On Wednesday, May 28th at 2 PM ET, the Found of Ollyball, Joe Burke, joins us in our next Entrepreneur+ Subscriber-Only Event!

In this exclusive event, Joe will reveal how he built his brand without big investors or expensive ads — and walk away with actionable strategies to start your own.

From saying no to Shark Tank (twice) to selling over 3 million units of a product developed at the kitchen table, Joe Burke’s journey with Ollyball is packed with lessons for entrepreneurs at every stage.

Key Takeaways:

• How to generate massive publicity without spending on ads

• The storytelling patterns that make your brand unforgettable

• Why saying “no” can be your greatest strategic move

• The mindset that helped Joe push through doubt and unfair setbacks

This event is only for Entrepreneur+ subscribers, but you can become a member for just $5! Sign up and unlock all access to Entrepreneur.com, including our premium content and the ability to participate in our Subscribers-Only Event.

What is a Subscriber-Only Event?

Subscriber-Only Events are exclusive interviews in which we feature a special guest to help create actionable content for Entrepreneur+ subscribers. We set up events with today’s most prevalent CEOs, entrepreneurs and celebrities — so that we can provide a productive, exclusive experience for our most dedicated readers and entrepreneurs worldwide.

How to access as a subscriber:

There are two ways to make sure you don’t miss out on this event. Follow this link for easy setup on your Entrepreneur+ homepage. Or, check your inbox for an email that contains the private link to the event. We will also notify your email as the event goes live to make sure you don’t miss out.

Having issues signing up for the call? Email us at subscribe@entrepreneur.com.

About the Speaker:

Joe Burke invented and holds two Utility Patents for Ollyball®, Winner of a Toy of the Year and seven national and international awards. Burke founded the company for his family in 2019 and Ollyball has grown to the #1 Indoor Play Ball in America. Ollyball has been featured on the National CBS Morning Show, is available at major retail stores across 12 countries, and has made eight live appearances on QVC.

Burke is the former Brand Director of Disney Stores and VP at Goodwill Industries, but started his first company at the age of 21 on a borrowed card table and metal chair. Hylan Scholarship recipient at the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, and NCAA athlete. Husband to Ellen Burke, an Autism and Behavioral Specialist, and father of their three children.

Extra Credit: Coached his kids in five sports, wrote a book in 46 hours on a train, and appeared in 25 films and TV shows in a former life

TikTok’s e-commerce unit, TikTok Shop, is facing layoffs in the U.S.

TikTok Shop head Mu Qing circulated an internal email to U.S. staff late Tuesday, telling them to work from home on Wednesday because some would receive emails indicating their roles had been cut. In the memo, which was viewed by Bloomberg, Mu advised staff to expect “operational and personnel changes” to TikTok’s U.S. operations and global key accounts divisions “beginning early on Wednesday.”

Related: Microsoft’s Mass Layoffs Affected at Least 800 in Software Engineering, According to New Documents

The global key accounts team works closely with large brands, while operations supports merchants, partners, and creators on TikTok.

Mu wrote that TikTok was laying off workers to “create more efficient operating models for the team’s long-term growth,” and framed the job cuts as “difficult discussions,” per the memo.

According to Business Insider, employees started receiving emails informing them that they were impacted by layoffs beginning Wednesday morning.

It is unclear how many employees were affected by the layoffs. Mu stated in the memo that TikTok’s goal was to quickly tell impacted employees they were let go.

Related: Google Layoffs Affect Hundreds in Division Working on Chrome Browser, Pixel Phones

Last month, TikTok Shop let go of some U.S. employees as it restructured its governance and experience team.

TikTok officially introduced Shop to the U.S. in September 2023. The shopping marketplace is a tab on the TikTok video app and features items for sale from third-party sellers. It keeps shoppers within TikTok to complete purchases and uses its engaging algorithm to suggest products customers might be interested in.

