Trendsetter to Know: Alex McEntire of ChinUp Donuts

A typical day in my life includes… early morning gym session, working in the shop, if I’m lucky, happy hour on a patio and finishing the day out in my backyard with my pup.

I was born… in Phoenix, raised in the West Valley.

My favorite thing about Arizona… is the copious amounts of sunshine and great Mexican food.

I’m listening to… Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, or Hall & Oates on my Chin Up playlist that plays all the groovy hits in the shop.

My family… is the most important thing to me. With two sets of twins in my family, it’s always a handful when we’re all together. My family has been the biggest supporters of my business, and me, since day one. I wouldn’t be anywhere without them and I’m so lucky to have my family as my best friends. 

If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be… Jeni Britton Bauer, founder of Jeni’s ice cream – so inspiring, positive, and we’d probably get ice cream for dessert. 

One thing I cannot live without… the gym. Working out keeps me sane… and able to taste test donuts every day. 

When I was younger, I wanted to be… a neuroscientist. I love math and science and learning how the brain works. 

I’m inspired by… other women entrepreneurs and people that chase their dreams despite the difficult, uncharted territory they usually have to navigate through. This is such a challenging path to take, and I have so much respect and admiration for all the other entrepreneurs out there. 

The one person who motivates me is… my twin sister. She always knows how to keep me going and continues to motivate me even on my hardest days. I usually don’t even have to say anything, and she knows when I need help, a sing along session in the car, or a happy hour date. 

If I could change anything in the world, it would be… more kindness, less judgement. It can be a rough world out there and I think if we all had a little more compassion and offered more kindness to others the world would be a brighter place. 

The perfect day would be… waking up by the beach, getting a workout in, a huge brunch with mimosas, a bike ride to get happy hour and then ending the night with Mexican food. Basically, eating and drinking all day and working it off at the gym.  

My first job was… a hostess at Streets of New York pizza – their BBQ chicken pizza is still one of my favorite pizzas. 

My favorite escape… is Rocky Point, Mexico.

My life… is an adventure. It’s going way differently than I would have anticipated five years ago, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Can’t wait to see where I am in another five years – the world is my oyster!

I’m currently working on… establishing and growing my business. 

Always… hungry.

Never… skip breakfast.

Favorite Quote… every day above ground is a good day. 

Biggest Dream… to build a donut empire where I produce amazing donuts, create a great workplace for employees, and spread joy in my community. 

My Pet Peeve(s)… rudeness.

More About Alex McEntire:
Chin Up Donuts is a woman-owned donut business created by self-named Chief Donut Officer, Alex McEntire. Specializing in pairing spicy, savory, or unexpected glazes and piling donuts high with inventive and non-traditional toppings – Alex aims to elevate a childhood favorite all while creating a happiness brand. 

A Phoenix-native, Alex started with a single countertop deep fryer in her small apartment kitchen, playing around with unique donut flavors and bringing joy to her friends and coworkers at her full-time corporate job in Seattle. Alex eventually traded in her corporate badge and moved back to the Valley to focus on bringing smiles and sweets to the people of Phoenix full-time, while challenging the donut status quo. Chin Up Donuts opened in November 2020 at The Promenade in North Scottsdale, off of Scottsdale Rd. and Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. Chin Up Donuts specializes in scratch-made brioche donuts alongside house-roasted coffee and does catering, weddings and special events with our yellow donut trike throughout the Valley.