We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tiffani Sharks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tiffani below.
Tiffani, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I think everyone’s definition of success looks different. For me, being successful means to be consistent in the things you pursue. It means overcoming obstacles that once stood in your way. It’s applying what you’ve learned from trial and error. Most of all, success is recognizing that your failures are not truly failures, but rather the stepping stones to keep you on track and propel you forward to your end goal.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Tiffani, and I was born and raised in Arizona. I’ve loved all things food since I was a little girl. I remember portions of my childhood where I would pass up hanging out with friends so that I could watch the Food Network instead. When I’m not day dreaming about baking, you can find me spending time with my friends and family, or catching up on a good Netflix show.
I went to community college after high school where I completed my degree in Culinary Arts. Baking was not the primary focus at the time. I remember being so mesmerized by the baking side, and how beautiful and perfectly plated each dessert was. This later led to me where I am today, which is a cake obsessed bakery owner! I like to provide people with custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other treats by putting my own twist on it.
Anyone can go to the local grocery store and pick up a cake for their special occasion. The downside with that is that is there is no unique customization, and such a limited selection on cake flavors and decorations. I have always wanted to offer my customers something more, and bake them something they will remember! I help my customers by taking their vision, budget, and inspirations into consideration when I’m creating their custom design. It’s so fun getting to see the final product, but even more meaningful seeing the look on their faces when they get to see the cake for the first time. It’s like a happy song I want to keep on repeat!
If my business Rebel Sugar Bakery is remembered for one thing, I want it to be for the fact that we like to make things outside of traditional standards. Of course, the classic cake or cookie flavors are always good, but I want to leave my clients wowed and feeling like they just had a one-of-a-kind experience through food. Baking doesn’t have to be boring, and I’m making it my mission to show that one cake at a time. Thank you mom and dad for always supporting me on this crazy journey!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve had my Rebel Sugar Bakery, LLC since 2015, but originally I had no plan or direction on what I wanted to do with it. Because I lacked a clear focus and true vision for the business, I put it on the back burner and went into the healthcare industry instead. The turning point for me is when I lost my father unexpectedly in 2018. I realized how hard I was struggling with the grieving process, and I was so unhappy with my role in the healthcare industry. I was always thinking about baking and how I wanted to be my own boss. So, one day I just decided to take it upon myself to learn everything that I could to properly launch and establish my business. I’m still in the process of growing my business so that I can make it my full-time career. Every day I learn something new and that’s what has led to me where I’m at today.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I will say that social media has been the game changer for growing clientele. You can reach such a large audience on a variety of platforms. By sharing what I love in an authentic way, and giving people a glimpse into my life, it has helped bring people to me. It has helped build a foundation where the clientele feels like they know me and established trust to where they can reach out to me regarding an order request. That is something I’m truly grateful for, and can’t wait to see where this year takes my business.
Image Credits
Photographer: Nick Sainos-Graham