Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Jensen.
Hi Crystal, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Candie Clouds really started by accident — during the pandemic! It was my daughter’s 7th birthday, and the bakery we usually ordered cakes from had gone out of business. Since everyone was having outdoor parties at the time, I thought, ‘Why not buy a cotton candy machine as a fun treat?’ I figured I’d just break it out once in a while for the neighborhood kids after the party.
What I didn’t expect was how much pure joy it would bring me. I actually cried the night before her party — happy tears — while learning to spin cotton candy for the first time. It was like magic! After that, friends and neighbors started asking if they could order cotton candy for their own events, and honestly, it just took off from there.
And because I have a background in graphic design, of course, I couldn’t resist creating a logo and brand for it right away. Candie Clouds was born, and we’ve had our head in the clouds ever since!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve really had to figure a lot of this out on my own — there wasn’t a roadmap or mentor showing me the way! It definitely wasn’t always easy to find the answers I needed, but every little challenge taught me something new.
Right now, the hardest part is defining exactly what Candie Clouds is — and what it isn’t. When I first started, one of my big dreams was to have a trailer or a truck and pop up at fairs and events. But as I’ve grown and watched Candie Clouds take shape, I realized that’s not quite the right fit for us anymore. I want Candie Clouds to be so much more than just a fun treat you stumble upon at the carnival — I want it to be something special, memorable, something you seek out and want to support because of our values.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2005 with a double major in Illustration and Design. After that, I jumped into the advertising world in Minneapolis, where I worked until 2013 before deciding to break off on my own. Since then, I’ve been a freelance Designer and Art Director, working with brands like Target, Best Buy, Aveda, Evereve, and Welly.
Being a freelancer has given me the flexibility to not only collaborate with amazing brands but also to dream up and bring to life my own creative ventures — like Candie Clouds!
What does success mean to you?
Success, to me, is the sweet spot between doing what you love and being able to take care of your family doing it. It’s about making your community brighter, happier, and more joyful — whether that’s through a clever idea or through colorful and sweet cotton candy. If I can make someone smile because of something I created, that feels like success to me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.candieclouds.com
- Instagram: @candie.clouds
- Facebook: candie.clouds
