We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shaneka Steals a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Shaneka, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

Sweetpeas Comfort Spot started in 2022. I do wish I had started the business much sooner and had I known my customer base would blow up the way it did I would have, but fear of the unknown held me back.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Sweetpeas Comfort Spot LLC is a bakery, private chef service and catering company owned by Shaneka Steals (Wimberly) New Castle, PA native. Sweetpeas launched full-time in February 2022 specializing in various baked goods and a variety of food ranging from Soul, Italian, American and Chinese to name a few. Sweetpeas has services locally as well as to churches, NFL players, Honorable Mayor Ed Gainey, CEO Cory Lakins of Aimed Human Services Pittsburgh, Vice President Justin Binion of Citizens Bank, CEO Shereka Simmons-Foster of Chucks Home care Agency to name a few and Sweetpeas was recently approved as a caterer for Scottish Rite Cathedral-servicing events, weddings and parties.
Shaneka is well known for her cakes! You can spot something that’s hers almost immediately because if the way she designs them. She is also well known for her food: customers often say she feeds your eyes and your belly the same at a very reasonable price!
You can spot her at almost every event locally, the County Fair, Juneteenth & Fireworks Festival and this year she’s partnered with the New Castle Farmers Market so from July-October you can find her there with both food/baked goods. Shaneka is very active in her local community giving back as much as possible to children in need throughout the year as well as during back to school/Christmas. After events she always goes to local hot spots where homeless residents reside to feed them.
Sweetpeas is named after her late grandmother Leslie “Sweet” Watkins (Brock) and she owes her success to her husband Thomas Steals, her parents Herbert and Anna “Babysister” Wimberly and her family.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

A complete stranger believed enough in me and gave me a $28000 donation for equipment, supplies, food and cookware to start my business.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I still don’t have a super strong media presence, it could be much better! My success has been completely from word of mouth

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @sweetpeascomfortspotllc
• Facebook: Sweetpeas Comfort Spot LLC