In 2024, TikTok Shop attracted over 47 million U.S. shoppers, with Americans spending $32 million per day shopping on the social media app, according to Capital One research.

This year, TikTok Shop sales have fallen due to tariffs, four TikTok Shop staffers told Business Insider. Tariffs rose as high as 145% on Chinese goods in mid-April. Earlier this month, the U.S. temporarily lowered tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% while China reduced its levies on U.S. imports from 125% to 10%. BI‘s sources disclosed that in early May, TikTok Shop’s daily U.S. sales from foreign sellers were down by close to 25% month-over-month due to tariffs.

Related: ‘More Than Marketing Tools’: Some Business Owners Are Worried About the Possible TikTok Ban

TikTok has 7,000 U.S. employees, with over 1,000 employees located near Seattle. The company has other offices in New York, California, and Texas, per Bloomberg.

TikTok has until June 19 to find a new owner in the U.S. and separate from its parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban. The deadline is in response to a law passed by Congress in April 2024 and has been extended twice by President Donald Trump as TikTok attempts to find a buyer. Trump, who has previously stated that he has “a little warm spot” for TikTok, said earlier this month that he may extend the deadline further if no deal is reached by June 19.

So far, TikTok has received bids from Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, AI startup Perplexity, AppLovin, Amazon, and former LA Dodgers owner Frank McCourt Jr., who teamed up with Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian on The People’s Bid for TikTok, among others.

Every day, we’re bombarded with noise — emails, ads, pop-ups, sponsored posts and DMs from strangers who want to “hop on a quick call.” It’s relentless. And people are tired.

Marketers often call this “audience fatigue,” blaming content overload. But after working with hundreds of leaders to build authentic authority, I’ve come to see it differently: it’s not just content overload — it’s trust fatigue.

Trust fatigue is what happens when people stop believing. When every message feels like a sales pitch in disguise, people disengage — not just from brands, but from leaders who once earned their respect.

So, in a world where trust is slipping and skepticism is rising, how do you become someone worth listening to?

Trust moves from institutions to individuals

One study found that 79% of people trust their employer more than the media, the government, or nonprofits. That’s huge.

It means trust is no longer institutional — it’s personal. People don’t want another faceless brand talking at them. They want a real person who shows up with clarity, consistency and value.

That’s your opportunity. If you want to lead, you need to earn trust. And the good news? It starts with three moves.

Related: Trust Is a Business Metric Now. Here’s How Leaders Can Earn It.

1. Be discoverable

Let’s get practical. Google yourself — what comes up?

If it’s outdated bios, scattered links, or worse — nothing — you’ve got work to do. Your digital presence is your first impression. When someone wants to vet you, they’re not asking for your resume. They’re looking you up.

A strong LinkedIn profile is the first step. Make it sound like a leader, not a job seeker. Then, create a personal website that reflects who you are, what you stand for, and the people you serve. This is your platform.

Next, give people a reason to trust you: thought leadership content — articles, interviews, podcasts — that showcase your ideas. If I can’t find you, I can’t follow you.

2. Be credible

The internet is full of opinions. What cuts through is proof.

Credibility comes from evidence: media features, speaking gigs, client testimonials, books and bylines. These aren’t vanity metrics — they’re trust signals. They tell your audience: this person has earned a platform.

You don’t need to headline a TEDx talk tomorrow. Start small. Write a piece for your industry publication. Share a client win. Build momentum with real, earned signals of authority.

And the data backs this up. A Gallup/Knight Foundation study found that nearly 90% of Americans follow at least one public figure for news or insight, more than brands, and sometimes more than the media itself.

3. Be human

Here’s where many leaders go wrong: they forget that trust isn’t just about what you say — it’s how you make people feel.

You can have the slickest website and the most polished profile, but if your tone feels robotic or your content sounds like corporate filler, people will scroll right past.

