Life can change at any given moment, and this was the case for entrepreneur Parker Barbee.
In 2022, Barbee was laid off from his job just before the Christmas holiday. This moment of uncertainty led him to jumpstart his passion for a staple dessert in his family — banana pudding. KSL News reports Barbee is the founder of dessert sweet shop Parfé Diem, located in Salt Lake City, UT’s Sugar House neighborhood.
According to its website, it features a variety of pudding parfait flavors, including banana, strawberry cheesecake, pistachio, and chocolate. It also offers shortbread cookies and a creative twist on the classic ice cream sandwich, using pudding as the filling.
Now, just in time for the holiday season, Barbee’s venture has received a significant boost through the NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant, established by investor Daymond John of “Shark Tank.” The grant is $25,000 and is funded with support from Hilton for Business, T-Mobile, & Constant Contact, its website mentions.
As one of the grant recipients, Barbee also had the opportunity to receive direct mentorship from John and gained access to a network of other Black entrepreneurs.
“This recognition truly means the world to us. Just two years ago, I was blindsided by a layoff just weeks before Christmas. It felt like the cherry on top of an already tough year, and for a moment, I felt completely defeated,” the company said in a statement shared on Instagram. “But the name Parfé Diem is more than just a brand—it’s a reflection of the journey I took to pursue my dream of owning a business.”
The statement continued, “For so long, I talked about opening a dessert shop, but self-doubt and imposter syndrome held me back. If it wasn’t for that challenging moment of being pushed out of my comfort zone, I might never have taken the leap. Now, I’m winning awards and meeting incredible people like Daymond John.”
Barbee plans to use the grant funds to further the business’ reach by purchasing a trailer and paying bills.
