WHO: Candace Nelson

WHAT: Creator of Sprinkles Cupcakes and Pizzana

WHEN: Sprinkles opened in 2005, and Pizzana opened just last year in 2017.

My close friend Helena and I sat down with Candace Nelson, the creator of Sprinkles and Pizzana, to talk to her about her inspirations, her career, and more. Mrs. Nelson is such an inspiration to young girls and to anyone who is looking to starting a business! Read what she had to say below!

What is different about having a sit down restaurant after years of having Sprinkles which is a walk in, daytime bakery. 

Mrs. Nelson told us that the task of hiring staff for a restaurant like Pizzana is more challenging than hiring staff for a bakery like Sprinkles because there are many more jobs to fill at a restaurant. You must hire employees who can interact well with customers, people who can manage the reservation system, and, specifically, you need people working at your restaurant to know about wine. 

What goes into developing a menu?

If you have ever been to Sprinkles or Pizzana, you know how they both specialize in one thing. Sprinkles is known for its delicious cupcakes, and Pizzana is known for its amazing, gourmet pizza. Mrs. Nelson said that she believes in doing one thing and doing it well, rather than doing everything but doing it in a mediocre way and risking losing your identity. Though Pizzana has other delicious options besides pizza like salads and desserts, its main focus is pizza. 

After you opened your first Sprinkles, was the thought of opening more in your mind?

Mrs. Nelson said that the idea of opening more had always been in her mind if the first Sprinkles was successful. She and her husband had faith in their idea through it all, and they opened 24 in total across the United States!

What was the biggest risk you took when you opened Sprinkles?

Mrs. Nelson said that opening Sprinkles was a big risk because she put everything she had into her new business. When opening Pizzana years later, Mrs. Nelson said the biggest risk she took was that she did not want to disappoint people. 

What was your dream job when you were 13?

Mrs. Nelson said that she probably wanted to be an actor when she was 13!

If you could give any advice to your 13 year old self, what would it be?

She said that she would tell her 13 year old self to not worry so much because everything sorts out the way it’s meant to!

Spending time with Mrs. Nelson was really inspirational, and we had the BEST pizza (we ate the entire thing rather quickly) and it was followed by amazing chocolate cake! If you are ever in Los Angeles, you have to stop by Pizzana in Brentwood for a delicious meal! Their address is 11712 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049, and their phone number is (310) 481-7108. Also be sure to visit Helena’s blog at bigcitybigbite.com!

Here are some pictures from our visit at Pizzana. 

The Margherita Pizza with added arugula and prosciutto. This is not on the menu but is one of Mrs. Nelson’s favorite pizzas, and you can order it!

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