Black Velvet-Cakes, Business Success And So Much More.
Velvet- "P-u-r-r-r! Actually, now that I
think about it, it is very onomatopoetic. Saying the word, I envision my hand
slowly brushing down a length of beautiful velvet cloth (hopefully with a
beautiful man inside!) stressing the first syllable for an inordinately long
amount of time. Soft on the lips while saying it; soft on the hand while
touching it. A very satisfying combination".
-Beth Champeau
I love this quote above as it encapsulates a small part of what this business represents. Cupcakes that are soft as clouds on your lips. Perfectly moist with icing that is not firm, it bursts forward like a molten lava cake. An icing which transforms into a second function as a sauce. But unlike most cupcakes which are firm to the touch, a Black Velvet cupcake is moist and as soft as a cloud.
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| KMR styling & Photo Shoot |
Look
Touch
Touch
Smell
Taste
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| KMR Styling & Photo Shoot |
Enliven your senses with a Black Velvet cupcake.
It sounds too good to be true. I urge you to try one, two or six.
It would be remiss of me to stop here as the company is more than it's cakes.
I have walked past this shop in Darlinghurst, Sydney, for a few months. It opened in July 2014. I am not one to jump on an editorial piece. I like to observe from a far, to make mental notes, to observe customers and then to ask for more information.
Instantly I was hit by the sheer beauty and simplicity of the store. Black and white. Chanel meets breakfast at Tiffany's. To some this could be a little off putting to walk into a cafe which in itself looks like a 5 star boutique, but let me tell you now that when I met Orlando (Founder & Director) that couldn't be further from the truth. His welcoming smile and handshake put me at ease. I felt at home.
It seems that we were in sync. I asked Orlando if he chose black and white as the format for the store so that customers could bring their own colour in to the store and he replied "Yes, exactly". Plus the colour of the cupcakes, wedding cakes, chocolates, candles, diffuser reeds and the blushing brides as they come in to arrange their special day where there to bring their colour to the store
But why haven't I heard of Black Velvet in the media? Was this going to be another business that is waiting for business to come to them? Are they resting on their laurels?
If you call making cakes for Angelina Jolie's film premiere, a cake for Jessica Mauboy and Guy Sebastian's birthday resting on their laurels then yes. But no, in fact they are listening to their clients and adapting their business model wherever they can. They are evolving and an open book. This is the sign of a successful business. As a management consultant, I could not offer them any advice as they are ticking all the right boxes. I applaud Orlando's work.
Does this mean expansion and rapid growth?
They have been approached by a few reputable business centres and have graciously turned them down. This proved to be the right thing for them as they monitored other businesses moving into the said locations and they have permanently closed a few months afterwards. Wise indeed. Rapid growth doesn't equate to rapid sales and ongoing expansions.
With ten weddings confirmed, three completed, business is looking good for Black Velvet. But perfection comes at a price right? Yes artisan work can come at a cost, but Orlando is ready to work with you to help make any event a success. At this stage they are only available for events in Sydney. There is a lot to be learnt from them, read on.
Black Velvet has you covered with their organic soy candles. The wax is so good for you that when it cools down, you can wear it on your skin like a fragrance. I love multi dimensional products and Orlando spent two years perfecting the formula of his candles and diffuser reads before they where presented into his store. What impressed me on top of the complex layering of the scents was the perfect volume of the fragrances. They do not over power you as they do in some stores and they do not shy away into insignificance.
This is all well and good, but I have a driving force inside of me that urges all businesses that have had success in their community to give back to their community. I was put at ease when I was informed that Black Velvet had made 500 cupcakes for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and instead of taking full payment from the cakes, which were to be sold on to raise money for the foundation, they only took part payment as their donation to the foundation. They recently completed a similar cupcake drive for a church in Enfield.
Be it an afternoon treat for yourself or an event like no other, Black Velvet has you covered.
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| KMR Styling & Photo Shoot |
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