It’s perhaps natural to assume that a business should be strictly apolitical if not impersonal, so as to avoid alienating customers over any issue. But actually, the opposite seems to be true. We as customers crave authenticity, and we love to see the owners interact with the community. Alex Cagley-Wilson, creator of The Hungry Hero, has embraced this view with great success.
It starts with the product. Alex has a deep, emotional connection to the desserts he creates and shares with customers. In fact, I think a big part of Alex’s success is that he isn’t just selling desserts, he’s sharing a core part of who he is.
“I was a fat kid,” he says, laughing. “I really liked dessert.
“I decided I wanted to do classic, American comfort food, things I grew up on as a kid…it makes you feel good,” he added.
As any customer of his knows, Alex’s passion translates into a uniquely delicious product.
Alex takes it a step further, initially getting the word out by donating desserts to Portland nonprofits like Basic Rights Oregon and FAME.
“People want to support businesses that support other things,” he says.
One of the most special moments for the business, though, came recently when the community rallied around a family whose young boy died.
“We ended up raising over 11 grand in one night, in like two hours… it makes me emotional to talk about it, but there was like a line down the block and a line around the corner, and that is just proof right there of how amazing Sherwood is,” he says.
Lastly, I’ve observed that many people find it hard to gain traction as an entrepreneur until they get clear on what it is they want to create, and it can be a long time before results appear. It can be a long and perplexing process.
Alex was emphatic, but advised to “Take your time and study and teach yourself. Don’t rush it… Let things happen naturally.”
Indeed, before opening up for business, Alex spent a year developing recipes and refining the concept of The Hungry Hero to make sure he was creating something that would resonate with himself and his customers.
The biggest reasons bakeries (and businesses in general) fail, he says is, “They try to do too much. You can’t be everything to everybody.” That means clearly defining what you are not as well as what you are. “I’m always reminding myself,” he continues, “We are not a gluten free bakery. We are not a vegan bakery. We do what we do.”
Alex’s advice for other entrepreneurs? “I really truly believe that if you are passionate about something, and if you do it well, and you do it with love, you’re going to end up being successful in one way or another.” That certainly seems to be true for Alex and The Hungry Hero.
The Hungry Hero is located at 22567 SW Washington St, Sherwood, OR 97140
Nicholas Pihl is Host of Why Try, a podcast featuring Portland-area entrepreneurs. Episodes at www.nicholaspihl.com. Quotes from this article are from his podcast episode, “Alex Wilson, Chocolate Potato Chip Cookies.”