Meet Natasha & Nylen Hickman | Mother & Daughter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natasha & Nylen Hickman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natasha & Nylen, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
This business was a gift to my daughter Nylen, for her 17th birthday. We owned a cupcake shop when she was little and she loved to come bake with me as much as possible. We closed that business but never stopped baking. During this time, my husband became vegan. He would always say, ” I like dessert”, so we started converting our recipes to vegan for him at home. We eventually perfected these recipes to the point that we no longer baked non-vegan desserts at home.

During this time so many other things were happening in the world. Covid hit, the vegan population took off in Atlanta (ranked as one of the top 20 cities in the US for vegans and vegetarians), and the mental health of teens (and adults) declined. Nylen spent her entire 9th grade year at home in a virtual classroom. While her grades were exceptional, we noticed that her mood was effected and her outlook on the world had changed.  She no longer saw the world as this great place where everyone has an equal chance at greatness. She hates “Big Business” and the wealth gap that it creates. She also had absolutely no desire to be an entrepreneur. In her mind, this would make her a part of the problem.

Eventually, school opened back up, she was able to see her friends again, she joined extracurricular activities, and her mood improved greatly. What didn’t change was her outlook on the world and business. I wanted to help her see that all business is not bad and that being an entrepreneur can be a great thing. So I combined her love of baking, our new vegan recipes and the current vegan increase in Atlanta, to create The Vegan’s Daughter. She is now very hands on with the business and has a better understanding of entrepreneurship. This business has allowed us to spend priceless time together before she leaves for college next year. And although she’s still not a fan of “Big Business”, she now understands how small businesses fuel the economy and support the community.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It seems that vegan food and desserts have a stigma of not being good. We’ve had people stop by our table at events because the desserts look so good, only to turn away once they realize it’s vegan. Some don’t even want to try a sample! We love to tell them that we are not vegan (even though we find ourselves becoming more and more each day), and that we spent a lot of time creating recipes that rival some of the best non-vegan dessert options. We get excited when people tell us that our desserts are the best they’ve had, and they’re not even vegan! It’s not easy to convert dessert recipes while maintaining the taste and texture. We are very proud that we’ve succeeded in creating desserts that both vegan and non-vegans will enjoy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the best things about Atlanta is that there’s always something to do! I can search on Eventbrite for events on any given weekend to find multiple restaurants, concerts, and festivals that are sure to guarantee a good time. Of course, there’s always Atlantic Station with the addition of their Creator’s Market every weekend, The Ponce City Market with multiple vegan options like LaRayia’s Bodega and Bar Vegan, and Downtown Atlanta with their amazing restaurants, museums, and night life.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to give a huge shoutout to the Vegan Community in Atlanta! This is such a tight knit group who support each other and spread love at every event. We appreciate your support and vow to continue to provide you with delicious desserts without compromise. We’d also like to thank Marddy’s Shared Kitchen for creating an affordable space for businesses like ours to operate and grow.

Website: The-Vegans-Daughter.square.site

Instagram: Instagram.com/thevegansdaughter

Facebook: Facebook.com/thevegansdaughter