Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Schwenzfeger.
Kimberly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Well… I wish I could say that I knew I was going to make candy from a very young age, but that was definitely not me. Growing up, I went from wanting to be a marine biologist to planning on becoming a stunt car driver when I graduated from high school. I just sort of stumbled across confections in my early twenties–discovered that I loved it and that I was good at it.
I think some of the inspiration for even attempting it was thinking about my great, great grandfather–who came to American from Syria and started a chocolate factory–which is still around today, over a hundred years after opening its doors. So, with countless books, I taught myself how to work with candy, doing it for myself like the great, great grandfather did. I continue to learn new things and I believe that one of the main things that make my confections special is my focus on natural flavors and quality ingredients.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In no way has it been a ‘smooth road’. First, there was teaching myself and dealing with my failures, then there were all the struggles of life that made focusing on my goals incredibly difficult. I was in an emotionally abusive relationship for years to a person I ended up marrying and having my daughter with. My dreams, my goals, and pretty much my entire sense of self had very little meaning.
So then, of course, there was the struggle of going through a divorce and getting back on my feet, all while learning how to be a single mom. But I feel like I’ve gained so much from even just the last few years that has helped my determination in building this business. It has been a challenge trying to be a business owner and a single mom, but I love my daughter seeing what can happen when you work hard and create the future you want.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Most of the time I get called a ‘chocolatier’, but I don’t just work with chocolate–I am a confectioner. I make everything from truffles to meringues, caramels, and candied citrus peels. I avoid molds, artificial flavors, and flashy colors. Something I learned early on is that quality and natural ingredients speak for themselves–you don’t have to cover them in airbrushing. It does seem to be the trend, but to me, I feel like there should be a focus on the flavor, not so much on the flash. So I believe that sets me apart.
My truffles are rolled by hand, my candied peels take at least two days from start to finish, and I’d rather top my confections with sea salt or a candied peel than artificial colors. Honestly, I feel proud of the business as a whole–and how much hard work I have put into it, especially in the last few years. But, breaking it down, I am proud of my ability to take on new challenges, proud of the determination I have to continue building this into something bigger all on my own. I feel like all of that ends up coming through in everything I make.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was the weird kid. Definitely the outsider for most of my school years–until I ended up at a small charter school my last couple of years of high school–then I was at what I like to call ‘the Island of Misfit Toys’. We were a school of weird kids–so suddenly I fit in. I honestly am so grateful for that school because it helped me figure out my own identity. I became a more free thinker. I was a nerd who could quote Shakespeare and loved reading.
I was also pretty creative, but I always seemed to have a hard time putting what in my head out into something tangible. I think that’s why I love making candy so much–what I have in my head translates to the product I make just perfectly. I was definitely not the athletic type–though I did a fence for a while, and if I had the time, I wish I could get back into that. Like I said though, candy making didn’t come up for me until my early twenties. I’m pretty sure that my 15-year-old self would be pretty confused by the person I am now.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1320 Zephyr St
Unit 7 - Website: www.toutedouceurcandy.com
- Phone: 720.935.9301
- Email: [email protected]
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