Cupcake mogul Gigi Butler will share success stories at Flourish Women's Summit

Gigi Butler grew up in a family of entrepreneurs.

When she was 15, she started her own cleaning business. That entrepreneurial spirit led her to Nashville, Tennessee, where she pursued a music career and continued cleaning to pay the bills. Today, she is founder and chief innovation officer of Gigi's Cupcakes, which has more than 100 locations across the U.S. and is growing.

But every road to success comes with its hurdles. Butler can attest to the challenges of finding a niche and becoming a successful entrepreneur. What kept her going? Her faith, her mentors and a passion for her work.

"When you believe in your dream, not even failure can stop you," she said.

Gigi shared her inspiring story and why you should look for the Hunka Chunka Banana Love cupcakes during her visit Thursday to Cape Girardeau during the Flourish Women's Summit at Osage Centre.

Gigi's Cupcakes is based in Nashville, Tennessee.Courtesy

Flourish: You've clearly had an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, starting your first business when you were 15. Where did that spark, that idea, come from?

Gigi Butler: I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. My dad was an entrepreneur, and my aunts and great-aunts owned and operated bakeries. I started a cleaning business at age 15 so I could have flexibility. When I moved to Nashville in 1994 to pursue a country-music career, I operated my small cleaning business during the day and would sing at the clubs downtown at night. I've always worked for myself, and I don't know any other way.

Flourish: What did you learn early on about running a business, and how has that helped you to this day?

Butler: Becoming a successful entrepreneur requires persistence -- not only in your passion for your product or service, but also in following your dream. You can't be afraid to fail, and you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

Flourish: You were told "no" many times before you finally got a "yes" to financing for your cupcake business. What made you keep going? What is your advice to other women on staying confident and persistent, even when it seems we're never going to get anywhere?

Butler: This was my dream; I truly believed in it and I was not going to fail. That is what kept me going. The best advice I can offer to other women is to not be afraid to fail and step out on faith. I have always trusted my gut.

The scariest moment in starting Gigi's Cupcakes was when we first opened back in 2008. I cleaned three houses just to pay the plumber for the shop, and my contractor came in the store to deliver a $15,000 drywall bill that he had forgotten about. I had a total meltdown. I didn't know if the business would survive before I even started it, but I just had to make it work. I continued with my cleaning business well after I had opened Gigi's Cupcakes. It was only when I had 13 locations that I gave up the cleaning business. You have to find a way to make it work. There's nothing wrong with hard work. Nobody is going to hand it to you.

Flourish: So, why cupcakes? Why did you choose this business, and what do you love about it?

Butler: Baking is in my blood. My entire family loved to cook and bake, so I grew up around it. My Aunt Bennie owned a bakery and catering business, and I would spend summers with her. I'd help her bake, cater events and read her cake decorating books. I loved to bake and had a passion for it at an early age. I love to create a homemade experience that takes you back to a childhood or family memory.

I knew Gigi's Cupcakes was the right decision only a few weeks after I had opened my bakery. A man walked into the store with the biggest smile on his face. He said, "It smells exactly like my grandmother's house. I feel like I'm 6 again." This was a revealing moment for me, as I knew I had created something special -- a product that people were passionate about and really wanted to buy.

Flourish: I've read that you have more than 100 locations now -- that's amazing! How did you "make it big," and what is your advice to other women who dream of doing the same?

Butler: In 1994, I packed up and moved to Nashville with less than $500 in my pocket. I decided to pursue a country-music career instead of going to college. During the day, I operated my small cleaning business, and at night, I would sing at the bars and honky tonks near Music Row. In my early 30s, I realized my music career was unlikely to take off, so I decided to focus entirely on my cleaning business. A few years went by, and then my brother called me while I was cleaning a home and told me he had waited in line at a cupcake bakery in New York for hours. He said, "Your cupcakes are better than these. You should open up a bakery." I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror and decided to go for it.

I opened my first cupcake shop in February 2008 with only $33 left in my bank account. Now, eight years later and against the odds, Gigi's Cupcakes has grown to be the largest cupcake-franchise company in the nation. We opened our first international location in early 2015 in South Korea and hope to continue to expand in other countries.

Eight years ago, I never would've dreamed that Gigi's Cupcakes would be where it is today. You have to step off the diving board and rely on your talent and faith. If you decide to go for it, you have to go for it with a mindset that you will not fail. You won't know until you try.

Flourish: You've taken a lot of big leaps in your life, from moving to Nashville to putting every last cent into starting the cupcake business. How did you push the fear and doubt aside and keep going?

Butler: When I started Gigi's, my goal was to change the world one cupcake at a time. That is still true today. Staying true to this passion, I asked God every day for the guidance and direction to help me lead my company. Even when I hit a bump in the road, I believed in my dream and my purpose, and I did not let my fear stop me from making it a reality.

Flourish: It sounds like faith is an important part of your foundation. Could you share more about that?

Butler: Yes, my faith in God is the foundation of every aspect of my life. I think back on my days pursuing music and the beginning of Gigi's Cupcakes, and I am thankful it all led me to where I am today. God was faithful to me then, and I know he will be faithful to me in the future. Whether it's my personal life or my professional life, I try to operate with this in mind every day. I lean on my faith at all times.

Flourish: Our Aug. 25 Flourish Women's Summit is coming up quickly! Could you give us an idea of what you'll be sharing with attendees? What do you hope women learn from hearing your story?

Butler: I am so excited to be in Cape Girardeau for the Women's Summit! It is an honor to get to share my journey with others across the country. From my childhood to the failure of my music career to Gigi's Cupcakes today, it is my hope that those who hear my story are inspired to chase after their own dreams and trust in their own abilities.

Flourish: Who is your role model or mentor, and why? Also, why is it important to have that kind of person in one's life?

Butler: It's very important to have a mentor in your life who you can rely on when times get hard. You cannot do it on your own. It is such a privilege to receive advice and wisdom from someone who has been where you've been.

My mentor has been Debbi Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies. She built a cookie empire with just a recipe and a dream. Just like any entrepreneur, she had to overcome obstacles, and she did so with positivity. In learning from her experiences, passion and kind heart, she has not only served as my mentor, but she has become a very close friend.

Flourish: What is your No. 1 piece of advice to other women in business?

Butler: The best advice I can offer to aspiring women in business is to not be afraid to fail. Everyone has scary moments -- sometimes you fail and then you learn from your mistakes, but other times you succeed. When you believe in your dream, not even failure can stop you.

Flourish: What's next for you and for your business?

Butler: In the next five years, we hope to reach 250 U.S. Gigi's Cupcakes locations. I'm very excited about the growth of Gigi's. Personally, it has always been a dream of mine to write a cookbook with all of my favorite recipes. Different recipes bring me back to different times in my life. I would love to share these cherished recipes and memories with others.