SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

from NKY Business Journal | July/August 2023

by Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Influencing Career Technical Education from Outside the Classroom

(NOT QUITE) A CAKE WALK

Originating out of Rettig’s home kitchen and now operating out of a production facility with pickup options at 1024 Saratoga Street in Newport, Tickety-Boo Treats specializes in making a dessert – cheesecake – minus its namesake ingredient: cheese.

With a love for baking fostered in her childhood, Rettig’s life was thrown into culinary chaos in 2014 when she was diagnosed with celiac disease. A chronic digestive and immune disorder, foods containing gluten trigger long-lasting digestive problems and can prevent the body from receiving all its necessary nutrients.

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HER BUSINESS’ NAME STEMS FROM A BRITISH expression that, translated to modern American dialogue, equates to “it’s all good” or “everything is fine.” But as Abbi Rettig, owner of Tickety-Boo Treats in Newport, can tell you from first-hand experience, keeping an attitude that is “tickety-boo” is just as important as putting in the work to achieve that state of mind.

That’s never truer, she says, than when it comes to overcoming challenges and the voices that say you should give up.

“I am making a product that is very nontraditional in a very traditional, non-progressive food market; if I took every bit of criticism and every ‘No’ to heart, I would have been done in the first month,” says Rettig. “You must have an authentic mission statement and constantly reevaluate and reinvest in that mission statement. There are so many unknown obstacles that I faced that I could have never planned for, which is why when I doubt myself, I always go back to my main mission: To provide a healthy alternative for people with dietary restrictions.”

Now that her company is expanding into new markets via retail partners, the only restrictions Rettig has are the ones that continue to inspire her allergen-friendly products.

“When you're diagnosed with celiac disease, it's like someone draws a line in the sand and you can't ever go back. Suddenly, you can't get your favorite items at restaurants anymore, including your favorite dessert,” says Rettig. “All your traditions and social settings get turned upside down. It’s a bit of an internal crisis.”

As if that weren’t bad enough, Rettig – who picked up on the term “tickety-boo” while living in Newcastle, England, with her husband Jerry – would face a new crisis upon returning to America and enduring the pandemic. During this time, the couple’s middle child was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases, and Rettig eventually determined dietary changes would be necessary for her daughter as well.

Homeschooling their children during the shutdown, the former marketing pro and personal trainer turned stay-at-home mother of three decided it was time to follow her passion. That resulted in the launch of her cheesecake business, Tickety-Boo Treats, in October 2020.

Curious as to how one makes cheesecakes without cheese? The answer, Rettig found on Google, was nuts … Or more specifically, a fruit oft mistaken for nuts.

“If you've ever had cashews, you know that they are a chameleon. People use them a lot in vegan/dairyfree cooking, and they are the main ingredient in our cheesecakes,” Rettig explains. “As crazy as it sounds, once you mix them with wholesome ingredients – we get our maple syrup from Ohio that we use to sweeten everything – and you mix it with ingredients like coconut oil and almonds, they turn into a beautiful cheesecake.”

WHAT’S NEXT ON THE MENU?

Rettig’s business has grown significantly since its launch, progress aided by grants in 2022 from Main Street Ventures and Aviatra Accelerators that helped with marketing and expanding into large wholesale accounts. Tickety-Boo Treats can be found at Dewey’s Pizza’s Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati locations, Jungle Jim’s International Food Markets, Newport’s Fresh Thyme, Tri-State Whole Foods’ locations and several local stores including Fort Thomas Coffee. Rettig’s cheesecakes, available in individual sizes as well as six- and nine-inch varieties, are also available on www.gtfoitsvegan.com, the largest online retailer, wholesaler and distributor of curated vegan food. In addition to its cheesecakes, Tickety-Boo Treats now also sells grain-free chocolate cookies and graham cracker-style crusts for those looking to make their own celiac-friendly desserts.

Working with just three full-time employees and contract workers, Rettig has learned something with which many entrepreneurs struggle: It’s okay to ask for help.

“Do what you're good at and outsource your weaknesses. That has been a big lesson in entrepreneurship: I need to trust myself, and my strengths and then also look at those challenges, and weaknesses and improve on both; that's my responsibility,” she says. “As a woman, we're kind of taught that if you need help, it's a weakness; I've learned however, it’s a strength to say that you need help as working with your community and other innovators can help you grow.”

A Slice Of Happiness

In much the same way she hopes her business will continue to grow, Rettig hopes her story can inspire others to be innovative in many inspirational ways.

“You must have a positive outlook about how the product or innovation you're bringing into the market will change people. You must see that it is going to fill a need in the market or help someone solve a problem,” she says. “Everyone asks me as an entrepreneur, ‘What is the one thing you would tell me?’ and my answer is ‘Don't give up’ … I've met so many people like my daughter and me, that will trickle in just at the right time, just when I've gotten bad news or something hasn't gone right. If you stay true to your mission and really believe in what you're doing, it'll keep reinvigorating you.” NKY

Tickety-Boo Treats AT A GLANCE

Address: 1024 Saratoga Street, Newport, KY

Web site: www.ticketybootreats.com

Founded: October 2020

Services offered: Tickety-Boo Treats specializes in desserts – cheesecakes specifically – that are both gluten- and dairyfree as well as vegan and paleo diet-friendly. The company’s products are available at several restaurants and shops throughout the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area with some menu items available for local pick up at its Newport headquarters.

Notable clients: Dewey’s Pizza, Jungle Jim’s International Market, Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, TQL Stadium/FC Cincinnati and the Hyatt Regency Hotel of Downtown Cincinnati

With over 1,300 miles of pipes, the Northern Kentucky Water District (NKWD) is using technology to more effectively, and cost efficiently, find and eliminate water leaks Last year, NKWD began using ASTERRA, a company that uses satellite imagery, to help find leaks. This technology takes aerial scans of the Earth’s surface and analyzes the images for the unique signature of treated water in soils around a leak.

ASTERRA provides “points of interest” for crews to further investigate If the leak hasn’t surfaced, which is true for most leaks found using satellite scans, crews locate it using special equipment that can hear the sound of water leaking from pipes. Once found, NKWD crews repair the leaking pipe.

“Our entire water system has been scanned using satellite imagery which has saved time for our team,” said Lindsey Rechtin, President/CEO of NKWD. “Instead of our crews having to listen for leaks on all 1,300 miles of pipes, the points of interest provided by the scan allow us to focus on the 100 miles most likely to have leaks.”

NKWD will continue to look for suspected leaks using its own equipment This project has eliminated water loss from pipes, service line connections, valves, and fire hydrants.