You don’t need to spill your life story, but you do need to sound like a real person. Share lessons you’ve learned, not just what you’re selling. Tell stories. Speak plainly. Be generous with your insights.

I once shared a story about a career setback on stage, unsure of how it would land. It ended up being the thing people remembered — and the reason they reached out. Vulnerability built more trust than any polished pitch ever could.

Related: How Talking Less and Listening More Builds Your Business

Trust is the strategy — authority is the reward

Many leaders think, “If I’m good at what I do, people will notice.”

They won’t.

In a world overflowing with content and short on attention, visibility matters. Credibility matters. And most of all, connection matters. You build trust gradually — through how you show up, what you say and how well it resonates with what your audience actually needs.

So here’s where to start:

• Audit your online presence as if you’re a stranger seeing yourself for the first time.
• Share stories in your writing and speaking that make people feel something real.
• Post something this week that reflects what you believe, not what you’re trying to sell.

Lead with service. Speak with clarity. Build trust by showing up as yourself.

Authority doesn’t come from shouting the loudest. It comes from being the one people believe.

Since President Trump first announced new tariffs on U.S. trading partners in April, with frequent revisions ever since, American businesses of all sizes have been caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty. For entrepreneurs relying on foreign suppliers, sudden spikes in raw material costs can force a frantic reevaluation of longterm strategies and pricing models. These constantly shifting tariffs have upended months, even years, of planning across operations, production, supply chains, and competitive positioning, leaving many entrepreneurs stuck in near paralysis.

Most imported products face a baseline duty of at least 10%, but that number is subject to change with little warning. Trump announced much larger reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries in April before instituting a 90-day pause. Trump also raised tariffs on China to 145% before lowering them back to 30% for most Chinese goods for at least 90 days starting in May. To handle the tariff whiplash and survive in today’s volatile political and economic climate, you need to navigate constant uncertainty and adjust to frequent disruptions. If you’re not able to pivot quickly as changes arise, you may have to pass rising costs onto consumers, putting your business at risk of losing them entirely.

Related: Walmart Is Raising Prices, According to the Company’s CEO. Here’s When.

To stay ahead of these constant changes, business owners need to regularly explore a range of “what-if” scenarios. For example, if tariffs rise on a key supplier, how quickly should I adjust prices? Or, what are my options for switching to a supplier in a country with lower tariffs? With so many moving parts, AI can make this easier. Tools like ChatGPT make it simple to start using AI for financial modeling and supply chain analysis —helping you stay agile while navigating unpredictable tariffs.

How small businesses can use AI for smarter scenario planning and future-proof decisions

Earlier in my career, I helped large oil companies and financial institutions optimize their supply chains for better efficiency and lower costs. Traditionally, creating these models required complicated Excel spreadsheets and some proficiency in mathematics. Not only has AI made the modeling process more accessible, even for non-technical business owners, but it has also provided business owners with an essential tool for scenario planning that is adaptable in real time.

Tariffs are fundamentally unpredictable, especially today, so AI can’t predict what tariffs will be tomorrow, next week or next month. It can, however, help your business prepare for the unknown and make smarter decisions faster by running dozens of those “what-if” scenarios in seconds. That’s why it’s best to understand and use AI as an optimization model instead of a one-time solution.

Here’s how the optimization model works and how you can use it to build a pricing and procurement strategy that will help your business stay on top of 2025 tariffs:

Step 1: Provide your AI tool with data

Start by entering the key details into your AI tool—some of which your Large Language Model (LLM) may already know. An LLM is a type of AI that understands and creates human-like text by learning from vast amounts of writing.

Include information like:

• Current and projected tariff rates
• Domestic and international costs of goods
• Inventory holding periods
• Revenue per unit

This data is likely already available in your balance sheet, which you can quickly upload to your AI tool like ChatGPT or source through simple research. The AI’s goal is to optimize for a combination of these variables that yields the highest profitability at the lowest cost at any given point.

