Sharlys Williams, owner and dessert creator of DivaLicious Desserts, has always found ways to turn her ideas into profit! Her latest and tastiest idea, DivaLicious Desserts, was borne out of a passion for baking and a suggestion by a dear friend to have a "dessert party"!! She followed this idea and created 13 delicious desserts for her guests to sample. The rest, as they say, is "history." While some of her desserts are more familiar - her Lemon Pound Cake, German Chocolate Kupkakes, and Diva’s Peach Cobbler – and some of her desserts are innovative, exciting, and extremely delicious – the Blaque & Red Velvet Pound Cake, the No Banana, Banana Pudding, and her Sweet Potato Pie Fusion. All desserts are made from the freshest ingredients and will surely satisfy your sweet tooth.
SPMG: Sharlys, thanks for taking the time to speak with SPMG Media about you and your business DivaLicious Desserts. SPMG: Tell us about you & where you grew up. I am a mother of one and grandmother of two. However, my grandchildren don’t call me grandmother, but Diva. I have been a legal secretary for 34 years. I am actively involved in my church (choir and Dean of our Christian Ed. Dept.)? I was born and grew up in Los Angeles, CA.
“As a child, I was a dreamer, always thinking of different things out of the ordinary to do.” SPMG: What were you like as a child? I would answer that by saying I was a dreamer, always thinking of different things out of the ordinary to do. I would sometimes stand in the driveway to our home and pretend I was directing a large choir or that I was a detective seeking out evidence to crack a case. At the age of 12 I became the youth choir directress at my church, then on to the mass choir at my church, and then the assistant director of our State Youth and Young Adult Choir. LOL, I guess dreams do come true! SPMG: Who inspired you towards your love of baking? Luther E. Williams, Sharlys Father
I can't say that it was any one person, but three: My Uncle John, my father and my aunt Sadie Bea. My uncle John was known for having the best sweet potato pies and potato salad. I remember my father knew his way around the kitchen quite well also, and he used a cook book from time to time. I remember he made quite a good case with a "Turkey A La King" dish that he would cook. However, my Aunt Sadie did a lot of baking – cakes, pies and cobblers, so I guess she influenced me greatly in the area of baking. But I didn't just have a "love" for baking, but cooking period. I was eager to learn my Aunt Sadie's recipe for her Mac & Cheese, for which she uses no milk or eggs . Aunt Sadie SPMG: Are your recipes “family recipes”? The only item on my website that is a "family recipe" would be the "7-UP Butter Pound Cake". SPMG: When did you realize you really had something special? Back in the early eighties when I experienced a setback on my job, but it was not about baking. I began creating and designing one of a kind crystal jewelry because I needed additional income. This grew from designing jewelry just for me to having jewelry parties, designing items for special occasions, and having people buy items off my person on the street!
“Gotta have some dessert!” www.divalicious-desserts.com http://www.divalicious-desserts.com/
SPMG: Love it! SPMG: What inspired you to go into business? An idea from a friend to have a "Dessert Party" at my house on New Year's Day, 2010. For several years, I would have a large dinner at my house on New Year’s Day. However, due to cutbacks, another year without a raise on my job and no Christmas bonus, I knew that I would not be able to have this dinner for New Year’s Day 2010. When I mentioned this to my friend (Kim Pickett), she suggested that I have a “Dessert Party”. I was apprehensive at first because I had never heard of such a party, and didn’t know if people would even come. I presented the idea to a few friends who had previously attended some of my dinners, and a few family members. The response was a unanimous “YES” that I should have the Dessert Party. I begin planning the dessert menu, guest list and décor for the party. I created 13 different desserts (ambrosia salad, Peach Cobbler, Banana Pudding, Almost Better Than Sex Cake, Red Velvet Layer Cake, Chocolate Layer Cake, Coconut Layer Cake, Lemon Pound Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, caramel chocolate chip bars, Lemon Bars), to name a few. Thirty people came to the party, and I must say it was a huge success. My friends enjoyed each dessert, and some even stated, “I’m just waiting for you to open up your bakery”. I chuckled and let the idea pass.
“The Lord brought the idea to me that, ‘if you create
desserts, people will buy them.’”
My inspiration to start my business came from a need to generate additional income for myself. In praying about how to do this, the Lord brought the idea to me that, “if you create desserts, people will buy them.” Again, I laughed, but thought about the idea a little bit more. Having heard about “intuit”, the web hosting service, I began checking out this out. When I went to their website to get information, I viewed a demo video. Interestingly enough the video was about how to create a website for a bakery. I took this as a sign and begin putting my business into place. On February 19, 2010 my website went live, and I received my first online order. SPMG: Tell us about your amazing products? I usually take a recipe that I find in the paper or online, and while I'm reading it I will get an idea of how to change one or two ingredients to make it my very own creation. For example, my "Sweet Potato Pie Fusion" is a combination of a sweet potato pie, sweet potato casserole and a sweet potato soufflé. Or my "Diva's Almost Better Than Sex Cake". I found this recipe in the L.A. Times newspaper. When I followed the recipe, I found that the cake lacked "excitement" and needed a little more substance. I added a few extra items to the cake batter, and voila it became my own one-of-a-kind recipe. SPMG: What are your specialties? I would have to say my "Zesty Lemon Bars", the "OHB No Banana, Banana Pudding", and my “Cream Cheese Butter Pound Cake”! SPMG: What has been the response to your products? Excitement and lots of referrals! People tend to like that I offer one-of-a-kind dessert items that taste great.
SPMG: What has been the response from family and friends? Let's just say when I had the Dessert Party that I was so hesitant about, all 13 items that I created were gone, and people were saying, "I just want to know when you're going to open your own bakery‼" My family has been very supportive of my effort. SPMG: You not only sell your products to individuals – you cater events. Tell us about this aspect of your business? I cater “Host and No Host” Sweet Stations for different events (grand openings, private parties, vendor events, etc.). With the Stations, you can order a “pre-set” Station or you can create your own Station with six different desserts. SPMG: What do you believe sets your products apart from other dessert companies? Specialized items, that tastes as good as they look. SPMG: Tell us about your family. Are they involved with the business? Yes, when I need assistance in putting orders together.
SPMG: Tell us about your business support system. Currently it is just me, but I will put a team together (usually my mom and granddaughter) when I have a big order that requires assistance SPMG: Where do you see your business in 10 years? I would like to eventually have a small bake shop. SPMG: What advice would you give others interested in taking their baking talent into a business? Move forward with your idea, make sure that you offer a quality product, have good product presentation (this is very important), bake what you enjoy eating, and just have fun. Watch out for the haters and imitators, but don’t let them stop you. SPMG: Lastly, what do you know for sure? That I offer excellent decadent desserts and customer service to my customers.
Learn more about DivaLicious Desserts by visiting http://www.divaliciousdesserts.com/index.html