A CHILDHOOD EASY BAKE OVEN IGNITED ALEXANDRIA MARROW’S ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

By Sydney Gordon, Communications Intern, Senior at Pace University

As a new member of the DLE, Alexandria Marrow is beyond excited to bring her stories, successes, and positive change to the DLE community.

The founder of bakery Sweets by Alexandria, which she launched at just 16, and now Partner Experience Manager at IBM, she has added a new title as creator of the newsletter The Good Unlocked, with a mission to inspire more good in the world.

“The newsletter features inspiring stories, reflections, and thought-provoking ideas, alongside occasional interviews with bright thinkers, leaders, and change-makers who are shaping the future,” she reflects. “I’m passionate about leaving spaces better than I found them, and I believe that together, we can change the world–one conversation, one connection, and one act of goodness at a time.”

Alexandria traces her entrepreneurial spirit to childhood experiences in Durham, NC. “I developed a strong work ethic as a child, earning my own income through various ventures such as running a lemonade stand, mowing lawns, and babysitting. Each opportunity allowed me to embrace my entrepreneurial spirit and fueled my enduring drive and dedication to owning my own business,” she shares.

The arrival of a special gift–an Easy Bake Oven–was, well, life changing! Between playing with her new favorite toy and watching the Food Network daily, Alexandria began experimenting in the kitchen of her family home, where she made cupcakes, which quickly became beloved treats in her community. Encouraged by the warm reception her cupcakes received from family and friends, she took a significant leap by opening Sweets by Alexandria in a kiosk at The Streets at Southpoint Mall, a move she describes as “one of the best experiences of my life.”

Owning your own business has many moving parts and daily challenges. Alexandria wasn’t just responsible for consistently baking and delivering high-quality products; she also took charge of hiring and training a dedicated team to manage her kiosk six days a week.

“Each day began with my mom and me preparing fresh cupcakes completely from scratch. We worked together to consistently uphold the quality that defined the brand. My daily routine involved overseeing operations, ensuring that every team member understood their role in maintaining the bakery’s standards, and guiding them to meet sales targets,” she maps out. “I prioritized providing exceptional customer service by creating joyful interactions with every customer who visited our kiosk. It was important that each experience reflect the warmth and community spirit we fostered in our bakery.”

After three successful years, Alexandria made the difficult decision to close her brick-and-mortar location to enroll at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Her reputation as the “cupcake girl” followed her as she struck up a brisk business of selling cupcakes from her dorm.

In short order, Alexandria approached the university and successfully got her products stocked in the Elements store on campus. “I’ll always be grateful for that opportunity and the support we received from the students and the entire community.” In 2021, she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

Her career path soon took another turn when she received a job offer from IBM in New York City, a place she had always aspired to call home. “As the head of marketing for my bakery, I discovered a passion that really shaped my career aspirations. That’s why I couldn’t pass up the chance to contribute to an innovative company like IBM, while also honing my skills as a marketer, alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry,” she notes. “I recognized the transition from the food to tech industry would both challenge and expand my horizons.”

Though it was a challenging decision to close a business with such personal significance, Alexandria credits the experience with “shaping who I am today.”

She explains, “I’m excited to embrace whatever the future holds, and I can’t help but dream of returning to the bakery in some way one day, with fresh energy and new vision.”

Through her journey as a business owner, she has learned the invaluable power of human connection, and she is flexing that spirit in her newsletter, The Good Unlocked.  “I wanted to create a platform for meaningful conversations that not only spark thought but also inspire us to act with intentionality, gratitude, and kindness,” she says.

Alexandria was introduced to the DLE by her sister, Aleah Marrow, a dedicated long-time member and program coordinator for the highly popular Culture Chat virtual program. She attended her first DLE program last June and is eager to explore more. She concludes, “Being a part of the DLE network has already proven to be enriching in both personal and professional ways, and I’m excited to continue to engage with the network, learn from others, and contribute to this community that’s committed to growth and helping us become better versions of ourselves.”