Sugar Nominates Herself & Celebrates With These Cranberry Apple Cider Pupcakes

Every year, the Wellington Academy honors the pup business community.

The Wellington Academy is an association for pup business owners and pups that work in the business community.  Any pup, and I do mean any pup, that works in business is allowed to join. 

It is also a great way to network with fellow pup business owners and business pups.  It’s also a wonderful way to promote your business, share ideas and learn what’s happening in other pup business industries.  The annual awards ceremony, better known as the Waggies, is an invitation only event.

I’d dreamed about attending the Waggies since I was a little pup.  My dream came true a few years ago when I got my first invitation.  To be invited meant that pups were recognizing all of my hard work and talent.  It also meant that they saw major potential in my business.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I received my invitation.  I barked the news to all my pup friends.  I still have my invitation hidden away for safe keeping.  I go back to it every now and then to remind me of my joy and excitement.  On those times when I feel uninspired or a little insecure about a new project, my first Waggies invitation brings me back to the reality that I can accomplish my pup goals.

Last week, I got my invitation for this year’s Waggies along with the nomination card. 

You see.  All invitees are asked to nominate pups for each award.  Those nominees are then voted on by the Academy members.  The nominee who gets the most votes, wins.

I stared at that nomination card for several minutes.  For the past two years, I nominated other famous business pups for these awards.  Why shouldn’t I?  They’re all amazingly successful business pups, they do great work and pups love them. 

However, this year I looked at this nomination card a bit differently.  For a fleeting moment, I thought “why not nominate yourself?”  That thought was interrupted by a timer telling me my pupcakes were ready.

As I pulled those pupcakes from the oven, I thought back to my pup friend who decided to run for Pup Class President when we were at Huffton University.  She was extremely smart and would be absolutely perfect for the job.  She spent weeks giving “speaks,” hosting vote events and barking with pups to campaign how great she would be in the position.

However, when it came down to a vote, I became surprised when she told me she didn’t vote for herself.  Her exact words…”Oh, I never vote for myself.  It just feels weird to.”  I remember thinking to myself, well “if you’re not voting for yourself then why even run?”

It didn’t make sense to me then.  And, quite honestly, it doesn’t make sense to me now.  In the words of Will Smith…

It’s true. If you don’t believe in yourself, then how do you expect the world to believe in you?  I’ve often wondered why so many female pups, including myself, have a rough time admitting how great and wonderful they are in their careers.  Sometimes we have to not only have the tendency to overlook what we bring to the table, but also see that we actually run the table.

So, while my pupcakes were cooling on the counter, I took another look at that Waggies nomination card.  I realized that it was my time to be confident in my own talents and acknowledge my own achievements.  This was my time to admit what an amazing job I’ve done thus far as a pup business owner.

So, I took my paw and marked my name for Outstanding Pup Business Owner.  And, even if I didn’t win, nominating myself was my first step in recognizing all of the wonderful talents I bring to the table.

These Cranberry Apple Cider Mini Bundt Pupcakes are dedicated to having the courage to nominate yourself.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story.  So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

Have you ever had the courage to nominate yourself?  If so, how did you feel?  If not, what has held you back?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.