We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashlee Bell-Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashlee, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Hmmmm. What makes me happy? I would have to say that seeing my children happy makes me the happiest person alive. Being a mom and entrepreneur is hard work and some days I feel that I have not given my children enough hugs or spent enough time with them. But those days when my 5 year old comes to me, wants to climb in my lap and says “Mommy, I love you and you are the bestest mommy.” That’s what makes me happy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I made it to where I am today because of the people that I have connected with. There was a time when I would go months and only have one or two orders. But now I’m doing at least three to five custom orders a weekend if I am not decorating for or coordinating weddings. I learned that I had to be multi faceted if I ever wanted to make a hobby into a business. When business was slow for cakes I learned how to organize and coordinate large events. I enjoy seeing everyone’s visions play out. At the end of the day when I am able to step back and say “I did that” I know that I am doing exactly what I was meant to do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Okay. So this is perfect because my best friend lives in Iowa and I love when she comes to visit. We would start our weekend with lunch at Bella Greens in Plano. I love their chicken sandwich. We would pop into some of the shops in the strip before heading back to our side of town. That evening we would have dinner and drinks at Campuzano’s in Cedar Hill. We would laugh and chat over their Stella Rosa Margarita. My absolute favorite. On a typical Saturday we would take our kiddos to Grapevine Mills Mall and just spend the whole day exploring. That evening we would go to Heroes Lounge and enjoy more good drinks, great food and reggae music. Sundays are our relaxing days and it would most likely be spent by the pool with margaritas. Of course the topic of the day would be when my best friend was moving back to Texas.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents. Everything I learned was due to them wanting me to follow my dreams and accomplish whatever I set my mind to doing. I learned how to bake and decorate cakes from my mom. For my birthday every year my mom would make me a confetti cake and decorate it in my favorite colors. Everyone loved how her cakes tasted. As I got older, I took over making everyone’s cakes. Now my dad taught me to have a business mindset. My dad is very organized and by the books. He makes sure that everything goes according to schedule and ensures that there are multiple backup plans. I love them both.

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