Success Story
Whatever Dude
Meet Kelli Wright, an awesome entrepreneur rocking the Outsourcing Win scene! She’s all about thinking outside the box. You’ve probably heard about her mouthwatering caramel-coated apples and delectable chocolate-covered strawberries. She totally gets the flavor of the Oklahoma WIT mindset, all while still putting her family first. If you’re hungry for some sweetness, let’s sink our teeth into Kelli’s journey.
Hey, DUDES, I’m Kelli Wright, founder of Whatever Dude. My journey began as a barista at a local coffee shop. I have 3 beautiful children. After I had my third baby, I knew I wanted something that would work for my family.
I’ve always been very artistic. When at work, I started doing the charcuterie boards, the menu boards, things like that at the coffee shop.
Once I started posting pics on social media, I realized that I could make money from it, because people were reaching out to me to do their weddings, baby showers, etc.
Finally, I was like, “I like this. I can do this.” My niece was having a 16th birthday. I wanted to make sure it was a special day for her. I asked her for some insight; like – What kind of party do you want? What kind of stuff do you want? She showed me these pictures of charcuterie boards, and I totally made that happen. I posted pictures of them, and my business just took off.
Around Valentine’s Day someone reached out to me about making strawberries. I was like, “Yeah, I’ll give a try.” That’s when the strawberries kicked off. Then my mom’s childhood best friend was telling me that she was in love with caramel apples. I gave that a try which turned out to be a hit. I mean, it’s all changed my life, but I would say caramel apples have really changed it because nobody else does that in the community. Not one person.
Kelli’s Three Tips for Success:
It’s okay to start slow and steady! Focus on quality, not quantity in the beginning.
Figure out your purpose behind your business. Ask yourself, “How will your products be useful or a necessity?” Once you figure that out, you will draw your audience.
Consistency is key, but love and passion follow hand in hand. Put your heart into your business, stay consistent, and soon it’ll fall into place.
Unlock inspiration and success with the March/April 2024 issue of Oklahoma WIT Magazine, “Whatever It Takes.” This must-read edition is packed with powerful stories of resilience, personal growth, and overcoming challenges—available in both digital and print to fit your lifestyle. Purchase your copy today and start your journey to success! Partner with us as a sponsor and align your brand with a community of driven female entrepreneurs.
Dawn Corbett is a driven, self-motivated, elementary educator, and a molder of young minds. She has taught in public education for twenty plus years. Creating original content is something that she is passionate about and gets excited about. She knows the value of confidentiality, cooperation, and being a team player. Working as an editor and blog writer has given her a valuable opportunities to develop her own intellect and a different perspective on how to respectfully communicate with others in different styles.