The Spirit of Finley the Fox: The Power of a Name
A fox, 5 passionate women, and a whole lot of cupcakes. How Sweet Sneak tells stories through food and your friendly neighborhood mascot, Finley the Fox.
Sweet Sneak is a pop-up bakery based in Copenhagen that focuses on storytelling through food. It is founded by Brini Fetz, Antje Dittmann, Martje Meinert, Katrin Fieseler & Theresa Blank, five women with similar passions for baking and creative businesses. Their pop-ups happen in unique spots in the city, each one catering to the ambiance of the location. They have recently incorporated Sweet Sneak Studio, a creative company that designs culinary experiences for companies & events.
I first felt Brini Fetz’ enthusiasm and hospitality in her smiley-face-and-exclamation-point-filled reply to my email request for an interview. When I was 20 minutes late and pathetically lost, she got down on her bike to pick me up despite the drizzle. I feel bad and am scared she is slightly annoyed, but tension eased when she greets me with a hug and a warm smile. She brings me to Sweet Sneak’s new office space and gives me a little tour around their 4-company co-working area.
There, I meet Antje, who is patiently waiting around the table, keeping the apple tarts and coffee warm. No meeting with these food lovers would be complete without delicious pastries. Antje is a go-getter, mostly because she is the first to grab the sweets while explicitly expressing her desire for food. I grab a tart as well and manage to let a few pieces crumble down to my lap. I look at them embarrassingly but they, too, are stuffing their faces. I feel more comfortable with our established casual dynamic and ease into the interview.
The 5-person founding team of hobby bakers all met in Copenhagen Business School but came from different parts of Germany and Austria. They shared similar passions in baking and eventually decided to turn their once side project pop-up bakery into an actual business. It started with their name. When coming up, they wanted something that portrayed the dynamic of their business model. “Sweet” because of the pastries and “Sneak” because they’re always sneaking into different places for every pop-up, like a fox! Together with Finley the Fox, their storytelling companion, they’ve been connecting people through their pastries ever since.
What are your favorite memories in life?
A: Besides Sweet Sneak (which is one of the best things that happened to me in life!), it’s going to Australia and spending a semester there. I liked the people. And just being there and not doing things I would normally do. We were with like 5 Australians, who were going around on an old VW bus with their surfboards on top. They were basically living off of fish.
We went with them for a week. I don’t think I would do it forever, but it was just great doing that, living the life they did. They jumped into waterfalls. We hiked up waterfalls. And we’d climb up trees to get coconuts.
B: My greatest memories in life always had something to do with nature. When I’m in nature, it always ends up being a memory. I’m originally from Austria, from the alps.
And it’s just the most inspiring surrounding to walk through the woods, climb the mountains and swim the lake and see the stars while you’re swimming in the lake and there’s a shooting star coming from the left and the right. Those are the best and the ones that last.
What is true about yourself today that would make your 8-year old self cry?
B: Well, the thing that I wouldn’t have believed when I was 8 was the fact that I could live in a foreign country. I could never have imagined ever that I would live in a foreign country and speak this language. Or try to.
M: Can you speak fluently?
B: Yeah. Sure. But I think I have a strong German accent.
A: No, I think she’s really good. I’m not that good.
M: Do you speak fluently?
A: No, but I listen to it fluently.
What do you do when no one is looking and there is a mirror right in front of you?
B: I’m actually a mirror dancer, I have to admit. And I have a lot of fun doing it. I have a lot of signature moves.
A: The Christmas tree is the one, I would say.
B: Oh, yeah that.
A: Uh, me? I look at my pores.
Who in the world are you most grateful for?
B: Oh, that’s hard.
A: We can agree on the Spirit of Finley the Fox. Yeah, definitely.
How’s it like working with friends?
B: Our friendship grew with the project. If you’re working with friends, you work with people you know very well. That’s good. You know the flaws and the good things. On the other hand, you take decisions as business partners and as friends. Sometimes it collides: business and private life. It’s very difficult to balance it out.
A: We actually put into our ownership rules that friendship comes first. We are first friends then business partners. I think that’s the most human way to handle it.
B: We have an open talk policy. So when someone feels uncomfortable, we talk openly about it.
A: And I think we’re quite good at that.
If you could write an anonymous text message to yourself five years ago, what would you say?
A: Oh, I thought about that. It’s only the little things and I don’t think I’d waste a text message on myself like that! Haha.
B: Hm. Travel more? Be open to everyone and everything. Don’t be so selective.
A: Would that have really changed your life five years ago?
B: Yeah, maybe. Because they’re things I just learned later. I was quite closed. Actually it was perfect I found a school in Copenhagen and not Vienna. You just start your life from zero. You have to find a new everything. And that just forces you into meeting a lot of people. That was a big step, leaving behind all the things I was used to. And then I realized how good it could be to be pushed in this super cold country called Denmark!
What is the most extreme thing you’ve done?
B: For me, I’m not an extreme person actually. But I guess putting all these things in my life inside a trash bin and going to another country all by myself. Antje, what about you? Didn’t you bungee jump?
A: Yeah I did. But I don’t think that was the most extreme. I was actually a bit hungover in that trip! The most extreme for myself was going to New Zealand for myself. With the bungee jump, I only pushed myself for a second. With New Zealand, I pushed myself for a week! Travelling by yourself. A lot of people say you should do it, but I’m personally not a huge fan. It was so weird because I ended up just taking selfies.
B: If only there was a selfie stick back then!
If you had to meet a person from the past, future, or present, who would it be and why?
B: I would love to meet my grandfather again. He died when I was 6 and he was a pioneer. Imagine a village in the middle of the Austrian alps where it’s only farmers. He was actually the first person with a car and he started the first transportation company which was completely insane back then. That’s actually my family’s company now. I’d just love to meet this crazy person who did all these things.
A: I used to work for one of the other girls in a fashion company called MUSE and they actually went bankrupt. But before that, we had this advisor, Rebecca Bay. She was in the US, then came home and she talked to us about failures. I’ve never had anyone have, in such a short amount of time, such a huge amount of ideas on how to make things right. And in general, I LOVED her ideas and her personality. I want her to be in our company as an advisor. How about that?
B: Yeah! We don’t have a board yet, but we would love to get one.
How would you describe a perfect day?
B: Hm. I don’t think it’s when the sun is shining. It’s when the clouds are really high up, but it’s a closed ceiling of sky. So it’s bright, but the sun is not disturbing your eyes. I’d have this wonderful breakfast and go outside to a garden and pick fruits, spices and herbs. Then I’d try to bake a new recipe. Then some of my dearest friends would come over. We’ll open a bottle of sparkling wine, sit outside the garden. We won’t have anything to do the next day. The sun would settle and we’d open another bottle of wine.
A: Definitely starting with brunch or food. Then we would go to the beach. There should be some sunbathing, but also some other activity like surfing. I lie down on the beach, and get some sun. I read some magazines and I’m with all my friends. I’m from the coastal area, so driving to and from the beach with my friends on the car is my favorite. Listening to music and being really excited to get there. And then afterwards, making a good meal together at home. Having some drinks, going out for an outdoor concert. Then we dance and celebrate to the new day. Then it repeats!
The Hangover Epiphany← P R E V I O U S
N E X T → Women’s Health Taboos
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