Gina “Gigi” Butler opened her first Gigi’s Cupcakes location just off of Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee in 2008. Today, with ninety-four locations and counting, Gigi’s is the largest cupcake franchise in the world. As the chief brand officer, Gigi spends her time bringing her treasured family recipes to life in the array of dazzling and delicious cupcakes and cakes baked fresh daily. A talented hostess and mentor, Gigi spends much of her time traveling to new and existing Gigi’s locations to spread the joy and happiness of Gigi’s Cupcakes. The Secret Ingredient is her first book.
"“Butler’s memoir provides an encouraging argument for the value of chasing dreams.” * Publishers Weekly * ""Hardworking, giving up everything to chase her goals, and then starting over again… Gigi Butler is the embodiment of the American Dream. The inside look at her success story in The Secret Ingredient will inspire savvy entrepreneurs to invest in their own dreams.” -- Daymond John, star of ABC's Emmy Award winning business show Shark Tank “With its conversational tone, this memoir reads like a chatty mentor sharing helpful advice and the occasional personal anecdote . . . there’s plenty to learn from Butler’s experience.” * Booklist * ""My first Gigi’s cupcake was an experience I will always remember. Those cool and beautiful cupcakes enticed me and those flavors stole my attention forever! When I eventually met her in person, it all made sense… Of course such a stunning and inspirational woman created those delicious cupcakes! Gigi came to Nashville as an aspiring musician and she just wanted her creative energy to shine. Her personality and story is much like mine. I came to Nashville for the same reasons, but ended up as an executive in the music business. That creative side of us both carried over into what we would become. Me, a record producer, and Gigi, an entrepreneur who got her start cleaning the homes of Nashville’s best. If you ever need to feel inspired by a dreamer, this is a must read."" -- Tony Brown, music producer"