How to achieve sweet success in small business with entrepreneur Candace Nelson, founder of Sprinkles cupcakes.

Candace shares highlights of her exciting entrepreneurial journey, including founding Sprinkles cupcakes, and valuable insight into what it takes to achieve sweet success as a small business owner.

Candace Nelson is a Serial Entrepreneur, New York Times Bestselling Author, Wall Street Journal Contributor, Angel Investor, TV Personality, Executive Producer and Mom. Candace worked in investment banking and then at an internet startup before shifting gears to follow her passion and attend pastry school. In 2005, she opened the doors to Sprinkles, the world’s first cupcake bakery. Despite the early naysayers, her tiny bakery in Beverly Hills disrupted the legacy bakery industry and ignited a worldwide cupcake phenomenon. In 2012 Sprinkles introduced its Cupcake ATM, a cutting-edge contactless cupcake delivery system. Today, Sprinkles has sold over 200 million cupcakes and has over 20 stores, 30 Cupcake ATMs and 1000 employees.

In 2017 Candace co-founded Pizzana, a fast-growing chain of award-winning Neo-Neapolitan pizzerias, leading the third wave of pizza in the US. Pizzana cemented Los Angeles as a pizza destination and revolutionized pizza takeout with its innovative heat and slice at home method. Pizzana also ships its frozen pizza nationwide. In 2021 Candace co-created and executive produced Best in Dough, a Hulu show starring Pizzana Executive Chef Daniele Uditi.

Through CN2 Ventures, a family office and venture studio, Candace has backed a diverse portfolio of startups in the specialty food, retail, health, wellness, and early childhood spaces with a focus on female and underrepresented founders.

Candace starred in (and executive produced) Netflix’s Sugar Rush and Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. She is also the author of NYT bestselling cookbook, The Sprinkles Baking Book, and her newly released book “Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn your Passion into Profit”.

Candace lives in the Los Angeles, California area.

Sweet Success with Entrepreneur Candace Nelson:

• Candace shares the story of why and how she transitioned from a career in investment banking and internet startups to founding Sprinkles cupcake bakery.
• You believe Entrepreneurship can be learned?
• Why are you a business owner? What does it provide you now?
• With Sprinkles, was it about your passion for gourmet cupcakes or did you also know you were addressed a whitespace in the market?
• How important is passion and purpose? But, passion does not necessarily equate to a profitable business model?
• Why did you believe, despite all the naysayers, that gourmet cupcakes were more than just a short-lived fad?
• What is the opportunity identified in the market that you are addressing with Pizzanna?
• Why “Neo-Neopolitan” Pizza dough?
• “Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn your Passion into Profit”
  • Why did you write this book and who is it for?
  • Candaces recipe for small business success incudes:
    • What are some of the key ingredients to any successful business?
    • What are some of the keys to the crafting the mindset of an entrepreneur?
    • Leaning into your frustrations, avoiding group thinking…
    • How do I cultivate a community of brand evangelists?
    • What do you mean by “Step into a personal brand to amplify the business?”
    • Learn to delegate to help you grow your small business.
    • Study the competitive landscape as part of your research when preparing to start a small business.

Episode Host: Henry Lopez is a serial entrepreneur, small business coach, and the host of this episode of The How of Business podcast show – dedicated to helping you start, run and grow your small business.

Resources:

Books mentioned in this episode:
[We receive commissions for purchases made through these links (more info)].

• Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn your Passion into Profit by Candace Nelson
• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less Kindle Edition by Greg Mckeown

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