Meet Tiffany Collins | Gluten-Free Bakery Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiffany Collins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiffany, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
Sister’s Sweets for the Soul – Gluten-Free Bakery was originally co-founded by myself (Tiffany Collins) , and my sister, Sam Crews. We founded this business as baking has always been dear to both of our hearts. We wanted to create delicious gluten free baked goods, that rivaled their traditional gluten filled baked good counterparts in both taste and quality! The success of Sister’s Sweets for the Soul can be attributed to a series of pivotal decisions.

In September of 2021 I underwent a knee surgery, and Sam spent an abundance of time helping me get through recovery period while I was off of work from my factory job. During this time we really dug into founding our business , and created the name: Sister’s Sweets for the Soul – Gluten-Free Bakery.

My recovery time extended into early 2022. During this time a local coffee shop, Gathering Grounds, made a social media post in search for a gluten-free baker to supply their shop with baked goods. Sam reached out, and brought in some GF baked goods. Gathering Grounds raved over the products, and the rest from that moment has pretty much been history. Sam and I jointly supplied this coffee shop after my knee surgery recovery, and our bakery began thriving.

However, in 2023 I went through a major life changing experience after becoming extremely sick and subsequently being diagnosed with Meningitis. Sam continued to supply Gathering Grounds through my time of recovery from having contracted Meningitis. I had no clue during the time that I would never “fully recover”. After being released from my hospital stay I could not return to work. The amount abundance of side effects of dizziness, unexplained sporadic loss of consciousness, continuous migraines, and hearing loss that has required me to get hearing aids, affected my day to day life significantly. Most individuals have no clue what Meningitis is, and the length of time it takes to recover from this infection. I was told 2 weeks at my hospital discharge, but I am going on 2 years and still suffer from the lasting side effects. These aspects just would not allow me to return to work in the time frame that the factory I worked for expected. The factory I had worked for decided to terminate me from my position in February of 2023. In March of 2023, after an abundance of conversations between Sam and I, I decided to take a leap of faith to manage Sister’s Sweets for the Soul – Gluten-Free Bakery full time, while Sam made the decision to step away from the bakery to focus on her accounting career full time.

It has been a year since making the decision to take on our bakery full time. This decision has allowed me to not only focus on the success and expansion of Sister’s Sweets for the Soul – Gluten-Free Bakery, but it also allows me to maintain a focus on my health while being fully present for my & my fiancé’s two children, Aireanah and Skylar. In the beginning, this was a hard decision as I was not sure that I could make a sufficient income on the bakery alone, and I also still actively see multiple specialties pertaining to my Meningitis recovery. However, through this year I have gained two more partner retail locations that stock my GF products, Hurley Farms and One-Eyed Cookie Lab, as well as a substantial amount of growth in our bakeries following and customer base.

The decision to take a leap of faith to operate Sister’s Sweets for the Soul – Gluten-Free Bakery full time has been an absolute blessing. It has allowed me to wake up, be present for our children, focus on my health, and do what I love most each and every day. I could not have made this full time bakery career decision happen without the ongoing support of my fiancé, Jacob Robinson, as well as the abundance of love and support I’ve received from my siblings, family, friends, customers, and partner shops.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
The journey to my full time career as a gluten-free bakery owner of Sister’s Sweets for the Soul has been both overwhelming and challenging, but also rewarding and an absolute blessing.

Before meeting my fiancé, Jacob Robinson, in 2020, I was a single mama of two, working a full time factory job. I had my first child, Aireanah, at the age of 17, and my second, Skylar, at the age of 23. I had worked in a factory since turning 18, and it was really all I had known to be able to efficiently provide for my children. I have always and will always be determined to be the best mama I can be. However, I worked 3rd and 2nd shift throughout these years and always longed to be able to be more present in my children lives while also being able to provide for them financially.

Multiple events have occurred since 2020, from knee surgery in 2021 to being diagnosed with Meningitis in 2022. Jacob stepped up , and stepped in tremendously with caring for our children both physically and financially so I could go through the recovery I needed to during both times. The knee surgery has since actually declined my quality of life, and I struggled with that daily. However, Jacob continuously lifted me up to be the best that I could. To stop having unrealistic expectations. He saw the absolute joy that baking & Sister’s Sweets for the Soul gave me, and continued to support me following my dream while we both worked full time.

