Staying true to who you are pays off
For Destinee Shelby, entrepreneurship was never just about turning a profit. It was about creating freedom, honoring her family, and building something that would outlive her.
“I’m the first entrepreneur in my family,” Shelby said. “Nobody taught me about money, finances or credit. They knew how to get a job and pay bills, but I didn’t want that to be my only option.”
Shelby, a South Minneapolis native, founded Baked Brand in 2015 after leaving a job that no longer aligned with her purpose. What began as a side hustle, baking in her kitchen after work, grew into a full-fledged food and beverage company. She turned to YouTube tutorials, developed her own recipes, and slowly began building a client base through social media.
The business took shape in 2016 when she secured her LLC and began offering custom desserts and catering services. But it wasn’t until she realized she could earn more from selling cupcakes in a weekend than she did at her job that she took the leap. “I made a ton of money just by myself during graduation season, and I thought, why am I still working and paying for day care when I could just build this full time?” she said.
Ten years later, she operates The Kitchen by Baked Brand, a soul food restaurant in South Minneapolis. “This restaurant has really changed my life,” she said. “It’s consistent money every day, and it gave me the opportunity to employ my son. His first job is in the family business, and that’s a blessing.”
Shelby’s success has not come without hardship. She’s weathered instability, financial strain, and the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship. “I had a cold-pressed juice line that I started with $500 after I got put out of my place. I moved in with my mom, bought a juicer, and started selling juice. It was booming that summer,” she said.
“But that’s how it’s always been, ups and downs. You figure it out or go back to work. And going back was never an option for me.”
Perhaps her most defining chapter came in 2020. Following the murder of George Floyd and the civil unrest that engulfed Lake Street, her home community, Shelby paused business to serve. “I dropped everything that week and got in the community,” she said. “I orchestrated cleanup crews and drives for formula, diapers, food. I didn’t do it to get anything — I did it because people needed help.”
What she didn’t expect was how that week of service would create long-term opportunities. Her work caught the attention of building owners, community leaders, and eventually connected her with Midtown Global Market, where she would open her restaurant.
“That week planted so many seeds,” she said. “Some of the people I met then are still connecting me to business contracts and catering gigs today.”
That same year, Shelby launched the Black Entrepreneur State Fair, a platform designed to showcase and circulate dollars within Black-owned businesses. What began as a Baked Brand pop-up has grown into one of the largest community business events in Minnesota. Now entering its fifth year, the fair will run from August 10–16.
“My ability to create platforms comes from people trusting my vision,” Shelby said. “That’s personal branding. People see my work, and they believe in it.”
While Shelby never studied business formally, she believes her experiences taught her what no textbook could. “I didn’t go to culinary school. I didn’t go to college. But I’ve lived this. You can’t teach what I’ve been through over the past 10 years,” she said. “I messed up more times than people have even tried, but I kept going.”
To aspiring entrepreneurs, her message is direct: “Learn patience and value yourself,” she said. “Social media will make you think success happens overnight. It doesn’t. It might take 5 or 10 years. But if you keep learning and stay true to who you are, it will pay off.”
As Shelby looks toward the future, she remains focused on building a legacy through family, ownership, and community investment.
“What I’m creating will impact generations,” she said. “My son is learning business at 16. My family has something we can grow together. And that means everything to me.”
Follow Destinee Shelby and updates for this year’s Black Entrepreneur State Fair at @blackstatefair and @bakedbrandmpls on Instagram.
Kiara Williams welcomes reader responses at kwilliams@spokesman-recorder.com