From Recovery to Sweet Success
By Eric Shapland
Edisha Coleman, known as The Cake Artist, has transformed her life and discovered her passion for cake artistry through an unexpected journey. With the support from BEFH and $5,000 in pitch winnings, her business has blossomed into a successful home-based cake business specializing in hyperrealistic, sculpted, and novelty cakes. Edisha’s story is one of resilience, faith, and artistic expression, serving as a beacon of hope for those facing adversity.
How did you start your business, and what inspired you to start it?
“Before I started The Cake Artist, I had no prior baking experience whatsoever. May 2020 marks one of the most significant points of my life; it was the time I decided to get help for my drug and alcohol addiction. One of the best methods I found that helped me in my recovery was to keep my mind occupied. Fast forward to November of 2020, six months into my recovery; I decided to check out five topics that had nothing to do with my life, and one of those books was for cake making. So, I decided to give cake-making a try to focus my mind on something artistically. It was one book, one cake, and one gift. But little did I know it was God's gift to me.”
How have you advanced to where you are now from starting with just an idea?
“Like I said, it was really God's gift that he put on the inside of me, and I'm just sharing it with the world. I had no idea that I could do this. And the more cakes that I make, the more surprised I actually am with myself.”
What does being a black entrepreneur in the Flint Hills mean to you?
“It means that I am a generational curse-breaker. Growing up in my family, I didn't see too many people doing necessarily what I'm doing now—using their gifts or talents to do anything. But growing up being a young black woman, these things that I'm learning now that are important to me as a black entrepreneur, I wasn't really taught those things. I wasn't taught that I was important or that my gifts are valued. So now I do believe those things more.”
Since receiving the grant funds, how has it assisted you in your business growth, and how has your business evolved since then?
“Since I won the grant from BEFH, I've gotten some much-needed equipment: iPad, computer, and stuff like that. I also got a chance to take a trip to a cake convention out in Miami, Florida, this past April, where I was able to participate in two sculpting classes. The instructor's name was Carla Puig and she is a world-renowned sugar artist. She was able to teach these two classes in two days. I was also able to network with tons of people from Food Network and Netflix, and also other cake makers in the industry. Because right now, where I live in Kansas, I don't really get a chance to meet people who do what I do or want to do eventually.”
How has BEFH supported you in your entrepreneurial journey thus far?
“When I first found out about BEFH, I was really excited, because I was just starting my business, and I had no idea what to do with myself, what kind of opportunities there were for me, or what kind of support I could get. So BEFH really led me in a direction to where I can gain more knowledge about my business, starting my business, what to do in my business, how to find funding, and gain those grants and put them back into my business and back into the black community. BEFH has really helped me to further my knowledge on what steps to take next.”
Is there a specific event that BEFH has put on that has helped you in your business?
“Being able to participate in the Melanin Market for the first time this year is really going to help me get in with the black entrepreneur community and to help others see what I do.”
Can you tell us about the one-to-one coaching that you have access to and how that has helped you with your business?
“Sheila is there if we ever have any questions or if we need help with anything; she always points us in the right direction. It’s really helped me to learn about my business plan, what my business model is, the types of customers that I'm going to be providing for marketing, and the best direction to take my business. It really helps me to think about how I want to scale my business and what's next in my journey.”
Has BEFH referred business to you this year? If so, please mention some of those opportunities that BEFH has provided thus far.
“Definitely on social media. BEFH is a huge supporter of my business, as well as getting ready to be a vendor at the Melanin Market.”
Looking at the future for The Cake Artist, what are some of your long term goals for your business, and how are you planning to achieve those?
“I would say, to continue to learn how I can be more involved in the community, and what types of resources are out there for me, because you can have a business and can create beautiful things, but if I'm not involved in a community, which black entrepreneurs has the resources for me to be able to do that and grow, you know, I really want to make sure that I'm doing everything that I can to scale my business, so whatever that looks like in the future.”
How do you stay motivated and inspired in this entrepreneurial journal of yours, especially during challenging times or even just being a minority-owned business?
“I think in having your own business, motivation comes from within. Even if you're not getting customers, if you're not motivated to continue to persevere in it, then you're just going to fail anyway. Because if it was about the money, or about how many people liked your product, then I don't think you would succeed that way, because I can sit here all day and say, Hey, this is great, but if no one wanted to pay what I would ask for it, then, you know, I wouldn't have a business. But I believe in my work, and I believe in what God put in me, and also the motivation comes from the customers, because without the customers ideas, I wouldn't have a product either.”
What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds?
“Don't give up. It's not easy to start your own business, let alone continue to run it with that same dedication and motivation when you did start, but when it starts to get hard, that's when it's about to turn around for you.”
Has your business had any major milestones so far that you’d like to share?
“So I've only had my LLC for a little over a year. And so far, my business has won two grants as well as [the opportunity] to be an alternate on holiday awards. I wasn't on the show, but I was a standby. So that really is something that I'm proud to say. It keeps me going every day to keep making these cakes; you know, I just love it. I love it.”
Do you have anything that you want to add that maybe we didn’t talk about?
“I do want to say thank you to the Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills, because it is such a unique organization. And Sheila works so hard with her team, and everyone does such an amazing job at gathering the funds that we need to succeed in our businesses. I really appreciate that.”
About the Author: Eric Shapland
Eric Shapland was a Summer 2024 intern with Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills, bringing his passion for storytelling and community engagement to our organization. He currently serves as the Chapter President of the Kansas State University Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and as the Public Relations Director for K-State Student Government Association (SGA).
As an advertising, public relations, and social media student at K-State, Eric leverages his leadership roles and academic expertise to amplify impactful narratives like Dwan Miller’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey. Through his work, Eric strives to highlight the voices and achievements of underrepresented communities while honing his skills in public relations and advocacy.
