If there’s one thing small business owners don’t lack, it’s passion. Passion for the business they built, the people they support, and the community they serve.
At Beyond, we’re passion people too. As a team of entrepreneurs, we know what it’s like to build something from the ground up. Beyond is a company made of business owners—founded to support business owners.
In fact, many of our team members are small business owners themselves—take Tracey Noonan, Business Advocate and founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes, for example. Launched out of her kitchen in 2011, Wicked Good Cupcakes was started by Tracey and her daughter Dani as a way to spend time together.
We sat down with Tracey to learn a bit about what being an entrepreneur means to her, and how she brings her passion for small businesses to Beyond.
About Wicked Good Cupcakes
In 2011, Tracey and her daughter Dani opened Wicked Good Cupcakes in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Word about their delightful cupcakes got out quickly, and they found themselves getting hundreds of requests to ship across the country.
Unfortunately, shipping cupcakes that arrive fresh, and intact, proved difficult. So, Tracey and Dani pivoted their plan and came up with a genius idea—filling mason jars with freshly baked layers of cake, frosting, and filling. Thus, their token “cupcake-in-a-jar” was born.
In 2013, Tracey and Dani pitched their cupcake-in-a-jar idea on the hit reality show Shark Tank, capturing the attention of Kevin O’Leary. With his investment and the publicity from the show, the mother-daughter entrepreneurs grew their cupcake startup into a nationally recognized brand.
Since Shark Tank, Wicked Good Cupcakes has become the go-to brand for cupcake delivery. And in 2021, Wicked Good Cupcakes joined the Hickory Farms family of gourmet food gifts.
Finding Passion
After building Wicked Good Cupcakes from the ground up, Tracey was ready to chase another entrepreneurial venture. She had used Beyond as her payment processor at Wicked Good Cupcakes, and worked closely with Business Advocate, Bill Bracken.
She reached out to Bill and some other Business Advocates she knew, expressing interest in joining Beyond—and they all encouraged her to take the plunge.
Tracey explains why she knew she would be a great fit for a sales role at Beyond:
“I’ve always loved the independence of running my own business and having to depend on myself. I knew working for Beyond would be the same thing. What I earn depends completely on myself—how proactive and how motivated I am. I knew I could succeed in this role because it’s not so different from running your own business.”
At Beyond, our Business Advocates are truly partners to the small businesses they support. Tracey knew her time as a business owner would perfectly position her to help other small business owners succeed.
“I have always been in business, so I really am who our customers are—business owners. I have seen how every penny counts. I’ve worked with all kinds of vendors. I know all the pain points that come with running a small business,” Tracey explained.
Because of her experience, she knew she’d bring her clients more than just affordable solutions and superior products—she could bring them insights and mentorship on small business management.
“I understand the struggles of running a business. I know what it’s like to not have a day off and to work 12-hour days. My hope is that I can bring business owners that mentorship and understanding because I really have been in their shoes. Running a business can be very isolating, sometimes people just need someone to talk to—and I can be that person for clients,” Tracey remarked.
Going Beyond
When she ran Wicked Good Cupcakes, Tracey was impressed with Beyond. She recommended Bill and the Beyond team to many small businesses, including some she met through the Shark Tank process.
When Wicked Good Cupcakes aired on Shark Tank, Tracey received extra support from her Business Advocate, Bill.
“Bill came and helped my husband make sure everything went smoothly. We aired in four different time zones and had a massive uptick in sales that night. Bill was there to make sure every transaction went through, and that there were no fraudulent charges or chargebacks.”
Since joining Beyond, she’s been impressed with the level of training and support she’s received and is excited about bringing business owners like her the tools and resources they need to be more successful.
“For me, passion is a huge motivator—and I know that’s true for a lot of folks here at Beyond. I know this new role is a challenge and certainly outside of my comfort zone, but I’m excited to take it on and use my experience and drive as motivation to excel.”
For other small business owners, Tracey has some parting wisdom:
“A lot of small business owners struggle to let go of their business and bring in people to help. Your business can never grow if you never let go, and I’m proof of that. Sometimes, your time is worth more than the money you think you’re saving trying to do it all yourself,” she remarked.
Beyond is lucky to have inspiring business owners like Tracey on board, who can help take our clients’ businesses to the next level. If you’re looking to join a team like ours, and have the passion to drive you forward, apply now.
