October 20, 2021
Author: Heather Lowey
It’s easy to think the answer to “What do you do?” when you own a candy and chocolate company would be a fun one! You get to work with CANDY and CHOCOLATE and HAPPY all day every day! True. But as Carrie points out, there is also a LOT of hard work going into a business. Yes, even a business rooted in chocolate and Frittle.
ABOUT CARRIE
Carrie, her husband, and two children live in Indianapolis in the Castleton area. Her two kids attend Heritage Christian and are a senior and freshman. And while her children may think they know it all right now, Carrie admits she has zero desire to ever go back and be in high school again!
She loves food and business, so becoming an entrepreneur and starting a company in the food industry only made sense. Initially, Carrie imagined a catering business. However, after realizing the difficulties in a catering business, she took the easy route to make candy.
“Ha, well it’s just as hard!” she admitted laughing.
Carrie’s faith in God and understanding she has a purpose are keys to her success.
“On your worst day, you still might be the brightest light to someone else.”
As a Ball State hospitality grad, she now proudly declares, “I am a candy maker.”
NEWFANGLED CONFECTIONS
Carrie’s business began on the foundation of Frittle. A modern take on peanut brittle.
She delights in taking classic candies and putting a modern twist to them. Frittle combines the peanut-buttery sweetness of brittle and crosses with peanut fudge.
Another key is in the presentation. Newfangled Confections prides themselves on great packaging.
In 2011, Frittle was just an idea. Flash forward to 2021, and the highly desired candy now has major distribution. In fact, was even featured on QVC.
“You know you’ve really made it big when you are on QVC and your parents, aunts, and grandparents are all calling to tell you. The reality check came when I shared with my young employees and they asked, ‘what is QVC?’ Back to reality.”
Frittle is also distributed in Barnes & Noble, World Market, and Fresh Market, to name a few.
BEING AN INFLUENCE
Carrie truly believes everyone can have an influence. All the way from being a BBB (Bada** Big B****) to more subtle but supporting influence.
“You don’t have to have everything to be influential.”
Carrie stands in her influence by remembering she supports others through her business. Not only providing joy and goodness through her sweet treats to customers, but also through employing individuals at her companies.
“I work FOR a company. When I get frustrated, I remember I’m doing this for them (the employees) and their families.”
TIPS IN BUSINESS
Carrie admits that when the business first began, she had an immense fear of failure. However, as time wore on and it was clear the business was growing, the fear of failure moved to a fear of success.
“I’m not a hobby-ist business anymore. It was my faith that pushed me out of bed every day. That faith in God and then the voice in my head saying – Get over yourself, people like this! continue to drive me.”
In order to shift into major store distribution, Carrie attributes these qualities to her success in making it:
- Remain true to your brand
- You can’t be entitled
- The formula of Luck + Opportunity existed
- Tenacity, I just kept chipping away
THE BEST CHOCOLATE IN TOWN
Carrie recently purchased The Best Chocolate in Town from a friend and mentor. Newfangled Confection is now the parent company.
This strategic move supported Carrie in expanding into local brick & mortar for additional distribution.
“We are heavy into Christmas and really now have already moved on to Valentine’s Day.”
The Best Chocolate in Town/Newfangled Confection is distributed in 70 stores and supplies jobs in the community, which is important to Carrie.
SUMMARY
Carrie delivered this talk to the Linking Indy Women crowd with a boot on her foot. Laughing, she shared the humbling story of climbing on top of her Honda Pilot to put something in the dumpster at work. She slipped and landed on her foot wrong resulting in some “mangled toes”.
While it was a funny story, it also highlighted the work it takes to be an entrepreneur.
Carrie strives to provide humility and grace through business. To that end, she offers to mentor anyone on business and their ideas. She’s a natural born entrepreneur and has a heart to support others.
Her advice – Transition to confidence. Stop giving away your power to others and what they think.
Support Carrie through ordering at www.newfangledconfections.com or finding them through local distribution. And continue to tell brick and mortar stores here you are glad they are supporting local business such as The Best Chocolate in Town.
Want to connect with Carrie? Find her @newfangledconfections and @bestchocolateintown.