After tearing her ACL during wrestling practice last year, senior Karissa Aguilar was on the bench for the rest of the season. During her break, she pursued something new: a candy business.
“I started to think about what am I gonna do with my time,” Aguilar said. “Why not do it? Why not invest my time into something that is gonna benefit me in the long run?”
Aguilar prompted herself to start her enterprise after making strawberry crunch cupcakes for her friend. It was only a gift, but she found baking to be incredibly therapeutic while she recovering from her injury. She enjoyed the process so much that by late January, she made baking her business. Aguilar sells all types of sweets including chocolate-dipped strawberries, tres leches cupcakes and candied grapes. Recently, she has expanded her business outside of sweets with Hot Cheeto Birria Balls, which have received great praise from her clients.
Currently, Aguilar is transitioning back into wrestling, after having recovered from her torn ACL. However, it’s become difficult to juggle her responsibilities as a student, athlete and entrepreneur. When Aguilar is swamped with orders, her parents lend a helping hand and assist in deliveries. Other than that, she is independent. Although the business is demanding, the experience itself is its own sweet treat.
“One of the main things I enjoy is meeting new people (and) going different places,” Aguilar said. “You’re in a whole other environment.”
Aguilar’s business demands customer interaction. She often has to rely on word of mouth from her customers to get her business going. Otherwise, her Instagram account @dippedbykarissaaa expands her customer base through promotional videos showcasing her products. Her time spent contacting customers and marketing educated her on workplace skills.
“It’s preparing me in many ways,” Aguilar said. “Like customer service-wise, learning to talk and communicate with different people.”
In her future, Aguilar plans to enter the nursing field by becoming a pilot nurse. After high school, she hopes to continue her business as a hobby with a passive income, as she loved the experience. Although what incited her business was an injury, it resulted in work that Aguilar enjoys.
“If you want to pursue something, then go for it,” Aguilar said. “I mean at the time I didn’t know what I really wanted. So why not try it, you only live once.”
