Life & Work with Shannon Gray

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Gray.

Hi Shannon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Back in the fall of 2014, my mother in law gave me some magazines that she was finished looking through. One of those well-known magazines had a buttermilk biscuit on the cover and the title said “Best buttermilk biscuit recipe ever”. I was intrigued, as I wasn’t a baker, so I found the recipe and made those biscuits! Now, I had no problem following a recipe, but those biscuits turned out horribly!!!! This set in motion a desire to create a delicious, soft buttermilk biscuit. I refused to give up and after a month and a lot of research in ingredients, I did it!!! I made the most heavenly buttermilk biscuit you will ever put in your mouth!!! By then, it was October and my granddaddy called to let me know the sweet potatoes were ready to harvest. I wasn’t even considering making a flavored biscuit!!! But when I got home and baked a few of those in the oven, I seasoned well and threw them in the batter. And voila!!!! The first sweet biscuit was born.

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?
Owning a business, as with life in general, will always have obstacles. But for me, it’s about perspective. Those obstacles become opportunities to grow, learn, mature and think differently. It hasn’t always been easy. Sometimes a team member quits without a two weeks notice. We survived a pandemic. It can be scary when the bank account gets low. All of these are examples of what I’ve experienced owning Sweet Biscuit. Two of the smartest things I have ever done is 1. Keep a positive attitude. There is always always something to be grateful for. This attitude has trickled onto my team and they reflect my attitude. I brag on my team constantly because you can never over appreciate anyone. 2. Be willing to listen to feedback. When you are a champion and you believe you are a person of excellence, you will surround yourself with winners. So when a team member offers feedback, you can trust the intention behind the advice. Always be willing to listen. It maintains a teachable spirit in you and it validates the other person’s worth by being heard.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I went to college to be a teacher, which I did for five years. I’ve always been fascinated with all things kitchen but I just never believed it was a practical career. In 2002, I took a teaching job in Surrey, England and that’s where I really fell in love with everything baking. Tea rooms, sandwich shops, even the pub settings were all breathtaking. The simple, the ornate, my imagination ran wild and I felt like a child that anything was possible. I bought a journal and began documenting ideas. Sweet Biscuit was created from a simple desire…..to create a good buttermilk biscuit, that’s all. I’m not professionally trained as a baker. I’ve had to learn all along the way and make mistakes SO many mistakes!!! I have no more fears in the kitchen because of all the mistakes I’ve made. There is a child-like curiosity now that I just can’t quench until I get a new idea out of my head and onto a plate!!!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I don’t know who said this but I love the quote, “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room”. I found my graphic designer in the local paper. She connected me to my tea lady. Both women happen to be older than me with more experience. To succeed, you have to be willing to ask questions and listen. Don’t be afraid of what other people think. Just go for it!!! Get as much information as you can from those who have more experience than you. And remember to surround yourself with positive people!!!! A grateful person can always create an opportunity out of an obstacle.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Sweetbiscuitco.com
• Instagram: Sweet Biscuit Co
• Facebook: Sweet Biscuit