There are people who things happen to, and people who make things happen. Teresa Ging definitely falls into the latter category. She is the Founder & CEO of Sugar Bliss, which began almost two decades ago as a gourmet bake shop in downtown Chicago, then expanded into products for retail and foodservice during the pandemic when foot traffic into her bake shop slowed down.

Since then, through RangeMe submissions and ECRM-hosted buyer meetings, she has grown her foodservice business significantly. Last year, Sugar Bliss was accepted into the Compass Group accelerator program. This led to an intro to Compass Group's Levy Restaurants, which got Sugar Bliss cookies, cake puffs, brownies and Rice Krispy treats into Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears. It also gained the brand entry  into grab and go and convenience locations through Compass' Food Works Group and Canteen North America (her 2 ounce cookies and 5 ounce bags of cookies).

In addition to her activity with ECRM & RangeMe, she is incredibly active in engaging the industry in several ways, as she shared with me during our video interview recorded on location at ECRM’s recent Foodservice Session in Chicago. 

“I do a lot of networking – it’s kind of the core of my business as a CEO,” says Ging. “Getting out there, meeting with other founders, potential investors and customers, going to different events. You never know when you’ll meet that one connection who makes all the difference.”

This networking consists of four key areas of focus: Participation in industry groups and associations; participation in networking functions and events; speaking; and social media. Following is how she approaches each.

Industry groups and associations

Most industries and cities have a wealth of business groups and associations, ranging from local chambers of commerce, to supplier diversity groups and local associations. As an Asian-American business owner who is both a foodservice operator and brand owner, Ging has her pick of many groups and associations in which to participate, and she gets involved in as many as she can. This includes the local Chamber of Commerce and Chicago Innovation, a local business group.

Networking functions and events

Ging also goes to many events – both food- and foodservice-related events like ECRM Sessions and other expos, as well as local events, like Naturally Chicago, that cater to founders like her. Participation in these events serves several purposes. First, since part of Sugar Bliss’ retail business includes catering, she meets a lot of potential customers this way. In addition, she learns a lot from other participants.

“Networking is important as a founder,” says Ging. “You learn a lot from other founders whenever you go to these events, especially on the CPG side, because as brand owners we all deal with the same issues.”

Speaking gigs

Ging has found that speaking and participating in panel discussions is a great way to raise her profile in the industry and make great new connections. In addition to the exposure, getting up on stage positions you as an authority on whatever subject you are covering, and actually drives connections to you.

In April alone, Ging participated in three different speaking events. One was a tourism event hosted by Choose Chicago, where she was on a panel about iconic brands. She also was part of a panel about financial excellence for women-owned businesses at a conference hosted by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Finally, she was on a panel of Asian-American business owners hosted by the New York Public Library.

“Every time I’m on one of these panels, people are listening, and you never know who they might be,” says Ging. “It could be your next customer. It could be a potential investor. A lot of times people will reach out to me via LinkedIn after one of these panels. They definitely help to build your brand.”

Social media

Ging engages the industry the same way digitally through LinkedIn. “Instagram is great to post cupcakes and cookies and the like, and we’ll put some stuff about me there too, but LinkedIn is where you talk about business issues,” she says. “People want to know your wins, but they also want to know about your struggles, too. Once I launched my CPG and foodservice lines of products, I’ve been much more consistent about posting, and it’s been really helpful building the brands.”

One recent post, for example, showed her products at a store in Chicago’s O’Hare airport, and it generated more than 200 comments, including from buyers she is interested in connecting with. “It starts the conversation,” she says. “Posts like that give you credibility with buyers. They see that you’re having success and expanding.”

She also engages with other people’s posts on the platform, much like she would in a face-to-face conversation at an event.

Make connections that matter

So whether it’s online, in-person, on RangeMe, at an ECRM Session, a Chamber of Commerce function or local event, get out there, get engaged, and chat with as many people as you can. You never know what great things might come from it.

One thing’s for sure. If you stay on the sidelines buried in emails and spreadsheets, no one will really know who you are.

Watch the full video interview here