Total Wags: Building Community Through Furry Friend Care

Leah Backstrom, owner and lead decorator of Ink Sweets, knew baking cakes was her passion and talent from an early age, but it was only when she moved to Minnesota in 2017 that she decided to take a leap of faith and establish Ink Sweets. Understanding her own diverse interests and quirks, she knew the importance of her clients’ multifaceted personalities and interests and wanted Ink Sweets’ cakes to cater to that.

As a result, Ink Sweets’ cakes are unconventional, breaking the traditional mold of white-tiered wedding cakes. They are colorful and adorned with cake decorations that can go beyond just conventional flowers. For their big day, Leah always aims to design wedding cakes that are unique and true to the couple.

Leah’s hard work and authenticity paid off as Ink Sweets successfully carved out its niche in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The bakery was awarded Minnesota Bride’s “Best of” for three consecutive years, and Leah, herself, was also spotlighted by the magazine.

However, despite the success, Ink Sweets was still not able to transition from an appointment-only business into a physical shop, which is Leah’s long-term goal. For Ink Sweets, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent loss of business from social distancing can still be tangibly felt. With the MN Promise Act Grant, Leah hoped to use it to pay for rent, utilities, supplies, etc., helping her catch up.

As Leah says, “MN Promise Act Grant could help fuel this business forward into a state that I can actually focus on the future and even think about bringing a brick-and-mortar shop to North Minneapolis.”