Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanika Ruffin.
Hi Shanika, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a mom of four and in order to save money, I would make cakes for my kid’s birthdays. In 2014, my youngest daughter, Taliyah (LiLi) suggested I start a cupcake shop and the rest is history. We started as LiLi’s Cupcake Shop but realized we would like to branch out and focus on more desserts. We changed our name to LiLi’s Sweet Shop shortly after starting the business. We focus on bite-size desserts and dessert bars to use my creative side. Since 2014, we have created Cake Kernels, our gourmet popcorn line and Sweet and Fluff NC, our artisan cotton candy line.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey to where we are now was a bumpy road. We had to find our way and make mistakes along the way. We had to sit down and focus on our brand and what we wanted to sell. Also, losing my oldest son in 2015 was difficult, so we had to stop everything and we didn’t start to get on track until 2017.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work for a major software company as my full time job so Lili’s Sweet Shop is my passion project. We specialize in bite size desserts, such as gourmet cookies, chocolate-covered strawberries and more. We are known for strawberry towers and our celebration boxes. We are most proud of our growth. In 2020, we signed a lease for our dessert studio at Midtown Place. This is where we can have consultation, meet our customers for pick and hold mind classes. What sets us apart from the rest is we see our desserts as gifts. When you order, you will get a bow and the presentation looks like a gift. Our desserts look good but taste great, which is what we pride ourselves on.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@lilisweetshop.com
- Website: www.lilisweetshop.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lilisweetshop
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lilisweetshop
Image Credits
Mylina Russell Photography Audrey Rose at Rose Trail Images
