Rising Stars: Meet Erica Harrison-Jones

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Harrison-Jones.

Hi Erica, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Erica Harrison-Jones and I am the Head Baker and Owner of the The Sweet Life of Cupcakes SC, LLC. I am the mother of 2 awesome daughters (ages 14 and 11) and together we make up the executive team. The Sweet Life of Cupcakes SC, LLC began as a hobby for me. I would bake for my immediate family for all kinds of occasions. One day, I decided that maybe I should turn my hobby into something a little bit more. As a mom of two girls, I also wanted to create something that I could leave as a legacy for my daughters. This is a business that they actively contribute to in so many ways. MiKaila (age 14) is our Chief Information Officer. She actively maintains our website content, helps with social media content, and provides valuable insight on cake designs. Kennadie (age 11) is our Chief Operations Officer. From deliveries to pop up shops, she is likely who you will see serving clients and she always has a pocket full of business cards. I consider myself to be blessed to have a business that not only helps us create memories for our clients, but it also helps me create memories with my girls.

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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road at all. All bakers start out rocky and you just keep working hard to hone in on your craft. There is really no such thing as a standard cake. My clients sometimes try to push the envelope on their design ideas so it constantly keeps me on my toes. I am always creating new flavors or figuring out how we can expand our offerings. Another major struggle is that I still work a full-time job, so keeping up with the demands of my full time job while juggling the demands of my business has been challenging. My daughters, though, have played an integral part in helping to keep me on track and ensuring that we don’t overcommit on our time.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in cupcakes, custom cakes, and blondies. I think I am probably known most for my custom cakes. I really take the time to get to know my clients and understand their vision for their event. I then take that information and create cake art. It really makes my heart smile when my clients light up during the delivery process. What sets me apart? I think it is the fact that I adhere to my vision statement for my business with every cake order. My goal is to make people’s lives sweeter, one order at a time. This is achieved by pouring love, passion, and consistency into each and every cake, cupcake, cookie box, or blondie box that leaves out of my door.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Don’t limit yourself to your local area. I have connected with well-known bakers both locally and afar. There is always a new technique to learn or a new design to try. It is important to recognize that no baker knows it all. We can all learn something from one another. Also, there are designs and techniques that I do really well, and there are certain things that I don’t specialize in. Get to know people whose work you can trust because you can create a reciprocity relationship with them (meaning if I am booked on a weekend, I may refer you to a colleague whose cakes taste and look as good as mine do).

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: thesweetlifeofcupcakessc.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesweetlifeofcupcakessc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesweetlifeofcupcakessc

Image Credits
Personal photo: Kelvin Bonnette Photography