DALLAS — Yasmeen Tadia is a Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business graduate. She spent 10 years in corporate America before inventing Fluffpop, an artisanal cotton candy. Once Yasmeen decided she wanted a better life for her and her son she expanded her business into Make Your Life Sweeter, a dessert catering company in January of 2013. 

As a fifth-generation South African of Indian descent, Tadia is proud of where she came from and hopes to be an inspiration for those who look and feel different.  

When Tadia started her business, she was a single mom who immigrated with her parents from South Africa. For the last eight years, companies like Forbes, Facebook, and Laura Mercier have hired Tadia to create unique, instagrammable experiences for their parties and events. Her sales strategy caters to corporate clients and offers one-of-a-kind treats and experiences that can’t be found in any store. 

However, once the pandemic hit, corporate events were no longer a reliable source of business. She had to get creative and start a pop up experience in the Galleria Dallas. Despite her continued success, she never turns her back on her roots. 

“I’m Muslim and I practice Islam.” Tadia said. “People ask me all the time how do I have the energy, how do I keep my thoughts, how do I manage being a single mom for so long. In Islam we actually pray five times a day.” 

Tadia takes her faith seriously, and it’s been showcased in her business, and said it's important to take moments to pray during the day.  

“If you take those moments to just refocus your brain throughout the day, random checkpoints, even give yourself two times a day or five times a day, or 10 times a day. It is going to center you,” Yasmeen said.  

As a Muslim business owner, Tadia wants to bring light to any negative stereotypes or prejudices.  

“When I first started I was almost shy or embarrassed,” Tadia said. "Now I have no problem talking about Islam. Islam has been a challenging thing in the news for many, many years. There are things that are completely misconstrued by the bad guys and that is not what we’re about.” 

She chooses to stay strong in her faith and continues to prove to her son that with hard work and determination, you can achieve anything.  

“You can take the person out of South Africa but you can’t take the South African out of them,” Tadia said.