In this inspiring episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship®, Susan Sly sits down with Tracey Wheeler Noonan, co-founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes, to uncover how a Shark Tank appearance led to a multi-million dollar exit to Hickory Farms. Tracey shares the behind-the-scenes story of landing a deal with Kevin O’Leary, navigating public scrutiny, building a scalable business from a home kitchen, and what life looked like after the acquisition.
She opens up about reinventing herself after divorce, manifesting success through journaling, and how she’s now on a mission to help women over 50 step into their next chapter with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
Whether you're an aspiring founder, navigating a transition, or dreaming of your own big exit, tune in now to get inspired and empowered—don’t miss this episode packed with grit, wisdom, and hard-won insight.
Tracey Wheeler Noonan is a self-made entrepreneur, author, and speaker who turned a home-based cupcake biz into a multimillion-dollar brand. After striking a Shark Tank deal with Kevin O’Leary, her company was acquired by Hickory Farms. Today, she’s a published author and keynote speaker for Inc. Magazine, AT&T, HP, and more—mentoring others through her course, The Cupcake Analogy.
Connect with Tracey:
- LinkedIn: @traceynoonan
- Instagram:@thecupcakeanalogy
- Instagram: @dont_call_me_cupcake
- Website: www.thecupcakeanalogy.com
Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship®. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.
Connect With Susan:
- Website: https://thepause.ai/
- Website: https://susansly.com
- Trusted Partners: https://www.susansly.com/trustedpartners
- LinkedIn:@susansly
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.