Conversations with Raven Simpson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Raven Simpson. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Sweet Cakes by Ray: A Journey of Creativity and Celebration.

Meet Ray, the creative soul behind Sweet Cakes by Ray, a Celebration Bakery. Ray’s artistic spirit blossomed early, being inspired by culinary TV shows and a desire for homemade family treats. Her passion for baking grew from the warmth of friends’ gatherings and food art seen on shows like Cupcake Wars and Cake Boss.

For Ray, success meant crafting joy through baked sweets, celebrating others, and uniting families. Despite discouragement from other career paths, Ray found her calling in baking. She knew it was her purpose when she felt peace after earning her first chef’s coat, which symbolizes her potential as a cake artist, defeating self-doubt, and building her dream.

Sweet Cakes by Ray was born from wanting to make her best friend feel special by gifting her a homemade birthday cake experience. With YouTube tutorials and encouraging support from her sister, Ray started Sweet Cakes by Ray with just $100.

Since then, it’s been a journey of love and care, with each cake being a dedication and the joy of celebrating wins, big or small, and bringing people together. Sweet Cakes by Ray was born from determination, YouTube lessons, and a dream to spread happiness through artful baking.

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?
Smooth?? LOL, is that even a thing? It has been far from smooth, but it has been the most rewarding challenge I’ve ever faced. I did not have any real entrepreneurship guidance or exposure growing up. My mom worked and is now retired from the IRS, and my dad worked and is now retired as a Chief of the Fire Department. My dad had his own construction business on the side, but as a little girl, I only saw it as my dad knew how to fix and build things, you know.

Lol, so it was definitely a struggle in the beginning because I had no business guidance, only specific industry guidance as a cake artist with John, my first mentor. He was the one who took me to our local cake store (while I was a struggling college student) and spent my last $100 on supplies to get started on what is now Sweet Cakes By Ray.

Since starting, I’ve battled with gender discrimination, with people thinking I am not capable of being a female. I’ve also battled with racial discrimination, judgment from my age as if I was too young to know how to run a business, and the list goes on. But I look at it now as a lot of people telling me what they couldn’t do or accomplish that I will. I’ve had to build the mindset that just because it hasn’t been seen before doesn’t mean it can’t be seen now. My dreams are big enough to scare me, so I know this journey is only the beginning.

But overall, I feel like my biggest battle has been gaining power over my mind. One of the main reasons I’m so passionate about celebrating others’ wins, big or small, is because I know how important doing those things and showing your appreciation to others can affect your mental health. I’ve battled with depression and anxiety from not feeling good enough. I have a constant feeling of feeling like I can do more, I can do better.

Starting a business in my 20s, the age when you usually find out who you are and what you like, I’ve had to juggle being a full-time student, always working two jobs, figuring out my career (as I was still on my health care career journey), friends, love life, and all the things, took a toll on my mental health. Being 29, I have yet to still find a healthy balance, or as most entrepreneurs would say, better control over how I prioritize my time and things that mean the most to me.

All in all, being in the service industry, I have to deal with people on a day-to-day bias. From all different backgrounds, all over the world, and this can be challenging as well. But my personal rule of thumb is that you never know what others are going through, so smile and spread love. Rather that’s in person, on social media, or through email.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
So, I am a cake artist here in Nashville. And yes, there is a difference between a classic baker and a cake artist. Lol. A baker, in my opinion, is a person who bakes sweets and is known mostly for tasting good. A cake artist, such as I, is a person who loves the art of cake design and creating different designs based on the theme or color scream.

I naturally love abstract and textured artwork, so I have built my creativity off of those two things. I’m known for creating different pieces of cake art using gold paint, rock candy for texture, and freedom of creativity. I’m also known for my infamous strawberry and cookies and cream cake. *chef’s kiss*

I’m most proud of my growth over the past eight years and the range of my creativity. I come up with things, ideas, and designs by the minute. I’m proud of how easy it is for me to connect and relate to my customers. I’m proud that I’m helping create memories of happiness for thousands of people around the world. I am proud of the difference I’m making in my community and the generations to come after me.

What do you think about happiness?
Seeing other people happy, loved, appreciated, and celebrated makes me happy. Food makes me extremely happy, lol, whether it’s cooking it at home, eating out, or watching others cook. It brings a sense of peace to me. It’s a love language of mine as well, so it is an expression of love I show towards someone else or how I can receive it.

Spending time with family makes me extremely happy. I have a big family, and we get together multiple times throughout the year. They show me what unity and love really look like despite whatever we go through. Going to art shows or exhibits makes me happy as it strengthens my creative eye and increases my sense of understanding.

Learning makes me happy, as you can never have too much knowledge. I’ve always had a curious mind since I was a child and wanted to know the “why” behind things and people. Being in nature and connected with nature makes me happy as well. It’s a wave of peace and clarity I receive from God while being there.

And my most recent piece of happiness comes from little people (kids, lol) coming up to me and saying that they want to be just like me when they grow up. *holds back tears* Getting into the school system this year has enhanced my why and my purpose. To know, 15+ years from now, someone’s whole career is going to be based on something I did for them, as simple as visiting their school and giving a presentation. That gives me chills just typing it out.

My purpose has always been bigger than me, bigger than just making cakes. It’s about making a difference with the gifts God has given me to use. I give all my thanks and praise to Him. I’m only getting better from here. My bakery museum is on its way to me, and I can’t wait to change even more lives for the better.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sweetcakesbyray.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetcakesbyray?igsh=MTVjdG41ZzBsOHNoNw==
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sweetcakesbyray?_t=8lfdH0ScwjC&_r=1

Image Credits
@richy.the.artist and @powermovemarketing