Candace Nelson is a serial entrepreneur, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Wall Street Journal contributor and an expert in turning one’s passion into a profitable business. Her book Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe for Turning Your Passion Into Profit published by HarperCollins Leadership on November 8, 2022 hit #4 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list and her debut book The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secret Recipes from Candace’s Kitchen is a New York Times Bestseller. She has taken her talent to Hollywood as judge on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, judge and executive producer of Netflix’s Sugar Rush and executive producer of Hulu’s Best in Dough. Candace Nelson revolutionized the baking industry when she left a career in finance to start Sprinkles, the world’s first cupcake bakery and Cupcake ATM. Nelson followed with the launch of Pizzana, a growing chain of Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded pizzerias leading the third wave of pizza in the US. She continues to expand her portfolio of investments with CN2 Ventures. Candace demonstrated her impressive investment expertise through a captivating stint on Shark Tank.

Entrepreneur, Investor,
Pastry Chef

MORE ABOUT CANDACE

Prior to founding Sprinkles, Candace pursued a career in investment banking but made a bold shift to pursue her true passion for baking. Candace believes that a brand is more than just its products—it’s about crafting an emotional experience that resonates. At Sprinkles, she combined her business acumen with her love for baking to create an enduring brand that celebrates the essence of joy, nostalgia and genuine connection. She continues to build and invest in brands that surprise, delight and captivate customers at every turn.