Lily’s Sweets: Cynthia Tice

In this episode of How I Built This, Cynthia Tice recounts her journey of founding Lily's Sweets, a sugar-free chocolate company, at the age of 58. Initially, inspired by the growing awareness around sugar's adverse effects, Tice saw a market for chocolate made with sugar alternatives like Stevia. Despite early struggles, including a challenging partnership and a lawsuit from a former collaborator, she persevered, leveraging her extensive industry knowledge to innovate and capture market interest. Tice's passion and timing led Lily's to become a notable player in the chocolate market, eventually culminating in a $425 million acquisition by Hershey's in 2021, after achieving around $20 million in revenue. Tice reflects on the blend of skill and luck that guided her success, emphasizing the importance of experience and timing in entrepreneurship.