I had only returned to work in the factory for about 5 months after my knee surgery, before falling extremely ill with Meningitis. We honestly had no clue that it was Meningitis. I just knew my head felt like it could explode, my neck hurt terribly, and I felt as if I was constantly grasping to keep consciousness. After multiple doctor and hospital visits, I got admitted into Riverside Hospital in Columbus. After 3 failed spinal taps, the 4th successful spinal tap confirmed I indeed had Meningitis. I stayed for a while in the hospital on antibiotics, and was ultimately told they could not figure out how I got Meningitis , and what form it was. My numbers were something like they have never seen before. I was then released from the hospital with a “2 week” recovery time.

Those 2 weeks have turned into 2 years. I suffered a significant amount of hearing loss and I now require hearing aids. I actively see a neurologist and cardiologist for my lasting side effects. I was terminated from my factory job because I could not return in the time frame they expected. During this time, my fiancé and I discussed our financial options, and decided I could try to pursue Sister’s Sweets for the Soul full time. Sam was ready to step out from actively baking for our business, to focus on her accounting career full time. Then was my time to make the decision to continue the bakery full time myself, or push myself back into another factory. I took the leap of faith for our bakery, and I have continued to thrive since that day. I love being able to wake up and do something I absolutely love every day. I love the connections I’ve made with the gluten-free community, and the fulfillment of happiness it brings to see others get to enjoy my gluten-free baked goods.

The circumstances that lead to me being a business owner/operator full time may not have been what I would like. I do however fully believe this to be my calling , and absolute blessing. I get to say “living the dream” and actually MEAN it! I get to be fully present for our two children, and a fully present fiancé to an absolutely wonderful man. I really am … living the dream

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a wonderful questions, as I live between two absolutely wonderful counties!

If my best friend was visiting our local area of Logan county

– Gathering Grounds- Best Coffee in Logan County!
– Hurley Farms- one stop farmers market
– One-Eyed Cookie Lab- Beautiful cookie shop with HUGE cookies!
– The Flying Pepper Cantina- Great food, Gluten-Free options, they source many of their ingredients LOCALLY
– Axe Ventura- Super fun axe throwing experience
– Logan County Farmers Market- Great local businesses with a variety of products

If my bestie was visiting our local area of Auglaize county-

Coffee Amor- Best coffee in Auglaize County
Frost Impressions- Super cute womens boutique
Wapak Movie Theater- local historic movie theater
Krave Creamory- Local Homemade ice cream shop & freeze dried candy!
Mercy Unlimited- Local thrift shop
El Azteca- Best local Mexican cuisine in Auglaize County

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost I would like to give a shoutout to Gathering Grounds coffee shop in Russells Point, for taking a leap of faith with Sister’s Sweets for the Soul – Gluten-Free Bakery. They have allowed us a platform in which has created a solid foundation for Sister’s Sweets. The whole crew, from the owners and managers to the entire coffee crew, are absolute gems. Their kindness and support is truly radiating, and I absolutely cherish our partnership. Best coffee shop of Logan county!!

I would also like to give a shoutout to my two other partner locations- Hurley Farms in Huntsville, and One-Eyed Cookie Lab in Bellefontaine. Lea Del Hurley with Hurley Farms is the kindest soul and has always been so very supportive of Sister’s Sweets. Jennifer Born Rachek with One-Eyed Cookie Lab recently took a leap of faith with adding Sister’s Sweets to her beautiful cookie shop. She also nominated me for this interview! Jennifer has been abundantly kind and so supporting of our bakery as well!

To my fiancé, Jacob Robinson, for the continuous love and support he’s given me to pursue my dreams of running Sister’s Sweets full time. To our children, Aireanah and Skylar, for being their Mama’s biggest cheerleaders! They love to attend craft shows with me, and are so proud to tell everyone about their mama being the “best gluten-free baker in the world!”

To my grandparents, siblings, soon to be in-laws, family , and friends – thank you for pushing me to be the best entrepreneur I can be! For continually supporting my dreams, and rooting for me along the way! I love you all so very much!

Website: https://sisters-sweets-for-the-soul.square.site/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ss4thesoul?igsh=MWEwMXRqOG9hazR5YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/sisterssweetsforthesoul/

Image Credits
Business Branding- Davis Digital Photography Hair & Makeup- Haley Hesseling – Innovative Beauty