From Music City to Mexico, Ivey Childers knows that creating the perfect recipe requires equal parts passion and perseverance.
The entrepreneur and recipe developer opened her first business, IveyCake, in 2007, which became an immediate Nashville favorite and quickly grew in popularity nationwide with over 40 made-from-scratch cake flavor combinations. Attracting attention from celebrities and locals alike, Childers’ work includes Carrie Underwood’s wedding cake, Katy Perry’s birthday cake seen on American Idol, and major celebrations such as the CMT Awards, Grand Ole Opry, and more. Acquired in 2019, IveyCake continues to be a Nashville mainstay today.
It was through her hobby, making cocktails at home to unwind after long days at the bakery, that her second business venture would come to fruition: Southbound Tequila. Childers longed for the perfect tequila that could be enjoyed as both a sipper and a mixer. Frustrated by the lack of options, she decided to craft it herself. Childers traveled to Jalisco, Mexico, where she worked extensively with a Master Distiller to do exactly that. Now, the co-founder & CEO of Southbound proudly offers three premium all-occasion tequilas (Blanco, Reposado, Añejo), and she’s sharing her story of the dedication and tenacity that got her to where she is today.
Paving the Path: I never grew up helping in the kitchen, and I did not have any interest in creating recipes. Crazy, right? I always dreamed of doing something big and special, but I never thought business ownership would be my path. Looking at my very colorful resume before IveyCake, it took a lot of exploration to discover who I was and what I was meant to do. I was one of those people who could have waited a little longer before going to college. Although I do not regret it, I did not have a clear idea of what truly interested me at the time. It was only after college that I realized how much more I had to figure out. Once I discovered I had something special in the kitchen, I worked tirelessly to create recipes because it excited me in every way. I could not wait to do it again and again. What became evident was that I thrive on creativity, and if I was going to make money doing something, it had to be something I truly believed in.
Sweet Serendipity: Before IveyCake became a business, I was baking behind closed doors, where there was absolutely no glory. But I kept thinking, “Oh my gosh, someone just called me because they heard my cake was incredible at a baby shower or wedding, and I just got paid to provide this service.” That momentum kept building while I balanced side jobs. One day, I was at Franklin Mercantile hosting a baby shower for my sister. Of course, I brought an incredible cake. The owner walked out and said, “Hey, I know friends of mine that you have made cakes for. You do great work. I have this spot right here that has never been used. It has its own entrance. Do you want to have a little storefront?” I had zero money, but I went to bed that night and dreamt of that storefront. I knew I had to have it. I scraped together about $10,000 to get the bare minimum going and opened IveyCake a few months later. I was the new thing in downtown Franklin. At the time, it was me, Merridee’s, Starbucks, Mercantile, The Franklin Theatre, Chico’s, etc. We were the retail spots before downtown Franklin really became a tourist attraction.
Cakes to Cocktails: What I learned very quickly as a business owner is that no matter how much you thrive on creativity, you have to grow that business around the clock. Early on at IveyCake, I needed an outlet for creativity that was just for me. That led to a hobby: creating cocktail recipes. After long, busy days at the bakery, I would come home and experiment, starting with margaritas, which were my absolute obsession, and then moving on to all kinds of cocktails. I had no idea I was laying the foundation to my next career chapter. For 10 years, I tried every tequila brand I could get my hands on. I started noticing that most brands were either designed to mix into cocktails to hide their quality or made as a luxury sipping tequila. Rarely did a brand excel at both. When I sold IveyCake to my trusted employee in 2019, I went on what I call my Southbound journey to Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, where I partnered with a distiller to help me create the tequila profile I had been searching for. I wanted to learn what my options were for making a high-quality tequila and be intentional in every choice. I selected a combination of traditional brick oven and autoclave cooking methods, both highly respected in the industry. I also opted for an extended 60- hour cooking process, which is typically 48 hours. For our Reposado and Añejo expressions, I chose to age them in Tennessee Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels as a nod to Nashville. There were about 20 iterations of the Blanco before we landed on Southbound. I also wanted to live with the tequila for a full year before officially deciding to launch it. As a tastemaker, I tend to move on quickly, so I needed to be certain I could stand behind its quality. Taking my time with this process was one of the best decisions I made.
Mind Over Matter: There are so many milestones I’m grateful for, but my proudest moment was when I had no capital, no plan, and no business skills, just the absolute clarity that I wanted something. Whatever "it" was, I was going to figure it out. That moment, early on, still inspires me today. I still need that version of myself when I walk into rooms and opportunities. That spirit, that grit, that energy is still the secret sauce to reaching what I truly want.
Ultimate Inspiration: My daughters are my inspiration and my greatest teachers; keeping me grounded in love, curiosity, and the beauty of the present. Watching them grow pushes me forward, not just for my own dreams but to show them what is possible when you believe in yourself and face challenges head-on. My nine-year-old daughter, Leona, endured open-heart surgery while I was running a business, selling it, and starting something new. Through her journey, she showed resilience and strength, reminding me that something special is always around the corner. My life experience and my daughters keep me believing in that, but the present moment is where the magic truly lives.
Meet Ivey Childers at our annual Inspiring Women event. Get your ticket here.