We recently connected with Katy Porter-Conley and have shared our conversation below.
Katy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
Having worked in the culinary field for many years, I have had experience as a “worker bee,” a manager and an owner.
The unpredictable nature of the food business has led to many moments where I question my decision to start my own business. During particularly slow weeks, I can feel very discouraged; payroll, rent, utilities and supply costs do not disappear just because sales have decreased! The periods directly after major holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter – are particularly slow for bakeries.
It is easy to overthink these “slumps” – Did I do something wrong? Was a product not up to our usual standards? Is something negative being said about my business on social media?
When I think back on my experience as a cook, I remember the 12-hour workdays, the difficult bosses and coworkers, the dirty, cramped kitchens, and I realize those years of sometimes challenging work guaranteed a steady paycheck, but did not give me any real sense of accomplishment. As a business owner, I work longer hours, my paycheck is not guaranteed, but I am working toward growth for my business, my team and my community. It all feels more worthwhile.
A strong support system of other small business owners has also been a tremendous help. Every industry experiences slow periods. Other business owners can offer a shoulder to cry on and words of encouragement – business may be slow right now, but an uptick in sales is on the horizon; that’s the nature of any business.
Katy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the owner of Kitschen Bakery, a farm to table bakery in Marysville, OH. I have been operating the business for over a decade, graduating from farmers markets and a small farm stand to a full-scale retail location. All of our baked goods are made from scratch with natural ingredients.
One of the key elements that sets Kitschen Bakery apart from other food businesses is our dedication to local agriculture. We source as many of our ingredients as possible from small local farms in our area. We have an excellent network of farmers and producers that make our bakery a part of the local community.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I ran Kitschen Bakery as a home-based bakery for a decade before opening a brick-and-mortar location. I sold my baked goods at farmers markets, by order and at a small shop at my farm. I knew a larger location was a possibility in the future, so I saved all my earnings to help fund a potential expansion. When a retail space became available, I was able to afford my start-up costs using the money I had set aside for ten years prior. Being able to work toward a goal and use my own capital was liberating and allowed me a lot of freedom in growing my business!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
For us, word of mouth has been the single most helpful form of advertising. Our customers tend to be passionate about natural food, baked goods and local agriculture. That makes them very loyal and very likely to refer other like-minded customers to our business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kitschenbakery.com/
- Instagram: kitschenbakeryllc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kitschenbakery