Nothing is more true for military families than the famous saying, “Change is the only constant in life.” One day you’re heading to Japan on international PCS orders, and the next you’re solo-parenting through an unexpected deployment. And while this kind of lifestyle is certainly not for the faint of heart, those who can learn to embrace it unlock a potent power move: the pivot.
Angela Powell has perfected the art of the pivot, and the proof is quite literally in the pudding.
What started as a pandemic pastime turned into a thriving brand, Whipzi, which can now be found on store shelves across the country. In this Q&A, she shares her journey from military spouse to entrepreneur, demonstrating how resilience, creativity, and community can turn even the most unexpected seasons into something sweet.
Let’s start with your military background. What branch were you connected to, what was your role, and how did that experience shape the way you approach work and leadership today?
I immigrated from England to America when I was 18 and always wanted to go into the military. The U.S. Air Force was what I was looking at, so I enlisted as an X-ray tech. Then, while I was waiting to start my career as part of the Delayed Enlistment Program, I met my husband who had just graduated from the Air Force Academy. We knew it would be difficult with us both being active-duty, but I kept thinking, “I’ve always wanted to do this. I don’t want to go through life saying, ‘What if?’”
So, I continued with my plan to serve. A year after we were married, I got an honorable discharge and then became a military spouse for 20 years, following my husband from one base to another. When we got stationed at Nellis in Las Vegas, I started working part-time for Delta Airlines. So throughout all of his deployments, I was working and solo-parenting our two kids.
And when your spouse is deployed, you have to learn to be pretty independent and put out your own fires. I didn’t have any baking or business background, but through the military, you have to learn how to adapt and pivot (and YouTube everything). I think that’s really encouraged me to learn new skills and do things out of my comfort zone which has prepared me for this. It’s made me realize that you can pretty much do anything you set your mind to.
Can you introduce us to your business?
Whipzi is flavored powdered sugars crafted with gluten-free, all-natural ingredients.
While most people immediately think of frosting when they see powdered sugar, Whipzi has so many uses. You can make it into cold foams and syrups for coffee, marshmallows, meringues, and even puppy chow.
When most people are introduced to Whipzi, the most common response I get is, “What is flavored powdered sugar?” because they’ve never seen it before. But once they see how much it simplifies the baking process for them and how versatile it is, they see the benefit.
Where did the idea for Whipzi come from?
I’ve been with Delta Airlines for 16 years, and when COVID hit, I was suddenly at home with my kids wondering how to keep them occupied. So, being from England, I started teaching them how to make British staples like shepherd’s pie and Cornish pasties. From there, we started baking, and one of my coworkers had a birthday coming up. Knowing she struggles with depression, I asked her if we could bake her a cake. She said, “No, I don’t want a cake.” But, I told her she could always let me know if she changes her mind.
And she did. About a week before her birthday she told me, “I want a cake, no particular flavor.” Three days later, “Actually, I want a lemon cake.” Then, the day before, “By the way, it has to be gluten-free.” At that point, I didn’t know much about baking, but I did know that gluten-free is a whole different level of baking. But we made the cake, and it turned out really well. So well, that people asked us to start making cakes for them.
When my friend asked us to make a gender reveal cake, I immediately was thinking pink, blue, cotton candy. I ordered some cotton candy flavoring, and we added too much to the frosting. That made me think, “There has to be an easier way to flavor frostings,” so I started searching for it. After weeks of searching, I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I decided to try and make it myself.
What made you decide to take the leap from idea to launch?
Since my kids are older, I was thinking it would be a fun little hobby to keep me busy after we become empty nesters. So I found a factory that said they could help, and in October 2022 I officially launched Whipzi with a small run of a couple of hundred bags on my website, doing everything by myself while roping my family in to help me fulfill orders and such.
That continued until July 2024, when a World Market buyer reached out. They had found my product online and asked if they could retail it. I had never done anything like that before, but they walked me through every part of the process—how to use their shipping software and accept purchase orders. They were phenomenal, and even to this day they’re so good to work with.
In March 2025, they launched Whipzi’s lavender and lemon flavors nationwide and it sold really well, so they brought in five more pallets. From there, the relationship continued to grow. They added strawberry and vanilla in the summer, and then brought in pumpkin spice, salted caramel, and peppermint for fall. They’ll be bringing in lavender and lemon again this spring as well.