Related: What Is a Tariff? Here’s an Overview of the Basics.

Step 2: Use AI to model supply chain alternatives

AI can scan trade databases and tariff announcements in real time, constantly updating teams in need. As tariffs fluctuate and updates are tracked, your optimization model will shift and evolve.

For example, if tariffs rise and the cost of overseas products increases, you may look to purchase goods domestically and ask your AI system to recommend sourcing alternatives. AI can even compare the benefits, drawbacks and long-term implications of sourcing from various countries.

While AI can’t provide specific pricing or shipping estimates, it drastically reduces the time it takes to evaluate new options. Once you find the rest of the information you need, by researching online or calling the suggested companies directly, feed it into your model to update your strategy in real-time.

Step 3: Use AI to explore multiple scenarios and identify the best path forward

Beyond just helping with sourcing decisions, AI can also recommend how much you can raise your prices to stay profitable without driving customers away. For example, your business might absorb a 5% to 10% tariff increase through modest price hikes, but a 15% increase could start to push customers away. AI can simulate different pricing strategies to help you find the perfect balance for your unique situation.

Ask your AI tool questions such as:

• How much would I lose if tariffs remain between 10% and 15% over the next 60 days?
• When does buying from international suppliers become economically unviable?
• How much would I need to raise prices if tariffs increase to 20%?
• What’s the best price increase to keep my revenue steady while covering costs?

AI can help pinpoint various thresholds and calculate your options. These actionable insights can be life-saving for businesses lacking the time, energy and resources for trial and error.

Think of AI as a personal financial analyst that works around the clock and costs a fraction of a human hire. Regardless of your business, integrating AI into your operational toolkit and interacting with it daily can help you prepare for an unpredictable market.

While the future of tariffs remains uncertain, their impact is very real today. Instead of freezing up from uncertainty or making hasty decisions, AI empowers business owners to stay proactive and ready for whatever comes next.

Remember when learning new skills meant signing up for expensive classes, sitting in freezing (or sweltering) classrooms under fluorescent lights, and wondering if the vending machine would ever accept your crumpled dollar bill? Yeah, StackSkills EDU Unlimited is here to wipe that memory clean.

For just $19.97—yes, less than your last food delivery—you can grab lifetime access to 1,000+ online courses. IT, coding, graphic design, business strategy, marketing—you name it, it’s probably already waiting for you. New courses are added monthly, so your library actually grows with you over time, not against you.

This is real-world learning made for real-world schedules. Whether you’re a business leader trying to sharpen your digital strategy, a parent plotting a return to the workforce, a freelancer adding a new service, or a student supplementing a less-than-exciting course catalog—StackSkills gives you the flexibility to learn on your own time, from any device, without having to sacrifice your sanity (or your weekend plans).

And StackSkills isn’t about fluff. Their 350+ elite instructors are people who’ve been there, done that, and are ready to show you how they actually succeeded (and yes, sometimes how they failed—because that’s where the real lessons live). Each course includes progress tracking, certificates, and even quarterly live Q&As to keep you engaged and growing.

Compared to one college course that costs, what, $600, $1,000, more?—$19.97 for lifetime access is almost criminally affordable. Plus, you’ll be able to pivot your learning as new trends pop up, industries shift, and opportunities arise. No need to re-enroll, re-pay, or re-think every time you want to pick up a new skill.

It’s lifetime learning—built for people who actually have lives.

Take the leap. Own your growth. And seriously, stop paying $300 just to sit through a PowerPoint for beginners class. StackSkills has you covered for life.

Get lifetime access to StackSkills by EDU for just $19.97 (reg. $600) through June 1.

EDU Unlimited by StackSkills: Lifetime Access

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Equipping a team with modern, mobile tech can be a balancing act—functionality and performance matter, but so does staying within budget. That’s where this deal on the onn. 11″ Tablet Pro really shines. A Walmart store brand, these onn. tablets are just $74.99 (regularly $159), it’s an easy decision for business leaders looking to scale their tech resources without scaling costs.

