Natalie McCosh is not only a senior here at Kansas State, but also the proud owner and baker of Sweet Pieces by Natalie, a custom buttercream cookie business. She sets up her booth at farmers markets, craft shows and more — even taking custom orders for events like graduation. However, baking has a low barrier to entry, making it a challenging market to stand out in. With so much competition, how does Sweet Pieces find success? According to Natalie, the buttercream is what makes all the difference.
“Traditional bakers these days use royal icing — I’ve always loved the traditional buttercream, and have made all my own recipes,” McCosh, senior in entrepreneurship, said.
She attributes it to her branding, her way to stand apart from the crowd.
“My design looks the same — you can scroll through cookie pictures and pick out which ones are mine, and I take pride in that,” she said.
As an entrepreneurship major, Natalie is no stranger to the inner workings of a business. This venture, however, started long before her time here as a business student.
“I’ve been baking since I could sit up,” McCosh said. “I started pawning off cake pops in my fourth-grade class. Two years later, I graduated into cupcakes and into sugar cookies, so I count 2016 as my starting mark.”
Her brand slogan, “Spoiling Meals Since 2016,” echoes this history, which further helps her stand out in a crowded market.
McCosh’s transition from a rural high school to K-State proved to be beneficial not only for her education but also for her business. She said Sweet Pieces helped her with her grades and putting her knowledge “into practice in real-time,” using K-State resources to her advantage.
“The K-State accelerator program really helped me,” she said. “They basically pay you to run your business.”
Her time in entrepreneurship has done more than just grow her company — it’s given her opportunities and allowed her to thrive.
“I participated in a pitch competition my freshman year, and I placed in the top five,” McCosh said. “It was an inspiration to me. I can do this, I’m not just some small-town baker who came to K-State.”
Now, McCosh is the president of the Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization at K-State. As for the future, she said she is going to continue her business.
“I think it’s a part of me at this point,” McCosh said. “I have no idea what I’d do with myself. … Manhattan is a pretty tough market to be in. If I can capture this market, I can capture customers wherever I go.”
While she has a wide-eyed vision for the future, she hasn’t forgotten her roots.
“Hopefully, I could start an incubator kitchen, a space I could rent out to other small-town bakers, to help them grow as well,” McCosh said.
While some students can be hesitant to stand out and share their passions, McCosh encourages students to find their own path and celebrate their accomplishments.
“You are your own differentiation factor,” she said. “You’re different. And don’t worry about competition too much, it keeps you sharp.”
McCosh’s advice to students when considering a business is simple:
“Just go for it. You’re in college. You don’t have much to lose.”
Those interested can find and order Sweet Pieces by Natalie at sweetpiecesbynatalie.com, and check out her previous work at @sweet_pieces_by_natalie on Instagram.