Exploring Life & Business with Dennis Shatter of Sweet Escape & Treats

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dennis Shatter.

Hi Dennis, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hello,
Sweet Escape & Treats is Michigan’s premier mobile dessert catering business! We travel all over Michigan serving guests desserts and ice cream at events such as weddings, graduation parties, corporate events, church events, and much more.
My name is Dennis Shatter; co-owner of Sweet Escape & Treats. I have a background in business management and marketing. I have worked in several industries over the years including manufacturing, food service, automotive detailing, and automotive repair. Ever since I was a young child, I knew I wanted to start my own ice cream business. I have fond memories of going up to the local ice cream parlor and saying to my mom “I want to do this when I grow up”. I chose ice cream because I wanted to help bring people joy.
After several years of saving capital to start my own business, I woke up one day and told myself “It’s time to take the leap and do this”. I didn’t want to keep punching someone else’s time clock. I felt scared, nervous, and a little timid… not knowing if this new path in life was going to work. With the support of my family and friends, I got to work every day doing research, making phone calls, and asking business owners for guidance and advice.
The other half of Sweet Escape & Treats is my business partner, Audra Smith. She is a highly motivated and incredible business woman with a lot of experience in business management. Together, we travel the State of Michigan serving guests delicious, delectable desserts!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
To get where we are today, it took a ton of hard work and planning. Having an education in business management and marketing certainly has helped, but also working in several different industries has also helped. We have both literally been working 7 days a week since we started to get to where we are today. Sure, there is the occasional day off here-and-there, but even on those days, there is inevitably something that still needs to be discussed, planned, or talked about relating to the business.
My advice to any new business owner or anyone thinking of starting their own business would be to talk to as many people as possible first. Become a sponge to new and different ways of thinking. Talk to CEOs, managers, and most importantly… front line workers in your prospective industry.
I want people to know that starting a business is possible. It can be scary, nerve racking, difficult, and overwhelming at times. The key is to just keep moving forward. Take baby steps to get to the next level. I am guilty of trying to take too big of steps or try to get too much done in a given time frame, but learning to slow down and breathe helped a lot. It’s ok if you don’t finish everything on your list for today… The important thing is that you stay focused and keep moving forward.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In early 2023, my business partner Audra and I started Sweet Escape & Treats in Grand Blanc, Michigan. We travel all over Michigan serving Guernsey brand hard scooped ice cream and homemade desserts such as cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc. We cater to events such as weddings, corporate events, graduation parties, church events, and much more.
In everything we do, we believe in reimagining the standard. We believe in embracing a different way of thinking. The way we break from tradition is by creating a truly unique experience for our customers and their guests. We make our desserts with love, using only the best quality and best tasting ingredients.
One thing that I love the most about starting this business is that we get to travel all over the State; seeing new places and meeting wonderful, new people all the time.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I have always been an entrepreneur at heart. My grandpa was an entrepreneur and so was my dad. I can remember as a kid, I would make pictures with construction paper and sell them to my family members. I started a few small businesses earlier in life such as a landscaping company and an automotive detailing company.
I’ve always been interested in business. I studied business in school and have 3 degrees in business. I am especially interested in making things run more efficiently. I love making processes run more smoothly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sweetescapeandmore.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetescapeandtreats/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweetEscapeandTreatsLLC
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sweet-escape-and-treats-mobile-dessert-catering-02960031b/