Meet Shani B. of Drip & Dough JC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shani B..

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey started when I was just 23 years old. I’ve always been a creative person with a big imagination, a passion for business, and a desire to create experiences that make people feel good about themselves. My first venture was Crowned Social Events, a beauty and women’s empowerment concept that started with a simple mission: to help women who didn’t always see their own beauty or potential recognize the power they had within them. What began as a social club and empowerment experience eventually evolved into spa parties, a full-service spa and wellness business, and opportunities to teach other beauty professionals how to create profitable businesses of their own.

Entrepreneurship has taught me that sometimes your biggest growth comes from being willing to evolve. During the pandemic, I had to rethink the service-based business I had spent years building. Instead of allowing that season to stop me, I started looking for new ways to generate revenue and use my creativity. In 2020, I launched a mobile ice cream cart outside my spa lounge. That small idea grew into pop-up gelato experiences and, in 2021, the flagship location of Drip Gelato & Café in Bayonne, New Jersey, a brand I co-own with my aunt. Years later, in August 2026, I co-founded Drip & Dough JC, expanding into a new restaurant and café concept in Jersey City.

Along the way, I’ve also built platforms and initiatives rooted in confidence, creativity, branding, and community. Through my work with Rock Your Crown Agency and other entrepreneurial initiatives, I’ve been able to support women, girls, and business owners in finding their voice, gaining visibility, and recognizing what’s possible for them. I’ve learned firsthand how powerful it can be to leverage your own story and personal brand to grow a business, open doors, and create new opportunities.

My journey hasn’t been a straight line, and I think that’s one of the most important parts of my story. I’ve had to pivot, start over, learn new industries, and trust myself enough to pursue ideas that might have looked completely different from what I was doing before. People who know me often recognize that I’m someone who will find a way, even when the original plan no longer works.

Today, my work spans beauty, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and community. I’m the founder of The Spa Café and Drip Gelato & Café, co-founder of Drip & Dough JC and Black in Bayonne, and a mentor and creative partner to other visionaries. Ultimately, I want my work to be about more than the businesses themselves. I want to create ecosystems that help people see what they’re capable of, build on their ideas, and turn their confidence into something they can own.

I’ve spent years betting on myself and learning how to bring my ideas to life. Now, I’m focused on using those experiences to create pathways for other people, too. For me, it has always been about more than beauty or business. It’s about belief — believing in yourself enough to start, having the courage to pivot, and understanding that you can create something entirely new with what you already have.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Honestly, one of my biggest struggles has been learning how to stop pouring into everything and everyone else while leaving so little for myself. I’ve always been the person with the ideas, the vision, and the drive to make things happen. I’m so used to figuring things out and pushing through that I didn’t always recognize when I was running on empty.

Over time, the burnout caught up with me in ways I never expected. Neglecting my need for rest, my body, and my mental health became a trickle effect that led me into the deepest depression I’ve ever experienced and a serious health scare that changed my life. It was a really difficult season because I had spent so much time building businesses and showing up for others, yet I wasn’t showing up for myself in the ways I needed to.

I’m still learning that I don’t have to run myself into the ground to prove how strong I am. I can be ambitious and still rest. I can have big dreams and still take care of myself. For so long, I treated rest like something I had to earn, when it was something I needed all along.

That experience taught me that I’m just as worthy of the care, patience, and energy I give to everyone and everything else. I’m still growing through that lesson, but I look at success differently now. I don’t just want to build businesses and create a legacy; I want to be healthy enough, present enough, and whole enough to actually enjoy the life I’m working so hard to create.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’ve never been someone who fits into just one box. I’m a creative entrepreneur at heart, and I’ve built businesses across beauty, hospitality, wellness, and lifestyle. From Crowned Social Events and The Spa Café to Drip Gelato & Café and Drip & Dough JC, each venture has allowed me to explore a different side of my creativity while creating experiences that bring people together.

I’m known for my ability to see possibilities, think outside the box, and pivot when necessary. I’ve successfully built multiple brands by leveraging my personal brand, storytelling, and social media to create visibility and connect with people. I also help other visionaries find their creative direction, strengthen their brand identity, and bring their ideas to life through consulting, project management, and creative strategy.

But my work extends beyond business ownership. Community has always been an important part of who I am. As co-founder of Black in Bayonne, a nonprofit organization, and through other community leadership and empowerment initiatives, I’m committed to creating spaces where people feel represented, supported, and connected. Through initiatives such as Rock Your Crown Agency, I also work to inspire and equip women, girls, and entrepreneurs to recognize their potential and pursue their own ideas.

What sets me apart is that I don’t see business and community impact as separate things. I believe businesses can create culture, bring people together, and open doors for others. Whether I’m developing a new hospitality concept, helping an entrepreneur find their voice, or contributing to a community initiative, I want my work to have a purpose beyond the transaction.

I’m most proud of my ability to evolve while staying connected to my vision. I’ve moved across industries, navigated unexpected challenges, and continued to create new opportunities from ideas that started small. Today, I’m focused on growing my businesses while developing a larger ecosystem rooted in beauty, business, branding, belief, and community.

Ultimately, I want people to know that I’m building more than individual brands. I’m working toward a future where women and girls have the confidence, resources, and opportunities to turn their ideas into ownership and capital. For me, success isn’t just about what I can create for myself; it’s also about the pathways I can help create for others.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m really focused on being intentional about what I build next. For years, I’ve been in the phase of creating, launching, and figuring things out as I go. Now, I’m thinking more about sustainability, systems, expansion, and how to turn what I’ve learned into something that can grow beyond me.

On the business side, I feel like I’m starting to crack the code when it comes to operating fast-casual restaurants. With Drip Gelato & Café and Drip & Dough JC, I’m learning so much about the food and beverage industry, and I’m excited about what’s possible. My goal is to continue developing unique food and beverage concepts with strong systems and the potential to be franchised. I want to create brands that can expand into multiple markets without losing the creativity, culture, and experience that make them special.

On the purpose side, I feel my voice evolving, too. While confidence and personal branding will always be a part of my work, I see myself stepping into conversations that go deeper, particularly around women’s health, healthcare advocacy, and lifestyle. My own experiences have made me realize how important it is for women to feel confident enough to ask questions, advocate for their bodies, prioritize their well-being, and make informed decisions about their health. I want to encourage women to give themselves that same attention and care they so freely give to everyone else.

I also want to continue growing my community leadership and nonprofit work through initiatives like Black in Bayonne and, eventually, expand my impact through programs that support women and girls in entrepreneurship and ownership.

Personally, I’m learning that the next chapter isn’t just about doing more; it’s about building smarter and living better. I want to grow businesses, create opportunities, and develop a legacy while also making room for my own health, happiness, and peace.

I’m moving from simply building brands to building systems, expanding my impact, and creating a legacy that connects business, community, and capital.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/shanibuildsbrands