Sharita Shortey - SugaRee Cookies

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by SugaRee Cookies

Sharita Shortéy of Kansas City, MO, is living the sweet life. The young, talented, and loving woman is the owner of SugaRee Cookies, a customized cookie bakery that specializes in creating personal custom characters in the form of cookies. According to Sharita, her cookies taste amazing, and the word on the street is that the cookies are too cute to eat.

SugaRee Cookies features eight different flavors to choose from. Most of their clients are of the African American community, and Sharita says she loves being there for her people. “It’s a feeling of giving back. I provide a place where they can be free to express themselves and share their visions without being judged,” she shares.

So, where did the name SugaRee come from? Sharita says, “When I was younger, my uncle gave me a nickname that only he called me. It was Ree, which is short for Sharita. Before launching my business, we lost him to cancer, but I knew when I started, I wanted to use “Ree” in my business’ name to represent his love for me.”

It is impossible to measure Sharita’s determination by her outward appearance. She is a self-described family woman, one who has experienced many things in life. She had her first child at age 18 and said she was scared of not knowing what was next. She’s raised five children, ranging from five to nineteen, and has enjoyed seventeen years of marriage with her husband. “I’m corky. I’m awkward, and I have a weird sense of style. I love animals, and one day I will have a great big farm,” she says.

“I literally love everyone. When I create my cookies, I put all of myself into them. When I see the joy on my client’s faces, that does it for me. Knowing that whatever they are going through, at that moment, I was able to give them a piece of joy.”

Sharita says one of the benefits of having many children allowed her to quickly realize it is easier to do everything for them herself (cooking, grooming, etc.) versus seeking outside assistance. “I literally do everything, from cutting my boy’s hair, doing my daughter’s nails, baking every cake for every birthday, and making every costume for Halloween. I’m a perfectionist, I have a vision, and I desire things to be exact,” she says.

Her love for serving others is evident and displayed with SugaRee Cookies. However, her path was paved well before opening up shop. She always had a passion for art, a talent she says God gave her, but never really pursued anything in the art field because nursing came easy, and she took the easy route. “I started my journey in nursing and worked in the nursing field for 18 years, up until December 2021. Taking care of others has always been my passion. I lost my grandparents at a very young age, and caring for the elderly holds an important place in my heart,” she says.

The SugaRee journey began in 2019. It was then that Sharita noticed the cookie show Christmas Cookie Challenge on the Food Network. She automatically knew baking cookies was something she wanted to do in her spare time. “I started making customized cookies for my nieces and nephews and my coworkers. It gave me an outlet, and I actually loved doing it. I am not saying I didn’t love nursing, but I feel I was never appreciated for my love for the job. I was also very underpaid. When the Covid 19 pandemic arrived, everything got worse, and I found myself depressed with life. I was losing my passion for something I loved doing and needed a change. So, I finally listened to that voice and took the leap of faith and quit my job, and SugaRee Cookies was born,” she shares.

Sharita’s desire to love everyone makes her a perfect fit for her role as a parent, wife, and business owner. “I literally love everyone. When I create my cookies, I put all of myself into them. When I see the joy on my client’s faces, that does it for me. Knowing that whatever they are going through, at that moment, I was able to give them a piece of joy. If smiles are all I will ever get from this business, then I’ve made it,” she says.

Like most small business owners, Sharita has faced a few challenges. One of them is time. “I’ve found that time is of the essence. It’s losing time. Time with my family, and my friends, talks with God, and keeping myself healthy-minded. There are days where I feel I lose myself because I’m focused on making others happy,” Sharita said.

Being a business owner also allows Sharita to be the perfect example of what success looks like for her kids, and show them they can be whatever they dream of being. “You control your own destiny, and being able to teach my kids, especially my boys, how to be strong in such a cruel world brings peace in my heart.”

While she gives all glory to God for the success she has enjoyed in business thus far, Sharita admits that having a sound support system and village has played a vital role also. “My husband has been my rock. When I was on the fence and trying to decide if this was something I really wanted to do, he went out and bought everything I needed to get started. He told me to quit my job and promised to have my back through the entire journey. Honestly, if it wasn’t for him, I’d probably be miserable, still working the nursing job,” she says.

Sharita’s advice to others who may follow a path similar to hers is always to follow your heart and listen to that voice within you. “If you are unhappy, you should start praying and make changes. Only you can change the way your life is going. Once you take that leap of faith, God will take care of the rest. I stand on that,” she says.