We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenn Gould a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jenn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Life is messy and so are cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and anything else that is delicious in this world. As a self-proclaimed funny person who has also experienced a bit of trauma, I have always been a little self-deprecating. Little Crumby Bakeshop was born in the height of the pandemic. I needed a reprieve from the doldrums of being a full-time classroom teacher.

When I began the business, I waffled back and forth between “Little Crumby Bakeshop” (not to be confused with Little CRUMBLY) and “Ain’t That Sweet”. I polled my closest friends, my personal Instagram followers, and it was a 50/50 split. As much as I loved the other, I felt a pull towards Little Crumby, lovingly referred to as LCB or Lil’ Crumby.

I appreciate a good dad joke, puns, and a play on words. I love watching people pass by the signage hung in my tent at the Farmers Market and laugh to themselves or whomever they’re with. My preferred clients are the ones who let me do my thing, but my FAVORITE ones are the ones who share a similar sense of humor.

Jenn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a busy wife and mom of three. I had a full-time classroom teacher position that I loved for many years prior to pursuing my passion of owning a tiny bakeshop. I have baked for pleasure for as long as I can remember. It all started back in the 90s with an Easy Bake Oven. Many years later, I remember purchasing a book off of Amazon when I was pregnant with my oldest “How to Start a Cupcake Business”. I received it in the mail, and then never opened it. The idea of “owning a business” and having a baby at the same time seemed too overwhelming to me.

I went to school while rearing babies and entered the classroom shortly after graduating with my master’s in education. Enter the pandemic. I had three tiny humans and a husband at home vying for my attention all while trying to maintain a career and keep up with chores and an overwhelming sense of doom and dread. It felt impossible to do it all. I needed an outlet, a break from e-mailing needy parents, whiny kids, and folding laundry.

I started baking consistently every day. It started there with macarons. And I don’t know about your family, but mine does not need to eat 45 of them every day. If you are not familiar with this notoriously finicky treat, it demands perfection. Oven too hot? Toss em. Over-macaronaged? Throw them away. Too humid? Soupy snacks for the trash. Meringue not stiff enough? Right to the dumpster. I could go on and on. I watched thousands of videos, took notes, and invested in all of the supplies. At one point, my husband and I were crouched over a tray closely analyzing what could’ve gone wrong. It was my favorite part of the night. The two of us in the kitchen together.

My students and co-workers at the time also reaped the benefits of having a baker for a teacher. They shared their favorites, their feedback, and their ideas with me for future flavors. I eventually started taking orders and offering “porch-pick up” and school delivery all while figuring out how to permit my home to successfully start a legitimate business.

Ultimately, the stress of teaching and raising a young family became too much for me. I started to consider the idea of taking the business full-time and really putting my best foot forward. Hustle culture has always gotten the best of me, so I wasn’t afraid of the long hours, or the hard work needed to start a business from the ground up.

My first summer in business showed me that I really could do it. I joined a farmers market and quite literally never looked back. Those markets led to connections and custom orders. Those connections and custom orders led to additional markets and increased reach across the Merrimack Valley. It was there I found my “groove”. Connecting with the community, small business owners alike, and doing something that really made me feel happy and proud all at once.

The truth was, I didn’t need to teach. I could be home with my family, creating beautiful pieces of edible artwork each week. I could heal the parts of me that learned to “hustle”. I could quiet the parts of my mind that never shut off working a traditional job that I was once so sure was the only thing I could do or be good at.

Little Crumby Bakeshop is more than macarons, cake, and cookies. It’s freedom. It’s flexibility. It’s creativity. It’s community.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

My favorite thing about the presence I have on my social media is that it happened organically. My followers were not purchased. I didn’t need to spend hours creating reels or learning new skills. I didn’t need to hire a social media manager. I show up each day in my stories. I share photos I like paired with music I like. I occasionally create a reel if I have the time, or the content prepared. I also consistently show up in my community. My clients know when and where and how to find me.

The truth is: I am a busy mom. I don’t photograph or take video of everything I create. I have a business that needs running, e-mails that need sending, invoices that need to be created, and all sorts of treats to be baked. Your social media following is not the end all be all, but it DOES help.

I do have several tips for those who are just starting out:

1. Get out into your community. Vendor events are happening everywhere all the time. Find a place that matches your vibe. For me it’s local breweries. Beers and treats go hand in hand.
2. Start following other small business owners in your area. Like, share, and comment on their content. Create organic relationships that feel right for you AND your business.
3. Be consistent and show your face. My favorite accounts are the ones that I know more than just the brand. I know the person behind the brand.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Consistency is the name of the game here. Not only does everything I bake and create need to taste great but I only put out work that matches my own high expectations and high standards. With that comes a loyal following of customers who have grown to love and appreciate that level of work within the market. Choosing Little Crumby means a few things: creative freedom, exceptional taste, and attention to detail.

1. My favorite customers send me an invitation or their Pinterest board and really let me do my thing. It’s a level of trust that is unmatched and my favorite thing about the business that I have.
2. If it doesn’t taste good, it’s not leaving my kitchen. If the execution isn’t there, it’s not leaving my kitchen. I have incredibly high standards for the work that I put out. At LCB we used high quality ingredients and I feel that really makes a difference.
3. My clients are why I have this business in the first place. Custom orders are treated with the utmost care and the attention to detail is unmatched. I spend hours of my time sourcing the appropriate ingredients, and decor to make your vision really come to life.

Little Crumby’s reputation was built on consistency.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.littlecrumbybakeshop.com
• Instagram: @little.crumby.bakeshop
• Facebook: @little.crumby.bakeshop

Image Credits
@candicej.photography @illumebymc Instagram Handles