\u00a0Starr Bakery<\/a>, has seen her business grow through viral videos, resulting in hundreds of customers waiting to get a taste of her popular treats.<\/p>\nHicks is no stranger to the kitchen. She started baking at age 7 with her parents and grandparents before launching her business at 12.<\/p>\n
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She received her first order from her father\u2019s best friend, who later died during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she said he told her to keep baking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told my father to just keep going, and I ended up making a lot of different baked goods,\u201d Hicks said. \u201cPeople started trying my stuff, and I eventually sold at school.\u201d<\/p>\n
Starr Bakery has more than 250,000 followers across social media and has become known for its pop-ups at Houston Farmers Market, where Hicks offers a variety of flavored rolls.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0menu changes every week, but always includes recurring items such as its original roll, Biscoff cookie butter roll and roasted caramel pecan roll topped with homemade caramel drizzle. Other popular flavors\u00a0include strawberry crunch, s\u2019mores and matcha rolls.<\/p>\n
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School by day, bakery by night<\/p>\n
Hicks said she has stayed focused on reaching her goals, selling baked goods at\u00a0Randle High School while juggling academics and softball.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I would say God has blessed me tremendously because I wouldn\u2019t have thought I would go viral or get this much customer attention,\u201d she said. \u201cI honestly thought it would be much harder. It is hard work in the process, but I didn\u2019t think it would happen this fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
In high school, Hicks had to figure out how to make her business work because selling food during school hours wasn\u2019t always allowed. That led her to sell to students and teachers after school.<\/p>\n
After graduation, she said she chose entrepreneurship because she did not plan to attend college.<\/p>\n
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Balancing business and baking<\/p>\n
Hicks\u2019 baking headquarters is not a large building or spacious commercial kitchen. Everything is made at home with help from her small team, which includes her father, Anthoney Hicks; mother, Ronnada Hicks; and grandparents.<\/p>\n
Anthoney Hicks, who has worked in finance for more than 20 years, manages the business side of Starr Bakery and teaches his daughter about taxes, goods, brand protection and the long-term picture.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to business, numbers, finances, it\u2019s kind of second nature to me,\u201d Anthoney Hicks said. \u201cAlong the way, I\u2019m not force-feeding her the information, but just kind of spoon-feeding it to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hicks said she has been selling out of desserts for the past year and now goes through more than 300 rolls a day. She has her sights set on one day selling her items in stores and opening her own brick-and-mortar location.<\/p>\n
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\u201cLife has changed a lot for me, seeing how many people are inspired by me,\u201d Hicks said. \u201cI always wanted to inspire people with my baking and tell the younger generation, or even older people, that no matter what you do with your business, you don\u2019t have to go to college. I never would have thought I could get to this point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hicks said her parents taught her entrepreneurship early on. Her father said she has become a strong example for younger people and adults who talk about starting their own business.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife, who is a massive integral part of this as well, and I are extremely proud of her,\u201d Anthoney Hicks said. \u201cWe\u2019re blessed to have her as a daughter. Obviously, as parents, we still have to make sure that we parent as well, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s incredible to see the reception she\u2019s getting from the people. Our community is really putting its arms around her.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a successful launch of her chocolate chip salted cookies, Hicks said Starr Bakery will keep the item on the menu and add more offerings down the line.<\/p>\n
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