With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the switch from in-person classes to virtual learning, some students have used creative ways to fill their time. One CSUSM student, Stacey Trejo, has taken her excess time to jumpstart a small business. 

Trejo, a senior criminal justice major, has spent the last few months building a strawberry decorating business called Strawberries by Stacey. This idea came to her randomly last May, and since then she has amassed over 700 followers on her business’ Instagram page. 

Once Trejo realized she wanted to sell strawberries, she worked right away to put her business out there. Her business’ growth has surpassed her expectations. 

The job did not come easily at first. “It’s taken me a lot of practice,” said Trejo. “In the beginning, if [the strawberries] weren’t the prettiest or they weren’t the nicest I would compare my work to other peoples’ work.” 

Trejo kept practicing until she became satisfied with the product. Her improvement speaks for itself; all of the strawberries on her social media page look both beautiful and delicious. 

Gallery • 3 Photos

Photo courtesy of Stacey Trejo

Strawberries by Stacey offers a variety of decorated strawberries.

When asked about how virtual learning has affected the balance between working and school, Trejo said that it has made time management easier. She has multiple asynchronous classes, allowing her to designate time outside of her ordering schedule to focus on schoolwork. Additionally, both virtual learning and her business allow her to work from home, which eases the pressure of having to commute anywhere daily. 

Since she is graduating soon, Trejo said that she is unsure whether to expand her business after earning her diploma because she plans to pursue a master’s degree. Still, she is open to the possibility if time permits her. 

When asked about offering advice to students who may be considering starting a small business, Trejo said to “just go for it.” 

Trejo expressed the importance of growing at one’s own pace, as intimidation can hinder a person from pursuing their passions. She advised to not be afraid to learn throughout your experience. “You [will] learn how to be confident in yourself, you’ll learn how to communicate with others, you will learn how to manage a small business, learn about your profits, your losses,” she said. She added that patience is key when starting because success is earned over time. 

Additionally, Trejo advised to “be prepared to invest in yourself, invest in what you’re doing,” as people are only interested in good quality work. Providing your best effort is a must in any specialty.

Trejo surely practices what she preaches because as of now, her orders are completely booked until late February. 

For future interest in orders, follow her Instagram page @strawberriesbystacey.