FOCU$ED Founder Series: From Grant Winner to Bigger Vision

One Year After Winning the KNOW Boost Your Business Grant, Angelique Davis Is Building Something Bigger

A year ago, Angelique Davis was building Half&Half Bakery and H&H Markets and trying to figure out what sustainable growth could look like. Today, the vision has expanded into experiences, events, collaborations, corporate orders, a standalone Sugar Cube location and a growing community around her brands.

We sat down with Angelique to talk about what has changed since winning the KNOW Boost Your Business Grant at the FOCU$ED Conference in Houston 2025, the opportunities that followed, and what she would tell the woman considering applying for the next one.

K: What did your business look like then compared to today?

A: A year ago, I was still very much in the stage of proving what Half&Half Bakery and H&H Markets could become. I was focused primarily on the bakery itself, our products, our customers, and figuring out how to grow sustainably.

Today, the vision is so much bigger. Half&Half has evolved beyond just selling desserts. We’ve expanded into experiences, events, collaborations, corporate orders, and now the Sugar Cube- a stand alone location! H&H Markets has also continued to grow into its a brand centered around community, connection, and creating opportunities for other small businesses.

The biggest difference is that I’m no longer just building a bakery. I’m building a community around the brand.

K: Winning the grant came with more than funding and services—it came with visibility and a community behind you. Which part had the biggest impact?

A: Honestly, the validation and visibility meant just as much as the grant itself.

As a small business owner, you spend so much time wondering if people can see what you see. Winning the grant reminded me that other people saw potential in what I was building.

The community that came with it also opened doors to conversations, relationships, and opportunities that may not have happened otherwise. It gave me confidence to think bigger and take myself more seriously as a founder.

K: What would surprise the version of you from a year ago?

A: How much bigger the vision would become.

A year ago, I couldn't have fully pictured everything that would come after that moment, the growth of Half&Half, H&H Markets, the Sugar Cube, the collaborations, the events, and all of the different ways the brand could show up in the community.

I think last year version of me would be most surprised that something that started with a simple love for baking has turned into something much bigger than the product itself.

K: What has been the biggest shift in the way you think about yourself as a founder?

A: I’ve stopped waiting to feel like I’m “ready.”

I used to think I needed to have everything figured out before I could call myself a successful business owner. Now I understand that being a founder is about being willing to figure things out as you go.

I’ve become much more comfortable making decisions, pivoting when something isn't working, trusting my instincts, and taking up space in rooms that I once questioned whether I belonged in.

K: Looking back, is there one opportunity, connection, client, or breakthrough that happened because of the Boost Your Business Grant?

A: The biggest breakthrough was the visibility and credibility that came with the grant.

It put Half&Half in front of people who may not have known us before and helped create conversations that continued beyond the actual grant. It also gave me a platform to talk about the bigger vision for my business, not just what I was selling, but what I wanted to build.

That visibility helped reinforce something I’ve learned over and over: sometimes one opportunity doesn't immediately change your business, but it can put you in the room for the next five opportunities.

K: How has your definition of success changed since winning the grant?

A: Success used to feel very tied to numbers, sales, growth, and how much the business was producing.

Now, success is all of that as well as about impact.

Of course, I want Half&Half to be profitable and continue growing, but I also want the business to create experiences, opportunities, connections, and community and become a staple where everyone can simply just be together.

With H&H Markets especially, success looks like a small business owner telling me they made a new connection, gained a customer, or had their best market day yet because they were part of something we created.

K: What would you say to the woman looking at the application right now thinking, “I'm probably not ready” or “I won't win anyway”?

A: Apply anyway! I did.

You don't have to feel ready to be worthy of the opportunity.

I almost think being willing to apply before you feel completely ready is part of being an entrepreneur. You never know who is going to see your story, your potential, or your vision and decide that you're exactly who they're looking for.

The worst thing that can happen is that you don't win. But if you don't apply, you've already made the decision for them. Switch your mindset… what’s the BEST that could happen?

K: If you could hand the next grant recipient one piece of advice, what would you tell her to do in her first 30 days after winning?

A: Don't just spend the money, use the momentum.

Take advantage of every introduction, resource, service, conversation, and piece of visibility that comes with the grant.

The money is valuable, but the relationships and credibility can continue working for your business long after the money is gone.

And most importantly, don't be afraid to let people know what you're building. The right opportunities can't find you if people don't know what you're doing.

K: One business tool you can't live without?

A: My phone. It’s basically my office, marketing department, communication center, and sometimes my entire business in one device.

K: Morning ritual?

A: SLOW DOWN. Don’t reach for the phone, don’t give everyone the access to you that quick. Take a hour, meditate, journal, stretch and then take a little time to mentally map out what needs to get done before the day gets away from me.

K: Favorite book right now?

A: I’m always drawn to books around personal growth, mindset, and becoming a better version of yourself as a leader… or a nice recipe book. Fitting right?

K: Favorite things to bake/make?

A: Cake jars. They’ve become such a signature part of Half&Half, and I love how versatile they are. They’re dessert, but they’re also an experience and a huge part of our brand identity.

K: What's one hill you'll die on in business?

A: Do what you say you're going to do.

Your reputation is one of the most valuable things you have as a business owner. What you stand for, believe in and your identity. Your words and your actions need to match.

K: What's next for H&H?

A: Bigger experiences, bigger community, and continuing to build something that is bigger than just me.

For Half&Half, that means continuing to grow the bakery, the Sugar Cube, our signature products, experiences, and partnerships. Building my team and taking these next steps to grow.

For H&H Markets, it means continuing to create intentional markets and experiences that bring small businesses, creators, makers, and the community together.

Ultimately, I want Half&Half Bakery and H&H Markets to become a brand people recognize not just because of what we sell or what we do, but because of how we make people feel and the community we create around it.

Why KNOW Gives Back

Angelique's story is exactly why the KNOW Boost Your Business Grant exists.

FOCU$ED isn't just about putting women in a room to talk about money. It's about creating access to it. The grant is one of the ways KNOW puts its platform, community and resources behind women who are building businesses and creating something bigger than themselves.

Angelique applied. She won. And a year later, she isn't just running the business she had when she applied—she's building the business she couldn't fully see yet.