Tiffani Sweet of Wake Forest on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tiffani Sweet. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Tiffani, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
In the past couple of months, hands down the one thing that will forever make me proud is finally taking that final step and hiring my first employee, When I initially started A Cheesecake Lover, I never really knew what the outcome would be. Whether if it was good or bad, I knew I was in for the long haul. Hiring my first employee is such a huge accomplishment. Going on a little over 3 months, Tai has been such a pleasure working with. It’s hard to find someone who you can constantly vibe with in the kitchen, but it was just one of those things where everything worked out. She has learned so much and I continue to let her learn each & every day with myself along side her.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tiffani Sweet and I am the owner of A Cheesecake Lover in Wake Forest, NC. I am 30 years old, married to my high school sweetheart, & living life with our two fur babies. At A Cheesecake Lover, we specialize in Anything & Everything Cheesecake with all the things in between. From Whole Cheesecakes to Cheesecake Cupcakes to our Made-To-Order Cheesecake Parfaits & Slices and so much more, we’ve got you covered if you are in need of getting your Cheesecake ON! We are always taking any Custom Orders for Whole Cheesecakes, Bites, Cupcakes, etc. with atleast a 72hr notice. You can checkout our website www.acheesecakelover.com with the full list of Wholesale Locations, or if you are in need of placing a Custom Order with us. Week by week, we work hard to keep our 14 Wholesale Locations stocked! Our Wholesale Locations are all unique in their own way, including places like Coffee Shops, Restaurants, Specialty Markets + Boutiques, as well as Bars & Sports Bars. We also have just ventured into being back open on our DoorDash & UberEats platforms on a weekly basis, as our schedule varies just based off of availability. We urge our new customers to follow us on Social Media. From there, you can see our Weekly Wholesale Restock Post that has what flavors are at what location and our current hours of operation.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Growing up in a household where both parents worked their tails off, it was always just one of those things that myself & my brother, both picked up on. We would always see the hard work & drive that our parents had. We were taught that you’ve got to work hard & hard work pays off. Sometimes that would mean sacrificing time off, holidays, social gatherings, but they always made it work. Day by day at A Cheesecake Lover I utilize that hard work & drive that has been instilled in me since the beginning. There has been numerous occasions where I’ve had to work or just couldn’t get off in time. But I’ve always got to remember that I’ve got to keep pushing through & keep working hard to have the best Cheesecake around! A lot of people don’t realize the time, energy, & sacrifices to own a small business.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I think my biggest fear growing up & even living my adult life today, is worrying to myself if people like me, my business, my products, etc. Of course, we shouldn’t worry about what people think, but in this day and age it is something that we all think about. There’s always going to be that feeling of you aren’t good enough or you get those people who knock you down when you are already at your lowest. Becoming a small business owner is not for the weak. But having that fear from time to time, I am able to brush off those bad reviews & people who just want to bring you down. Every day I try to just do my best and not let the negativity get to me. Everyone should always remember you cannot please everyone and you truly don’t need to make everyone happy. But you can always do better and continue growing, whether it’s yourself, your business, your products. Keep going & don’t worry about the negativity.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Ever since I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to open my own bakery. I never knew then, what that would actually look like, but I knew if I kept my mind to it, I can make it happen. Fast forward to February 2023, I took that final BIG step to make my business official. A few months prior, in December 2022, my Mom passed away very unexpectedly. At that moment, I just felt like that dream I had so many years ago, it needed to come to life. A Cheesecake Lover didn’t just come about in 2023. Years and years of producing Cheesecake out of a one bedroom apartment. Meeting in grocery store parking lots, slinging Cheesecake out of my trunk. Every single day since 2018, I’ve been fully committed to seeing where A Cheesecake Lover goes. By far, the biggest project I’ve done, but it is not over yet! No matter how long it takes, living this dream out is what I want to do. Especially for all of those loved ones looking down to make sure I stay committed.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
You will always & forever see me in the kitchen, whether it’s at home or at Flavor District. Growing up cooking dinner a lot for my family & stepping on my little kitchen stool, helping my MeMe bake cakes for church, it’s just such a calming feeling for me, even today. Day to day, I get to use my MeMe’s recipes of her cakes, sauces, compotes, etc. In our family, she was our Betty Crocker. I always like to tell people that little fact about me, since her maiden name was Crocker and she was our Ms. Betty Crocker. Using family recipes, just always hits different. The nostalgia of it all, the memories. Being able to recreate her recipes, just gives me so much peace. I don’t think anyone thought I would be producing hundreds of Cheesecake Slices, Parfaits, etc. like I do today. But I do know that I’ve got plenty of people here & looking down, that are so proud!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.acheesecakelover.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acheesecakelover/?igsh=djl2c2cwYzZkM3M%3D#
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acheesecakelover?rdid=7yhNSfVDYyyhuioq&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1FKWYCz9Ys%2F#