How a Shark Tank Deal Led to a Multi-Million Dollar Exit to Hickory Farms — with Tracey Wheeler Noonan, Co-Founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes

How a Shark Tank Deal Led to a Multi-Million Dollar Exit to Hickory Farms — with Tracey Wheeler Noonan, Co-Founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes

From Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® by Susan Sly

October 27, 2025 · 1h 1m · Season 14 · Episode 377

About this episode

Tracey Wheeler Noonan shares her journey from a Shark Tank deal to a multi-million dollar exit and her mission to empower women over 50.

In this inspiring episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® , Susan Sly sits down with Tracey Wheeler Noonan, co-founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes, to uncover how a Shark Tank appearance led to a multi-million dollar exit to Hickory Farms. Tracey shares the behind-the-scenes story of landing a deal with Kevin O’Leary, navigating public scrutiny, building a scalable business from a home kitchen, and what life looked like after the acquisition. She opens up about reinventing herself after divorce, manifesting success through journaling, and how she’s now on a mission to help women over 50 step into their next chapter with confidence, clarity, and purpose. Whether you're an aspiring founder, navigating a transition, or dreaming of your own big exit, tune in now to get inspired and empowered—don’t miss this episode packed with grit, wisdom, and hard-won insight. Tracey Wheeler Noonan is a self-made entrepreneur, author, and speaker who turned a home-based cupcake biz into a multimillion-dollar brand. After striking a Shark Tank deal with Kevin O’Leary, her company was acquired by Hickory Farms. Today, she’s a published author and keynote speaker for Inc. Magazine, AT&T, HP, and…

People in this episode

Host: Susan Sly

Guest: Tracey Wheeler Noonan

Topics covered

  • entrepreneurship
  • Shark Tank
  • business exit
  • women empowerment
  • scalable business
  • personal reinvention

Keywords

  • Shark Tank
  • Wicked Good Cupcakes
  • Hickory Farms
  • entrepreneurship
  • women over 50
  • business success
  • personal growth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wicked Good Cupcakes, Hickory Farms, Inc. Magazine, AT&T, HP

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