NOLASIPS Snobar and Bistro and Sweet Thangs Designer Snoball stand is owned by Stricen Carter 26, from Houston, TX with deep Louisiana family roots. I moved to New Orleans in 2014 at 17 years old to attend Dillard University with dreams of becoming a nurse. After 2 years of prerequisites the nursing program was suspended. I began to fall in love with the city of New Orleans, the culture, the people and the opportunities more than college. I saw so many opportunities to build from the ground up. Entrepreneurship started for me at the age of 8 when i learned how to sew and sold custom tote bags, it grew into a cookie company in high school. I was inspired by the hustle of the locals. Essences Fest 2017 I launched NOLASIPS, fruity flavored cocktails made for on the go. I started on the sidewalk by the superdome with a cooler. I sold out 3 days in a row and the response was life changing. Over 300 local events including every secondline, 2 college tours visiting over 10 HBCUs and several Co-Brands such as “WE DATS”. The name NOLASIPS started to ring many bells throughout the city! 2 years of being consistent and branding myself I had the opportunity to open a turn key snoball stand in Gentilly that is where Sweet Thangs “Designer Snoballs' ' was born. Fruit, candy, cookies, cake and a whole slice of cheesecake the city had never seen anything like it, we quickly grew  from our small window in Gentilly to our beautiful courtyard location in Mid City 4202 S. Carrollton Ave. “The magical home of Designer Snoballs.” After 2 years owning and operating the snoball stand I now have the opportunity to open a NOLASIPS Snoball Bar and Restaurant. 4 years ago from a cooler on the sidewalk to now NOLASIPS first location. NOLASIPS is located at 2633 St. Claude Ave. the first snoball bar ever! At 24 years old I stepped out on faith with no experience, knowledge, partners, or investors to open a full service restaurant. NOLASIPS has recently launched a line of Cocktail mixers, our first product of many. As a young black woman I feel that it is important to be resilient, beat the odds, use what we have to build a empire to help others that look like us. I have grown a huge following on social media by sharing my journey and testimony! Everyday I work extremely hard operating both businesses and being the best Leader I can be! I dream for Nolasips to be as big as Fat Tuesday and Designer Snoballs to be a big as Baskin n Robins and Stricen Carter to touch the people live a legacy like Leah Chase!