Meet SHERI LONG | Owner and CEO

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

Hi SHERI, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After having been in education for close to twenty-five years, I spent the last three and a half years working with at risk young adults out of the classroom. What I soon came to realize is that many of these young people are former foster youth that had aged out of the foster youth system at age 18 with little to no support once they are on their own. Without the parental guidance and support that many simply take for granted in regard to employment, finances, housing and basic needs, these young adults are often lost and left to their own devices. While Sugar and Spice began as a side hustle, it soon turned into a full time endeavor in the hopes of working with these young people. My goal is to employ these youth and one day offer an “in-house” mentoring system to assist with future employment, college applications, financial literacy and mental health while working with their employable strengths in whatever arena that may be, be it marketing, sales, production, design, etc.

What should our readers know about your business?
Sugar and Spice began with the “why” already in place. The goal now is to grow large enough to support the “why” in the hopes of seeking out those foster youth for hire. In the meantime, through business, I have been able to support local organizations by giving back to the community. I am proud to have partnered with the local autism center and their workforce development program, in which youth on the autism spectrum intern for twelve week sessions and learn about food handling, packaging, soft skills, employee relations and time management. Donations have been made in support of the homeless, animal welfare and families dealing with pediatric cancer. I am a believer in always giving back as I whole heartedly believe that everything comes back to us. On a personal level, I can say that starting a business has been a true testimonial in faith and knowing that my endeavor is greater than me alone and sometimes, I just need to believe and trust, as difficult and challenging as this can sometimes be.

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?
Having moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, I feel that I have the insight into not one, but two incredibly amazing cities. Now living in Las Vegas, I would always recommend a Vegas show! Which one you ask? It doesn’t even matter….be it one of the many Cirque shows, a magic show or a comedy show, just being on the Las Vegas Strip for a show is the experience in and of itself! The restaurants and the food circuit in Sin City are like no other and there are many that are “off The Strip” and have cuisine and unique experiences that are one of a kind. The Mob Museum is fascinating from history through present day. The Pinball Museum is a good stop over. Recreation at Lake Mead is always a fun place to chill out and the beauty of Valley of Fire is out of this world.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
From the inception of Sugar and Spice when it began to take hold and move from side hustle to actual business, the endless encouragement came from the two best friends a girl could ask for. Having known one another since college, these ladies served as my continuous cheerleaders, always with reminders for me to look back and see how far I have come. I have been so blessed while one would come to town to help with “whatever is needed” the other is the world’s most talented graphic designer and could always take my vision of a package, a thought and even my logo and bring it to life. My family has also served as “unpaid” employees in more ways than one. I often joke with my daughter that she is the “employee of the month” to which she quickly rebuts that she is my “only employee.” Beyond personal relationships, I began to take hold in books of self affirmation, positive thinking, and forward growth. The words of the famous Joel Osteen are some that I repeat constantly to myself when times get tough.

Website: https://sugarandspicelasvegas.com/

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sugarandspicesaleslasvegas/

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Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sugar-and-spice-las-vegas-4