Angela Simmons is an American actress and producer known for Supermodel (2015) and Angela Simmons Presents: Pressure Makes Diamonds (2019). Aside from making her mark in the creative space, she is also carving a niche for herself as a serial entrepreneur.
At a very young age, she began working to build a business empire. The outcome crystallized in 2007 when she co-founded Pastry Footwear with her sister Vanessa. She led the business to achieve massive growth, amassing over $15 million in sales and over $75 Million in sales overall in the first year of operation, according to Forbes.
Following that, the daughter of Run-DMC legend Rev Run and niece of Russell Simmons went on to launch her own television show, “Just Angela,” on AspireTV. The show mimics ‘Run’s House,’ which chronicled the life of her famous father and their family.
At the height of the pandemic, when businesses were closing, Simmons defied all odds to launch Simmons Beauty because of her love for skincare.
“I just wanted to do something that I love to do, and skincare, especially being at home, we had a lot of time to do whatever we needed, right? Facials, masks, a lot of sitting around. I was like, you know what, I’ve always loved it and I just felt like it was time to go forward with it, and I just dove right on into it,” she told REVOLT.
The actress and businesswoman recently launched Angela’s Cakes, a vegan funnel cake at three Sugar Factory Locations. According to her, the venture is a combination of her passion for a vegan lifestyle and creating businesses, according to Forbes. Beyond the three locations, she is focused on expanding to more Sugar Factory locations and looking forward to Angela’s Cakes being a staple on the menu.
“We absolutely will grow beyond the funnel cakes. My Vision for Angela’s Cakes is huge, and we’re just getting started. I’m excited,” she told Forbes.
Simmons launched the business in partnership with renowned vegan restaurateur Pinky Cole. The partnership allows her to leverage all the necessary ingredients to become an international success. According to her, she has known Pinky since she opened her restaurant, The Slutty Vegan, in Atlanta. She added that the idea for her business came from Pinky, and they partnered to create a masterpiece.
“She’s a boss, and watching her expand her business; I’m so proud of her! We sat down and discussed business,” Simmons told Forbes. “She had an idea, I had an idea, and we came together to birth a masterpiece, Angela’s Cakes. It’s not just a funnel cake; it can be used as a pancake batter as well. It tastes very good, and it’s easy to make at home. I’m proud of what we created.”
Simmons said being authentic is what makes her successful, adding that she always pursues ventures she is passionate about. Recounting her journey as a vegan, Simmons told Forbes that she became a vegan at the age of 16 in order to stay healthy while getting its benefits.
“People should consult a health expert or doctor because everybody’s body is different. Many times people become vegan or vegetarian, and they don’t do it the healthy way. There are so many things to know about being a vegan or vegetarian before you jump into it. The most important thing is knowing your body,” she said.
