We were lucky to catch up with Allary Braitsch recently and have shared our conversation below.

Allary, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?

Al Runs on Cake began during the early days of Covid while we were all locked in our houses. I had two young daughters home with me when I started and was balancing my professional role as a conservation agent while building my business. My friends and family’s support was pivitol in my success. They were my first customers, they allowed me to take risks on their cakes so I could try new techniques and grow my craft. They shared my work on social media, tagged me in posts and told their friends and family about me. They supported me every step along the way. Al Runs on Cake wouldn’t have grown as quickly as it did without my tribe. They allowed me to create a network of loyal clients, many of whom have become new and cherished friends. My friend’s and families support is in no way was limited to their purchases. I didn’t then and don’t now expect them to purchase my products. If they choose to, that’s fantastic and if they don’t, no worries at all. Supporting small businesses and your friends means more than financial contributions.

Allary, 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 have always enjoyed baking and spent countless hours watching my mother bake and helping her in the kitchen. I only began decorating cakes when I became a mother in the early days of Pinterest and thought “I can do that”. I couldn’t, my first cake for my daughter was horrible. It was a mound of off-white buttercream with pretzel rod trees and teddy grahams scattered around haphazardly to crudely depict a winter “one”derland theme. I made and decorated a few cakes a year for family birthdays and my skills quickly grew. I never had plans to leave my life as a wetland scientist, a role I held for 15 years and earned two supporting degrees in, but I burnt out of being the Lorax and was longing to lean into my creative side.

Covid provided me with an opportunity to explore cake baking and decorating more seriously and I began to see it as an alternative to being a wetland scientist. A bonus for me is that operating under cottage law and building my basement into a cake kitchen allows me to be more available for my kids. I no longer have to race home from a swamp to pick them up from daycare, or miss bedtimes because I’m presenting at a conservation hearing. I’m home and available more, even if I’m working while here.

Al Runs on Cake started as just cakes and then buttercream frosted sugar cookies and macarons, because I love both. I make items that I love eating myself. Most recently sourdough has been added to my list of offerings, which has me wondering if my name should be changed to Al Runs on Carbs. Al Runs on Cake is constantly evolving, which keeps me invested and excited for what’s next.

My skillset is broad. I bake from scratch. I make my own homemade buttercreams, and cake fillings. I decorate in both buttercream and fondant and have found a niche in 2d fondant details. I have made and loved elegant and elevated cake designs, and colorful explosions of fun in edible form. I approach each cake from my client’s perspective. It is their cake, not mine and I’m happy to create a cake to match their vision to the best of my ability.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I would not be where I am today without social media. My products are essentially edible art and social media offers me free marketing. It’s a seamless way to get my product in from of my community and build my client network.

How did you build your audience on social media?

In my early days before I had regular clients and was selling at in person events, I offered a weekly “Weird Wednesday” cake giveaway. I used this as an opportunity to try something new and push my boundaries as a decorating with little to no risk, because the cake was free to the winner and who is going to complain about a free cake. To enter the giveaway you had to like my post, tag someone who didn’t already follow me, and a bonus entry was offered to anyone who shared my post. I earned so many new followers from my weekly giveaway that within a year I had a large enough client base that I didn’t have time to make a free cake a week anymore and had to discontinue my Weird Wednesday offerings, though from time to time I still throw one out there for fun.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alrunsoncake.com
• Instagram: @al_runs_on_cake
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlRunsOnCake/

Image Credits
Amanda Silva Photography, Foxborough MA https://www.amandasilvaphotography.com