Despite its budget-friendly price tag, this tablet is built for everyday productivity. It runs on Android 13, offering a familiar interface that syncs smoothly with cloud-based apps, email platforms, messaging tools, and more. It’s great for teams already using Android phones—onboarding is minimal, and the user experience is intuitive.

The large 11-inch LCD is crisp and vibrant with a 2000 x 1200 resolution, making it ideal for streaming presentations, reviewing reports, or even hosting virtual meetings. Whether you’re using it for point-of-sale systems, training materials, front-desk kiosks, or remote communications, this tablet delivers a sharp, responsive experience.

Under the hood, the 2.2GHz octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM provide reliable speed for multitasking. Combined with 128GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), there’s plenty of room for documents, media, and business apps. Plus, dual cameras allow for both video conferencing and on-the-go image capture, which is useful for field teams, social media managers, and sales staff.

Battery life is often a pain point with mobile devices, but this one lasts up to 16 hours, giving your team an all-day companion that won’t die mid-task. Whether it’s used in the office or on the road, charging anxiety becomes a thing of the past.

And since this is an open-box unit, you’re getting a like-new device at nearly half the price. Each tablet is thoroughly tested and verified. Although the box may exhibit minor signs of handling, the hardware inside remains in new condition.

Get this onn. 11″ Tablet Pro for just $74.99 (regularly $159) while it’s still available.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you’re only using AI to pump out blog posts or social media content, you’re thinking too small. The real game-changers? They’re building businesses that run on autopilot — using next-gen AI agents to automate sales, operations and marketing around the clock, with zero employees.

In this video, I’ll break down the four AI agents that can turn a simple side hustle into a 7-figure business.

• Revenue-generating agent: Replace entire sales teams with AI that qualifies leads, books calls and handles follow-ups — it’s like having a top-tier sales rep that never takes a day off.
• Executive assistant agent: Say goodbye to calendar chaos and inbox overwhelm. Use AI to handle scheduling, inbox management, travel planning and data entry — freeing up hours each week.
• Workflow and SOP agent: Automate your SOPs and streamline onboarding with screen-recording AI that turns your processes into step-by-step guides — no more micromanaging.
• Pulse agent for marketing: Analyze sales data, audit content and predict campaign performance before you hit launch — this is the tool that tripled my sales in just 14 days.

Whether you’re a solopreneur or scaling a lean team, these four agents can cut overhead, boost productivity, and give you a serious edge – without the headaches of hiring and managing people. Hit play to see how it’s done.
Download the free “AI Success Kit” (limited time only). And you’ll also get a free chapter from my brand new book, “The Wolf is at The Door – How to Survive and Thrive in an AI-Driven World.”

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said in a social media post Thursday that a ransom note arrived via email asking for $20 million in Bitcoin in exchange for not releasing information hackers had obtained on Coinbase’s customers.

“I’m going to respond publicly,” Armstrong said. “We are not going to pay ransom.”

https://t.co/evpIBMFvRW pic.twitter.com/f6UPdkL5R0

— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) May 15, 2025

Armstrong said attackers had found a “weak link” customer service agent outside the U.S. who accepted a “bribe” and gave away personal data on customers.

In a company blog post, Coinbase said it will reimburse customers tricked into sending funds to the attacker. Hackers received access to names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails; masked Social Security numbers (last four digits only); masked bank‑account numbers; and government‑ID images (driver’s licenses, passports). No passwords or private keys were obtained, the company says. The email arrived on Sunday.

Related: Think You Can Hack Into Apple Intelligence Servers? Apple Is Paying Up to $1 Million If You Can.

“(The stolen data) allows them to conduct social engineering attacks where they can call our customers impersonating Coinbase customer support and try to trick them into sending their funds to the attackers,” Armstrong said.

