07I hear everything you say, baby.
14:09All right.
14:10A lot of it is like, believe it or not, I know people talk against this, but it's friends
14:14and family, too.
14:15Hey, it is.
14:16Well, come on.
14:17Come on.
14:18She's a manager.
14:19All right.
14:19That's harder.
14:20Yeah.
14:21That's harder that they're employees.
14:24Yeah.
14:24That's much harder because you're related.
14:27Yeah.
14:28If it's the guy from, you know, Finkel and whatever, then he's, you know, it didn't work
14:35out.
14:36It didn't work out.
14:36You know, I got to have you do this.
14:38You got to.
14:38But when you're doing with family, that's, you know, because your passion is running high
14:43on 100, you're open seven days a week.
14:47Impressive.
14:48That is very cool.
14:49Well, thank you both.
14:51Yes.
14:51Attorney, as always, and Courtney, great story.
14:55Thanks for your share.
14:56Thank you for having me.
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