
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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