Per the AP, Coinbase estimated in a filing with the SEC that it could end up spending anywhere between $180 million and $400 million “relating to remediation costs and voluntary customer reimbursements relating to this incident.”

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that the SEC is separately investigating Coinbase over whether or not it reported inaccurate numbers during its IPO in 2021. The company claimed to have more than 100 million “verified users” in marketing materials.

Coinbase’s stock dropped 7% on Thursday after the news, per Yahoo.

Related: Over 10 Billion Passwords Have Been Exposed in the Largest Password Hack in History

Longtime “Shark Tank” investor Barbara Corcoran, 76, announced last week that she was putting her beloved New York City penthouse on the market for $12 million — and the apartment almost immediately found a buyer.

According to the latest Olshan Luxury Market Report, Corcoran’s duplex penthouse at 1158 Fifth had multiple bidders and sold for over the asking price within 24 hours of being listed. The final price paid for the unit and the identity of the new owner are still unknown, but will be disclosed as soon as the deal closes.

The property was one of 36 contracts signed last week in Manhattan with a value of $4 million or more, per the Olshan report.

Related: Barbara Corcoran Says the Best Entrepreneurs Are Good at This One Thing

“Real estate is always emotional, but I never thought I’d say goodbye to this beautiful palace in the sky,” Corcoran wrote on Instagram last week. “I’m just hoping the special person who buys it cherishes it as much as I do!”

The 4,600-square-foot, 11-room co-op has four bedrooms, four full baths, and two half baths. Monthly maintenance fees are $11,693.32. Corcoran listed the property with The Corcoran Group, the real estate firm she founded in 1973 and sold in 2001 for $66 million.

Corcoran first spotted the penthouse in 1992, when she was delivering letters for a messenger service as a side hustle. She was impressed by the apartment’s terrace with views of Central Park, and asked the home’s then-owner to call if they ever thought about selling the unit.

Related: Barbara Corcoran Says This Is the One Question to Ask Before Selling Your Home

More than two decades went by without a phone call. Finally, in 2015, the owner was ready to sell. Corcoran bought the property for $10 million and spent an additional $2 million in renovations, designing the home exactly as she imagined it. She added a library with a fireplace, a full kitchen next to the terrace, and a butler’s pantry.

Corcoran is moving out of the duplex penthouse and into a single-story one to save her and her husband, Bill Higgins, 80, the trip up and down the stairs. The duo has already found a single-story apartment in the same Carnegie Hill neighborhood.

Corcoran previously disclosed that she makes $300,000 as a “Shark Tank” investor, but usually invests over $1 million per year in startups that come on the show. She also stated that she makes $4.5 million annually from her stocks, bonds, and other investments.

Corcoran has been on “Shark Tank” for 16 years and has closed 650 deals on the show.

On a busy Saturday afternoon in Mountain View, California, the line at Alexander’s Patisserie — a pastry shop known for its precision and innovation — can stretch out the door. Customers eye a display case of delicacies, from black sesame croissants to more than 20 flavors of macarons. It’s easy to assume the appeal is in the presentation, but beneath the patisserie’s viral popularity is an authentic story: one of team leadership, craftsmanship and a dedication to continuous improvement.

Central to this story is Shuyao Cao, better known as Chef Shu. As the pastry chef behind the Alexander’s menu, she leads with creativity and intention, uniting the business with a collaborative spirit.

Related: Want to Work With Influencers? Here’s What Small Business Owners Need to Know.

“I feel like our whole team, everyone has their own talents,” Cao says. “Each one of them is unique, and I take the string from them, and then I put it together. I can’t come up with [the brunch menu] all by myself.”

The team dynamic is evident from the moment customers walk in the door. Whether staff are managing a packed tea service or catching up with regulars, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. David Brungard, vice president of operations for Alexander’s Group Corporate, says Cao’s leadership has helped make this work environment possible.

