E17 - Cas Cakery - STOP! Running your own business is killing your mental health! How to deal with it and move on.
Toowomba Australia, which is in Queensland in case you were curious - is not a place we ever thought we’d end up but in this little place is home to a brand that’s known world wide - Cas Cakery.
Cassie, or “Cas” speaks with us today about her journey and what is so interesting here is that in such a short space of time she has rocketed her business from nothing to something incredible in just 5 short years.
What I love about Cassie is she reminds us about being honest about ourselves, reminding ourselves to make it fun, and most importantly, just take care of yourself. The stress of running a baking business can take its toll on all of us. Cassie has been very good about making sure she looks after herself mentally, physically, and emotionally. Doing this has only allowed herself to blossom further in her business and push herself forward even more.
Of course, she didn’t always do it this way. She’s hit that burn out stage multiple times, with frustration running high. But through all that she’s learned to watch for it before it happens so she can deal with it better. I think this is a skill that we don’t all have. So, this is why this episode makes for a great listen. Seeing that signs that suggest you need to adjust what you’re doing.
Do you struggle with burn out, resentment, frustration? Keep listening, there might be something in this that will help you take it all in your stride and manage it. I really hope you enjoy this one. Let’s rock on with Cassie’s baking journey.
More about Cas:
Website
Instagram
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E16 - Vic's Kitchen - Baker turned teacher who shares vital information for anyone running a baking business. From easy ways to make money to protecting yourself and your company from any surprises!
We are back in England and just outside of London today in Woking, Surrey. We’re speaking with Victoria of Vic’s Kitchen. If you’ve ever wondered about running your own cake school, better ways to run you run your cake business, and even some quick ways to make some money, you’ve got to listen to this episode.
Vic has been running a cake school now for almost a decade and through this she has amassed hundreds of students learning not just about baking of course, but various other - and just as important - aspects of running your own cake business. The business end of things, pricing, marketing, and other strategies.
Vic has always been focused on the community and building a place that is fun for bakers to come and learn, feel comfortable, and most importantly, connect with other like-minded individuals. We’ve even had one of her guest teachers on this show in season 1 - remember Harry Bakes?
This episode is full of great advice whether you’re starting out, been at it for a while, or looking to add something new to your business. It’s hard work! There’s no question but Vic’s determination and drive is so inspiring we think you’re going to really enjoy this one. Let’s get on then with Vic’s baking journey….
Learn about Vic here:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
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This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E15 - Don't Tell Charles - The creator of the concrete cake! How she went from winging it to building a mature and successful career in the cake industry yet refusing to sit still.
Today, we have an open an honest discussion about choosing your right path and making sure you’re happy doing it.
We’re speaking today with Thao who is the brain behind the brand Don’t Tell Charles from Melbourne Australia. If you’ve ever created a concrete cake, you can thank Thao for that as she was the first one to make it.
Thao has taught thousands through her cake school. But it all started way before that. Going against the grain of family expectations, she started a cafe and went through a lot of changes to get to where she is today. It’s taught her so much about herself and through this journey she has then gone on to teach so many others in all manner of skills not just with baking, but with business ownership, entrepreneurship, and being an inspiring soul to so many.
We personally loved this chat because Thao beautifully opens up about the ups and downs of it all but through this discussion has the positivity and determination to continue to succeed no matter where life takes her.
For those of you who constantly question what you’re doing in life, sit back and take a listen. We think you’ll get a lot out of this one.
Learn more about Thao here:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E14 - Anjali (Cakes and Co) - Building your own baking journey from nothing, and in a far remote place too!
Hey everyone! So you all know by now, we started this podcast to help build something of a support network for bakers. A place where you can listen, learn, relate, be inspired, and most importantly, not feel alone in your own baking journey.
So imagine, if you really are baking on your own, in a country where the style of baking you do is non-existent. Where the ingredients, accessories, and access to training all comes from overseas. Imagine, your favourite sprinkles, or palm spears coming from thousands of miles away!
Say hello to Anjali - or Cakes and Co as she goes by online. Anjali lives in Panama. Think Central America. Definitely not the middle of nowhere, but in the baking world, some days it can certainly feel that way.
Through all of this though Anjali has built a brand, a style, and a significant following on social media by her inspiring cakes, patterns, use of colours, and designs. She’s created something out of nothing and so we were really interested to speak with her.
Just a note, English is her third language so she spoke so well about her challenges even though it’s not her mother tongue. Right, let’s not keep you waiting and hear Anjali’s baking journey. Enjoy.
Learn more about Anjali here:
Instagram
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E13 - Jenna Rae Cakes - Best friends, best cheerleaders, best in what they do. How twin sisters overcame it all to build a highly successful bakery brand!
Hey everyone, this week we are really excited to head to Winnipeg in Canada to speak with two very well-known twin sisters Jenna and Ashley of Jenna Rae Cakes.
This is quite a story because what you see today of there amazing company has so much behind to get it to where It is. Jenna is the baker and Ashley is the designer. The beauty about this pairing meant that Ashley always had Jenna's back when it came to an outside mind to help style, present, and market Jenna’a creations.
But it wasn’t easy. Jenna spent years working in a commercial kitchen through the night to bake as she couldn’t bake at home. Then going off to do her day job in between.
