We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elena Ara. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elena below.

Elena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The idea grew out of a season of necessity, determination, and faith in myself. At the time, my husband was unable to get into the police academy, and we were living with his parents while raising a brand-new baby. It wasn’t an easy or ideal situation for a young family, but I have always been the type of person who will do whatever is necessary to change her circumstances.

When my husband asked how I could help support our family, I answered honestly: I could decorate cakes. What began as a skill quickly became an opportunity. I believed deeply in my talent and in my vision. My cakes were different—they had movement, artistry, and emotion. They weren’t stiff or traditional, and they stood apart from what was common in the industry at the time.

Many people questioned my decision to focus exclusively on custom cakes instead of offering standard bakery items like pastries and breads. At the time, only one established business was doing this, and I became one of the first custom cake shops to open in South Florida. My approach was simple: I chose to build my business around what I did best—creating beautiful, intentional cakes that functioned as edible art.

Over the years, my journey has evolved. Today, I am a single female entrepreneur and the owner of two Sweet Tiers Custom Cake Shoppe locations. The path has required resilience, creativity, and persistence, but it has also revealed something important about who I am—I am a survivor.

After 43 years, I also know that this journey would not be possible without my team. Their dedication, talent, and loyalty have allowed Sweet Tiers to grow and thrive, and I am deeply grateful for the people who help bring my vision to life every day. Even more than four decades later, the excitement I feel for designing and decorating cakes has never faded. That passion continues to fuel my work, my growth, and my commitment to building something meaningful for my community.

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

I actually got into this industry because I loved fashion—well, sort of! I was a serious shopper, and my mother noticed both my creativity and my habit. She decided I needed a job to support it, and thought cake decorating might be a good fit for me. At 14, she took me to a local grocery store as part of a work experience program, and they hired me on the spot. That was my first taste of this world, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Since starting Sweet Tiers, we’ve expanded our offerings to meet the needs of more clients, including gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free products. Our focus has always been on providing beautiful, personalized cakes while making the process as stress-free as possible. Many clients come to us when they feel like they’ve waited too long to order a custom cake, and we make it our mission to help them as much as we can get what they envisioned—on time and without compromise.

What sets Sweet Tiers apart from other cake shops? Without a doubt, it’s the taste. We’ve been told for years that we make the best-tasting cakes around. I’m very sensitive to chemicals and flavorings, so we don’t use artificial flavorings of any kind. Everything we create is natural, delicious, and thoughtfully crafted.

The moment I’m most proud of in my career was in 2010, when I was invited to create the 10-year anniversary cake for the founder of the South Beach Food & Wine Festival. That event featured some of the most famous cake decorators in the country—Ron Ben-Israel, Margaret Braun, Colette Peters, Duff from Ace of Cakes, and more. I’ll never forget that night: people were lined up to taste our cake because they said it was the best there, and I was on cloud nine for days afterward—especially after dancing with Ron Ben Israel! It was an unforgettable honor and one of the highlights of my career.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

When I started Sweet Tiers 43 years ago, things were very different than they are today. There was no formal business plan or startup capital—just a dream and a need to survive. I was fortunate to have the support of a very special aunt and godmother, who gave me $5,000 to get started. My parents also pitched in by buying me my very first KitchenAid 4-quart mixer and a box refrigerator for a while. Before that, the only tool I had was a hand mixer!

Looking back, I don’t think anyone could replicate that path in today’s world. With rising costs, equipment, staffing, and commercial space, it would likely take over $1 million to open a bakery now. At the time, passion, skill, and sheer perseverance were all the “funding” you needed. With the help of my family, my determination, and my love for cake, that small start turned into a lifelong career.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

Payroll at Sweet Tiers depends very much on how our exclusive venues pay. Timely payments are critical because without them, it could put my ability to make payroll at risk. Over the past 43 years, I’ve had many close calls with this—situations that felt like near “death moments” for the business.

Since 2012, these challenges have intensified due to changes in the cottage law. Originally designed for home-based bakers selling at farmers’ markets, some have pushed the boundaries of this law and haven’t always followed regulations. Competing in this environment has required vigilance, strategy, and careful management of cash flow to ensure the business remains strong and that my team is taken care of.

These experiences, while stressful at the moment, have reinforced the importance of financial discipline, resilience, and running a business with integrity. They’ve been challenging, yes, but they’ve also made Sweet Tiers stronger and more sustainable over the long term.

Contact Info:

• Website: Sweettierscustomcakes.com
• Instagram: Sweet_Tiers_
• Facebook: Sweet Tiers

Image Credits
Golf Birthday cake: Danielle Love Photography
J/D Wedding cake: Verola Studio Photo & Cinema
Vintage Wedding Cake: All For One Photography
MBB Cake: Caroline Maxy photo