“[Chef Shu] earned every single person’s respect, including the dishwasher, because she does everything,” Brungard says. “She cleans the walk-in, makes the croissants, comes up with ideas and walks around to taste stuff. She makes family meals for our employees so that when they come to work, [they don’t have to eat pastries all day].”

According to Brungard, Cao’s hands-on leadership style has fostered a workplace culture built on trust and appreciation: “The level of quality in your life depends a lot on how you feel when you are at work, and [Chef Shu] knows how to make everyone in our team feel valued,” he says.

Related: 5 Secrets to Success From a Sustainable Business That’s Grown 95% in 3 Years

One of the patisserie’s most talked-about menu items — the famous flat croissant — wasn’t even for customers at first. “I wanted to try it because it went viral in my Asian area,” Cao says. “I wanted to taste it myself, so I made one at the patisserie, and the front and the back of the house really enjoyed it. So I said, ‘Let’s put it on the menu.'”

Since then, Cao’s flat croissants have become a fan favorite, driving traffic in-person and on social media. But trending pastries are only responsible for a portion of the patisserie’s success. What keeps Alexander’s relevant is its commitment to adaptation through customer feedback.

“ We see how customers react and how much we sell every day,” Cao says. “We see how people react on the internet, too. I read every review the customer leaves me, and I mean it. I take opinions, and then I let the whole team taste it. Even [Brungard], when he comes, I pull him.”

For Brungard, reviews function as both valuable feedback and a celebration of the team’s efforts: “When they mention an employee by name in a raving review, it makes me super happy because they deserve the credit,” he says. “I love it when the public recognizes their hard work. And then when they don’t, I take it on. That’s what I’m here for.”

Part of Alexander’s staying power comes from thoughtful sourcing that spares no expense for quality. “We use chocolate imported from France… the best chocolate in the world,” Cao says. “We make sure we use an AOP butter for our croissant. AOP butter is super expensive, and only one region of France makes it.”

And when specialty ingredients aren’t available through traditional vendors, Cao gets creative. “Sometimes I find matcha powder [or] the best sesame paste brand in the supermarket or the Chinese grocery store,” she says. “I can pick out different stuff for myself and then ask my sales guy if he can find me a bulk item.”

Related: How This North Carolina Lawn Care Company Earns Customer Loyalty

From recipe tasting to fixing kitchen equipment, Cao and Brungard run operations like clockwork, but always with heart. “Part of our meeting is to talk about new products, reviews, what’s broken in the kitchen,” Brungard says. “How can I fix it? How can I give you what you need to be successful?”

This behind-the-scenes support reinforces a company-wide policy: Take care of the team, and they’ll take care of the guest.

Ultimately, Alexander’s success comes from the patisserie staying true to its values. Thoughtful leadership and room for experimentation allow the team to chase their passions, resulting in a sweeter experience for the guests. “When you put love into something, it reverberates into the world,” Brungard says.

Consider Alexander’s Patisserie’s guiding principles for creating a thoughtful experience for both customers and staff:

• Lead from within. Respect is earned. Set the tone by working alongside the team and staying hands-on in the operation.
• Innovate with intention. Let curiosity, creativity and customer feedback drive your menu changes, rather than trends alone.
• Feedback helps you pivot and grow. Read and discuss every review to identify areas for refinement and improvement.
• Quality begins with sourcing. Whether it’s imported French butter or the perfect sesame paste, sourcing should be deliberate and can help your business align with its (and customers’) values.
• Culture is the secret ingredient. A welcoming team translates into a positive guest interaction. When your team feels supported, the entire operation succeeds.

Related: She Runs a James Beard Award-Nominated Restaurant. Here’s Her 2-Step Process for Hiring the Best Employees.

Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Cao and Brungard, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.

Editorial contributions by Alex Miranda and Kristi Lindahl

This article is part of our ongoing America’s Favorite Mom & Pop Shops™ series highlighting family-owned and operated businesses