We were lucky to catch up with April Turner-Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.
April, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I keep creativity alive by listening to music, resting, and connecting with family and friends. Music rejuvinates my creative juices and makes me feel free. It allows me to be comfortable in my own skin. Whenever I put my headphones on, I’m in my creative zone. I even dance from time to time.
Assuring that your body has rest is optimal for creative success. Out of the three, I struggle with this every now and then. Like every creative person, I sometimes struggle with creators block. When this happens, I will take a break from the project until I feel better mentally to continue. You can’t create your best work when you’re not feeling your best. I have to remind myself of this everyday.
Lastly, connections with friends and family are very important to me. My friends and family give me the support to continue my journey. Hearing their joyous laughter and words of encouragement gives me the drive that I need to continue my creative endeavors.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As a child, while my siblings played outside, I was in the kitchen, watching my mom and grandmother bake. I was fascinated and intrigued watching them take ingredients and transforming them into delicious desserts. My mom and grandmother both inspired me to make Sweet Tee’s Candy Bar into what it is today.
My business symbolizes both my love for baking and my sister. Sweet Tee’s was created as an outlet to help cope with the passing of my younger sister, Jessica Lynn Turner. Jessica was an advocate for my baking and encouraged me to take my baking to the next level. It wasn’t until her death where I was able to take that next step.
Sweet Tee’s Candy Bar, established in 2019, is located in Grand Prairie, Texas. It is a home based business, where you will find pound cakes, candy apples, cookies, chocolate dipped strawberries and other tasty treats that will make your next celebration even more special. Everyday, I am living my dream whenever I bake and create. My journey in creating my own business has allowed me to cross paths with some amazing people and be apart of their celebrations. Seeing customers celebrate their milestones makes me happy! It reminds me why I created this business in the first place. It’s never to late to start something new; now matter your age, dreams, or what you aspire to be.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Patience, passion, and determination are the three qualities that I focus on while on my journey. For anyone starting their own journey , no matter your creative field, you will have to be both patient and prepared for the long road ahead. Make sure to give yourself grace when you experience failures. ‘’Failures’’ are just lessons that you learn from; they make you stronger and resilient. If you’re truly passionate about your craft, you will stick with it. It will never feel like a day of work. It’s easy to create when you love what you do. Lastly, having determination will help you move forward when obstacles come your way . Just remember to keep going and why you started in the first place.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents, Jesse and Linda Turner not only paid my way through nursing school, but supported my business journey. Their love, support, and encouragement in all of my endeavors, has changed the course of my life forever.
Whatever new hobby I wanted to try, they’ve always advocated for me and gave me the tools I needed to try it out. If I succeeded they were fine. If I failed, they were okay too. When I turned my hobby of baking into a business, they’ve rooted for me since day one. My parents have always encouraged me and supported me . I am blessed to have supportive parents who love me no matter what I do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sweetteescandybar?igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063567429204&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Other: Sweetteescandybar@gmail.com