Ashley was working in graphic design and had her own career but could see how she could help her sister in marketing these beautiful creations. But it wasn’t always planned this way. It never is right?
But look at them now. Food Network cake judges, numerous TV and magazine features, 3 shops, a best-selling recipe book.....it’s amazing! I can’t wait for you to hear their story…. So let’s jump right in with Jenna Rae Cakes.
Website:
Instagram
Facebook
Youtube
Their book:
Amazon Canada
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
Amazon Australia
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E12 - Cotton and Crumbs - How employing my husband to do the boring bits of the business helped me grow.
Hey everyone, this week it’s back to northern England to chat with Tracy of Cotton and Crumbs. Just 2 years into running her business she realised that not every aspect of running a cake business is exciting. For most of us, it’s the decorating or designing bit - the art - that we all really enjoy.
So, she employed her husband to do all the boring bits. Baking the cakes, making the buttercream or ganache, cleaning! This then allowed Tracy to focus on what she did best and what she enjoys the most. Designing cakes, and especially making flowers.
Tracy’s ability to create flowers for her cakes are some of the best we’ve seen. Her style is all about elegance with contemporary wedding cake design. You notice I say the word “design” a lot because you guys are ARTISTS and what you design on a cake is nothing short of incredible!
It’s good to remind yourself of that because you don’t just make cakes, you create art that’s edible! Tracy’s been in this game for a while now and has a lot of sound advice to share especially for wedding cake listeners.
So, let’s jump right in…. Enjoy this one.
Find out more on Tracy here:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E11 - Ekaterina (Ekats) - How to leave the corporate life, become a couture cake artist, and enjoy every moment doing it.
Hey everyone, we’re off to Brisbane Australia this week to sit down with Ekaterina, or Ekats as you may know her by. The timing of this conversation is fitting as you’re about to find out and we meet Ekats at a point in her career where although she’s done so much it still feels like she’s just getting started.
She’s a highly creative person - I mean, just go look at her instagram feed where she can match a her incredible style of dress to a cake over and over - and she finds inspiration in so many things and channels that into so many different areas.
After all, her corporate life was in sales and marketing for various well-known brands so she’s got a lot of experience to draw on - but she’s not keeping it to herself and shares extensively what she’s learnt and teaches so many in her own courses.
This conversation is full of inspiring stories so lets not waste any more time and here get right to it. Enjoy this one!
To find out more about Ekats....
Website
Instagram
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E10 - Finch Bakery - The story of Finch told for the first time! They were told it just wouldn't work. So how did they make Finch the brand they are today?
This week we’re talking to one of our most requested bakers to interview for this podcast - Finch Bakery - Rachel and Lauren, twin sisters who started this journey just over 10 years ago have built a well-known UK bakery bakery in the North West of England. Throughout this journey, it's amazing to see how they have stayed humble, true to themselves, and so transparent during the whole process.
If you want to know what it takes, and I mean what it TRULY takes in those first years of running a business, you must give this one a listen. It’s just not something you can learn in a business degree. You need to hear it from Rachel and Lauren. The hours, the hard work, and the desire to stay in it loving what you do even if you’re spending 18 hours a day on it. This… is genuine entrepreneurship.
This is a bit longer than most of our usual episodes, but we’re talking to two people not one so there’s a bit more to say! Stay with us as the untold story of Finch Bakery is about to be heard for the first time. Enjoy…
Website:
www.finchbakery.com
Instagram
Facebook
Get their book!
(UK)
(USA)
(Canada)
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This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel
E09 - Amy's Little Cakery - How to play the fine balancing act of having a day job and a baking job. Plus, what it's like to go viral!
Welcome back to season 2! Have you missed us? We are so excited to be back and really happy to have another line-up of amazing bakers for this season.
Today, we’re in the North of England to speak with Amy of Amy’s Little Cakery. You may know her from some of her cartoon cakes she’s recently done, but this story goes back a little further.
Holding down a busy day job while also baking on the weekends is not easy, but welcome to Amy’s life. Regardless of this Amy has been able to put out all kinds of cakes. And not just fondant or buttercream. There are been florals, gravity-defying architectural cakes, wedding cakes, and of course, cartoon cakes to name a few.
Her desire to keep pushing herself and try new things has got her some interesting attention. Just this past week she went viral and ended up being interviewed on a US news channel. What does it feel like to go viral? How does one keep on top of all the busy schedules? What truly keeps this woman going? We’re about to find, so enjoy this episode and it’s good to be back!
Find out more about Amy here:
This podcast is produced in London and Madrid by OLBAA.
OLBAA makes the best dessert packaging on the market because it's designed by a baker and not by a spreadsheet. From strong and tall cake boxes, to the game-changing tall cupcake boxes, OLBAA loves to innovate the packaging to make bakers' bakes look the best they can be. After all, you've spent hours making all those amazing desserts, why put them in a cheap and flimsy box? Show it off and make a statement with OLBAA.
To find out more, head over to www.olbaa.shop
Sponsorship enquires (starting at as little as £50) and any questions you may have, send them over to info@olbaa.uk
See you next time on My Baking Journey!
-Haf & Rachel