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

Alison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I have loved to bake and create in the kitchen for as long as I can remember. For most events in my life, and many casual non-events (sleepovers, days at school, etc.) I had a homemade baked good in hand to share. For years, I had relatives, friends, coworkers, all telling me that I should sell my creations and open a bakery. So in a major way, the idea came from those around me. But, it took a world shattering pandemic to give me the extra inspiration I needed to officially start Cakes + Co. Yep, this was a COVID passion project, similar to the stories of many other business owners.

The pandemic had hit the event industry HARD, and quite honestly, it was a pretty tough time. I was playing the bad guy constantly – talking through contracts that people wanted to get out of, grasping for business that was being discouraged (events were a big no no, of course), and the whole industry was scared for our jobs. I decided I needed a distraction, and since I was stuck at home, the kitchen seemed like a great place to invest myself. During the quarantine, myself and my parents were the only taste testers. Then, when things got a little more relaxed, I used one of my close friends as a guinea pig (shoutout to my girl, Lindsey). She paid me the cost of goods for the creations, and would take cakes to her family to try and pass along feedback. Pretty soon, I was able to open up orders to friends. I’ll never forget how scared I was the first day I posted on the Cakes + Co. Instagram page – it felt so real, so serious. But also, so EXCITING. As serious as it felt, I still never dreamed it would turn into what it did. After a few months, orders had become steady enough that I realized I might have a shot at turning this into a full time gig. I got to a point where I was having to turn down orders. I was working two full time jobs, running myself ragged, and I knew I had to choose a path.

Realizing that I wanted to pursue this full time, I thought through numbers (How much would I have to make to sustain myself financially? How many cakes would I have to sell? What pricing updates would I need to implement?), thought through my location (expensive downtown Nashville rent and the small apartment kitchen wasn’t going to cut it anymore), thought through the business side of things (insurance, LLC, the reallly fun stuff) – I did A LOT of thinking through things. But at some point, I knew it was ultimately a leap of faith that was going to occur if I was going to make this majorly terrifying life change. I made the leap, quitting my full time job, and I felt a sense of calm. I just knew that it was all going to work out exactly how it was supposed to, and that I would work as hard as I needed to to make that happen.

Alison, 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 have been in the event industry for almost a decade, wearing many different hats before I ended up as a business owner. I am a luxury cake artist, creating highly customized wedding and celebration cakes. I do not shy away from a creative challenge, veering away from traditional, overused designs; I focus on bringing a contemporary flare to the classic cake traditions we all know and love. Cakes + Co. provides a unique experience, tailoring the entire process and design to each specific client.

I am so proud of the artistic direction I have been able to take my portfolio and the company as a whole. I also take great pride in handling all aspects of the company, doing everything from sourcing the ingredients to delivering the wedding cakes. It is so important to me that all of my clients understand how much I care about the entire process, and how much of myself I pour into this company. That being said, my brand and my style is not for everyone, and that is completely fine. I always emphasize the importance of exploring my past works to understand how I differ from other bakers. There are so many factors that go into selecting the right vendors to work with, and I want to be sure I am the best fit possible for all of my clients! My ideal and typical client appreciates whimsy, texture, creativity, and originality. It has been such an incredible journey getting to meet so many wonderful clients, who inspire me and my work more than they will ever know.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This one might be a bit controversial, as I have been taught some version of this lesson in many different roles that I have had through the years. So to preface this, it isn’t one to COMPLETELY unlearn. In most industries, you hear “the customer is always right”, especially in any job that is involved with sales or customer service. While I absolutely still believe that you should be accommodating and do everything you possibly can to provide your clients with an incredible experience, my viewpoint has shifted and I have had to partially unlearn that famous motto.

As a business owner, an event professional, and especially as a creative, I believe we have to be able to effectively communicate when we don’t think something is the best option for our client, even if they think it is. We have to advocate for ourselves in order to do our best work. In the end, if we don’t see eye to eye on the overall direction of the order, I may not be able to deliver what they are expecting, and might be setting us both up for a let down. An example of this – if someone wants to order a cake from me that isn’t in my artistic wheelhouse, I need to communicate (in a respectful, and kind way) that another design idea will work best if I am handling the order, or that another baker might be a good option.

I have realized that creating a great experience for a client does NOT mean they are always right, and it is our job to be a resource for them and provide them with knowledge that we have worked hard to collect. After all, why hire someone if you don’t trust them and respect their expertise? Earlier on in my journey as a business owner, I felt pressured to take any order that came my way to ensure a steady cash flow and grow my client base. Now I know that by minimizing orders that don’t fit with my aesthetic and skill set, I actually attract my target clients – those who want to collaborate creatively, or trust me to run with a vision.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I’d say my new and existing clientele have come from a mix of word of mouth/referrals, product placement, and social media exposure. Word of mouth and referrals are HUGE for any business owner, and always the highest form of flattery. I truly strive to connect with my clients and develop genuine relationships with them, and they are kind enough to connect me with others like themselves. Product placement is sort of a built in bonus with cakes, as they are always on display. This prompts potential clients to ask the hostess/planner/bride/etc. “Who made that cake?!”. I always try to do my part to make sure the cake display is as impactful as possible, surpassing just the cake design but consulting with them on the cake stand, backdrop, location, climate control, to be sure I have set them up for success with my creation. This ensures that they will get the most out of their order, and also that those attending the event will be impressed and intrigued. Lastly, social media is an incredible tool for business growth. I have incoming leads pretty much daily on social media. My strategy for this is simply to make sure I tag those who I work with, and ask them to do the same. It is so important to give credit to other creatives that you work alongside, and I have found that it is a win-win for everyone regarding exposure to new clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cakesandco.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_cakes_and_co/

Image Credits

Justin McGregor with SAMKOMA