Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlei Brown.
Ashlei, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Back in 2022, I joined an online community called Quirkies. It featured a unique collection of artwork with traits inspired by food, action sports, and a beautiful pastel color palette. One of those food traits was a donut, which I had acquired as my profile picture. Before long, I became known as the “Donut Queen.”
I began looking for opportunities to collaborate with real-world donut companies such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Krispy Kreme, and Tim Hortons. I would purchase their products and create photo edits incorporating Quirkies artwork, hoping we would catch someone’s attention. Unfortunately, it never happened, and eventually, members of the community began encouraging me to launch our own donut company instead.
It took me a few months to wrap my head around the idea. I wasn’t a baker, but I had ambition and determination. What could go wrong?
So, in January 2023, after creating the LLC and spending time practicing in the kitchen, I officially launched Quirk ‘N Co Donuts, a sister company to Quirkies!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It wasn’t a smooth road at all! There was a lot of trial and error that went into bringing the idea to life.
The first obstacle was money. It was a relatively low-cost business to start, but trial and error can get expensive pretty quickly. There were two things I knew I wanted to stay away from: loans and investors. Instead, I turned to a few close friends who were also part of the Quirkies community and asked them to help in any way they could. If they saw my vision, they helped bring it to life!
The second obstacle was developing the flavors and recipes themselves. As I mentioned, I was far from being a baker before launching this venture, which made the trial-and-error process even more expensive. However, once I finally got the hang of things, I had it down!
The third obstacle was getting out of my own head. I am my own worst critic, and I will literally throw away an entire batch if I don’t like the way it looks or tastes. I had to learn to rely on people I trusted to give me solid, honest feedback so I could make adjustments where needed.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Quirk ‘N Co Donuts is a specialty donut brand born from the Quirkies community and built around creativity, quality, bold flavors, and a little bit of quirkiness. What started as a fun idea inspired by a donut trait within the Quirkies artwork eventually grew into a real business with an identity of its own.
What truly sets our donuts apart is how they are made. Every Quirk ‘N Co donut is handcrafted by me from start to finish. Unlike traditional donuts, which are typically yeast-based and fried in oil, our donuts are flour based and baked. I also intentionally stay away from seed oils and use the highest quality ingredients available to me. I wanted to create a donut that still feels indulgent and exciting while being thoughtful about what goes into it.
We specialize in creative flavors, toppings, and combinations that you may not find in a traditional donut shop. The experience is just as important as the donut itself. From the names and presentation to the flavors and packaging, everything is designed to feel fun, memorable, and unmistakably Quirk ‘N Co.
What also makes us different is our story. Quirk ‘N Co wasn’t created because I had years of experience as a baker or had always dreamed of owning a bakery. It happened because a community believed an idea could become something bigger and I was crazy enough to try it! I taught myself, experimented, failed plenty of times, perfected my recipes, and eventually turned something inspired by a digital community into a tangible product that people could actually taste and experience.
From a brand perspective, that is what I am most proud of. Quirk ‘N Co represents what can happen when creativity, community, and determination come together. We took something as simple as a donut trait from a piece of digital artwork and turned it into a real-world brand with its own products, customers, and personality.
More than anything, I want people to know that there is intention behind every Quirk ‘N Co donut. They aren’t mass-produced or pulled from a freezer. They’re handcrafted, baked, thoughtfully made with quality ingredients, and created by someone who genuinely cares about what leaves the kitchen.
Quirk ‘N Co Donuts may have started with a quirky little idea, but we’ve built it into something very real and we’re only getting started.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I am really into Audible as it allows me to free up my hands and continue to multitask (which is super important in my day-to-day activities!).
I wish I could tell you that I like informational books, apps and podcasts but the truth of the matter is… I love Jahquel J and every book she comes out with! Along with Monica Arya. Do with that what you will!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Quirkncodonuts.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/quirkdonuts
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/quirkdonuts
- Twitter: https://X.com/quirkdonuts