Another watershed moment for Whipzi was last January when I did my first Fancy Food Show as an exhibitor. A friend had mentioned it to me and I thought you know, why not? At the event, a buyer from H-E-B stopped by my booth and was really interested. H-E-B is a dream come true for CPG (consumer packaged goods) and having completed my basic training (and my husband’s pilot training) in Texas – it truly was a dream retailer. So in July, we launched chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla into H-E-B. Then Central Market took chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, orange, and lemon, plus some seasonal flavors. And now you can find Whipzi in World Market, H-E-B, Central Market, Meijer, Albertsons, and more!
Not for one moment did I think it would get this big. I mean, I have no business or baking experience, so I really had no idea. Still, to this day, it’s kind of surreal to walk into World Market on the way to get my English chocolate and see Whipzi on the shelf. It’s just crazy.
How has your military and military spouse experience impacted the way you lead Whipzi?
The military community had always been there when I needed them most. So, it’s really important for me to give back to the community and also highlight Veterans. Whipzi’s blueberry flavor is an example of that.
When we were stationed in Germany, I became really good friends with a fellow spouse who gave birth to her fourth child while we were stationed there. After the military sent us separate ways, we continued to keep in touch. Not long after they moved back to the U.S. for a Pentagon assignment, her son Brodie, who was 14 years old at the time, became ill and was ultimately diagnosed with a brain tumor.
They moved to Colorado to be close to family and the following years were filled with her and Brodie traveling for treatment. Since her husband was stationed in another state, it was really hard on them. Several of us that formed a friendship in Germany came to help often with Brodie and their family.
Brodie passed away at 16. I wanted to do something to honor his memory and he loved the color blue. I always knew if I did a blueberry flavor we would name it after Brodie and donate the proceeds. So we launched a flavor just for him, Brodie Blueberry, and all of the proceeds go to whatever charity the family chooses.
The first year we were able to donate $4,200 to the Pure Hope Foundation, a Texas-based nonprofit that works with victims of human trafficking, using profits from Brodie Blueberry plus funds from a matching donor who doubled the match. Next year, we’ll be donating to a nonprofit for preventing veteran suicide, which is a cause that’s near and dear to my heart.
We want to be able to give back, and being able to support veterans and the military community as a whole is so very important to us.
What’s next for Whipzi?
We have some new flavors coming out this spring, and currently working on a few that are in high-demand because of social media trends (hint-hint). But I also have another product in the works that no one has ever done before. You know, my wheels are always turning.
What advice would you give to active-duty service members or Veterans who want to start their own business but haven’t taken the first step yet?
First, trust your gut. I sat on the idea for Whipzi for maybe a month, and then finally just decided I was going to do it. I’ve always had ideas in the past, but never acted on them. But this time, I trusted my gut.
Second, just go for it. When you PCS and move, a lot of spouses have to figure out how to keep their career intact. For many, what they did at their last duty station won’t translate to the next one, and that’s especially true for overseas posts. But, we’re the most resilient people.
Like I said, I didn’t have any baking or business experience before this, and I think of how little I knew then plus how much I still have to learn now. But, I think out of everyone, military spouses and veterans are the ones that are so good at pivoting and growing simply because of the situations that they find themselves in.
You don’t want to go through life and say, “I should have… If only…” So, I definitely think if you have an idea, go for it.
A huge thank you to Angela for taking the time to share her journey with us. Her story is a powerful reminder that the skills learned through service—adaptability, grit, community—don’t end. They evolve. And when you mix them all together, that’s a recipe for success.
You can find Whipzi products online at whipzi.com and in select retailers nationwide. We’ve also included one of Angela’s favorite Whipzi recipes below so you can experience her product the same way it began—in your home kitchen with the people you care about most.
2 INGREDIENT STRAWBERRY MARSHMALLOWS
Making your own marshmallows couldn’t be easier, especially with our two-ingredient recipe, and let me tell you, they are absolutely delicious. With just gelatin and sugar, you can skip all the complicated stuff in store-bought versions. You’ll whip up some strawberry-flavored marshmallows that are so tasty, you’ll never want to go back to the ones from the store.
INGREDIENTS: MARSHMALLOWS
- 1 bag (16 oz/1lb) Whipzi strawberry flavor powdered sugar (or any flavor)
- 25 grams gelatin
- 1 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a separate mixing bowl add 1/2 cup of water and sprinkle the gelatin over the top of the water. In a large saucepan add one bag of Whipzi flavored powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally until temperature reaches 240 degrees. Carefully add heated powdered sugar and water mix to the mixing bowl with water and gelatin. Mix on low to incorporate and then medium for about 5 minutes until it starts to get fluffy. Pour into a rectangle baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper or oiled. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours. Sprinkle some more powdered sugar to the top of the marshmallows and cut with an oiled knife.