Sandra Shorter is a warm hug personified. When you sit down with her, you quickly realize how altruistically her faith leads in everything she does: unconditional love, acceptance, humble strength, resilience, JOY. Sandra’s story has you rooting for her to win, which is exactly how she feels about supporting her community.
We are home to the “dress your cupcake experience.” Everything custom is the name of our game.
Sandra Shorter, The Naked Cupcake
On The Naked Cupcake:
Everything custom is the name of our game, with real ingredients: butter, eggs, sugar. We are home to the “dress your cupcake experience”: select your cake flavor, choose fillings/frostings, add toppings galore. Or choose from our pre-crafted flavor combos, rotating monthly. The Naked Cupcake is a scratch bakery that specializes in custom cakes, cupcakes, treats, and have recently introduced coffee drinks and muffins to the mix! We also have a Kelly’s Homeade Ice Cream counter in-house. We started the business eight years ago with The Naked Cupcake food truck. Three years ago we opened a brick and mortar, but three years before I started the business, I was testing the recipes. I’ve been doing this for over 10 years.
When I wondered, how am I going to do this? I realized I don’t have to think so far ahead.
Sandra Shorter, The Naked Cupcake
On motherhood as a business owner:
As a teacher, I gave my career everything. After graduating with my doctorate, I quit to follow the calling that God had put into my life to start The Naked Cupcake. That was before even talking about kids. Sophia is seven and Sammy is four. What was life going to look like when we had children and I’m driving a food truck? I had to put a lot of faith in God. He opened the doors, blessed us with a healthy pregnancy. We started the business in 2016 and she was born in 2018. I had been driving the truck for 18 months.
When Sophia was seven months old, December 2018, I was ready to quit. The vision I had for my motherhood journey wasn’t my reality, and I thought, I can’t do both. My kids are more important. Then, in January 2019, God brought me this amazing woman who is a coach for bakeries. I got into her 10-week course and my world changed. The program lit a fire for me on my personal and professional journey, changing the trajectory of our lives. When I wondered, how am I going to do this? I realized I don’t have to think so far ahead. Every moment, you make the next best decision.
My mom has been instrumental in helping raise both of them. I was really nervous when Sammy came along. Two kids would be challenging. Even with extended leave for my husband and my mom’s help, we ended up getting a nanny for Sammy. Now both are in school, so it’s more manageable.
As a business owner, it’s easy to prioritize the fires at your feet. You forget about the mountain you’re climbing…
Sandra Shorter, The Naked Cupcake
On trade-offs and what balls she drops:
If you don’t take care of yourself, you cannot take care of your family. But, like so many women, the first ball I drop is my own. We will fall to the bottom of the list if given the option. I’m not saying that is the thing to do. I’m 46 with little kids, so if I don’t sleep, I get to the point where I can’t function anymore. When I was younger, that wasn’t the case.
Balancing work, I’m limited or not as present sometimes. That’s hard. I’m trying to be cognizant of that, put it all away to play with them. I have a great partner and we work together. Anything education or medical, I am a hundred percent: doctor appointments, first kindergarten field trip, preschool plays. I want them to be well-rounded, so activities will be a new challenge to manage.
Our family is another non-negotiable. We spend a lot of time with my parents and sister.
As a business owner, it’s easy to prioritize the fires at your feet. You forget about the mountain you’re climbing – what will really move your business – in lieu of those fires. It’s vital to tackle chunks of that mountain, or you’re not going to move your business. That is what I struggle to change.
On growing The Naked Cupcake:
Years ago, I thought: I’m going to open a brick and mortar. I’m going to open tomorrow and I’m going to franchise. God was like, “oh, your plans – that’s sweet.” I want to be embedded in the community, expand further. We participate in Taste of Central Florida and Feast on the 50, to name a few. We’re members of Visit Orlando, and are looking forward to more pop-ups and presence throughout Orlando.
Sandra and I had the pleasure of launching food businesses together in 2016. Hers were some of the most moist, delicious custom cakes and cupcakes I had ever tasted; my family are all big fans. We shared struggles and lifted each other up, alongside other fellow entrepreneurs. Fast forward eleven years, Sandra is poised to grow even further. Motherhood has helped her blossom into a creative businesswoman who also creates a loving home for her children. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her and her team.
