Meet Shekeita Edwards of Kandy Koated Sweets & Treats in Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shekeita Edwards.

Shekeita, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2017 my grandmother was diagnosed with Cancer and placed in hospice. She was the root of everything I did. She supported me so much that losing her I just couldn’t bare. I was forced to quit my job because I couldn’t afford childcare and without my grandmother able to watch the girls, working just wasn’t an option at the moment. I’ve always found ways to hustle up money for the bills but it wasn’t doing anything that I had a true passion for. A little after my grandmother had passed in June, we found out that my sister was pregnant with a boy. I have two girls of my own and I wasn’t able to have a baby shower for neither. Being the big sister, I wanted to do something that my sister would remember. I volunteered to plan her baby shower. My intentions going in was to do things how I would have wanted it done for myself. I stayed up long nights and put a lot of money into making it so perfect. When the day finally came I was so overwhelmed. Even at that moment it never crossed my mind to become an event planner. As people entered the room, their reaction was everything to me. So many people had suggested that I make it a career. It crosses my mind but I just didn’t know where to start so I kind of brushed it off. A year later, a family member of mine was blessed enough to have his first son. I was asked to do the baby shower and at that moment I felt so honored. It was my second opportunity to show what I know but this time I went into it with the full intent of making this a new business venture for myself. Things turned out so perfect. I was satisfied but something was still missing. I still couldn’t quite put my finger on what to do first. One night I was sitting in my room and I was having a breakdown. I could hear a voice tell me to just GO FOR IT! Forget about who’s going to support you, forget about where the money was going to come from to start, forget about failing. JUST DO IT! From that day on, I have put my all into building my business from nothing. I have serviced over 100 people thus far and I am grateful for all that my business has come to be. I have linked with other entrepreneurs in my field and we support each other and that alone keeps me going.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Not at all. It has been tough. My main struggle was staying firm on my price. I didn’t know much and what all it would actually take to do this, so I would often undercharge. It caused me to lose more than I would gain. For the first two months, I honestly wanted to quit because I couldn’t quite see profit. I had to sit down and honestly just start from scratch. I looked at it as a learning lesson of what not to do this time around. It’s still a learning process but the main goal is to NOT QUIT. In 5 years my business could be bigger than I ever imagined. Patience is key.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Kandy Koated Sweets & Treats story. Tell us more about the business.
Im an event planner and treat maker. I specialize in all party needs. I try not to limit myself to just one thing because my main goal is to create a one-stop-shop. I want my customers and future clients to know that whatever they need they can always count on me to get it done. The thing that excites me most is being able to create a magical moment for my clients. I want them to be able to mark the memory and say that they enjoyed everything about what I was able to do for them. When a customer book with me, I want them to know that I would go the extra mile to make whatever they want/need possible because we appreciate the business and experience. It’s not about the money with me. It’s about customer satisfaction. Before I make a dime, I would rather my customer be 1000% satisfied with my service because my name is at stake.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in good or bad luck. I believe that all things good will happen to those who put the work in. I believe that all things bad are just a learning lesson. You have to go through the worse sometimes in order to be your best.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 4047189023
• Email: kandykoatedsat@gmail.com
• Instagram: KandyKoatedSweetsandTreats

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