Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brittnee Powell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Brittnee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I used to work in a Fine Dining Restaurant here in my city and cultivated some really great friendships before leaving. One day after 3 years from me leaving there one of the chefs that I was really good friends with requested a birthday cake for their brother. I was super nervous but being the awesome friend he was he steadily encouraged me. Listened to my ideas while working together and bouncing ideas off of each other for some time after. I agreed to do the cake. It was a rainbow layer 2-tier cake with black and gold as the event colors. IT went over really, really well and that date was 03/19. Since then I have grown tremendously as a person, friend and chef.

Brittnee, 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’ve always had a love of cooking. I spent majority of my childhood I spent watching my grandmother cook/bake., so the passion was always there it was just birthed much later in life. I got into this industry after becoming a mom of then 1 while residing in Va. I started culinary school for pastry to learn basics while working a full time job. I was going to work at 6am-230pm., catching a bus to culinary school and attending class until 11pm nightly. Weekends were my only off days from that schedule. I still had to spend time with my daughter as much as possible. I went from losing my job due to “undisclosed reasons”, having to make the decision to move home to Ga and try to start anew at the Savannah location for culinary school only to have my financial aid stress me more. So I eventually left the program and move to my home city in Ga. I soon after started working at the fine dining restaurant. After 1.5 years i decided to become a SAHM with my then 2 kids and started to cultivate my my plan for my own business. I started small with cupcakes and simple 1 tier dessert cakes or birthday cakes until I found my target audience. I love what I do and will now focus on shipping certain items like poundcakes, cake jars, and frozen cheesecakes to start.

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

Never every go into any business thinking that your family or friends will be your customers. I have such a large family that have multiple events a year. I was deep in my feelings when I didn’t get asked to provide items for said event and if they did they expected it to be free. Not all but a few pushed the boundary with that. So I too time to truly determine if I wanted to work with said individuals. Needless to say all money isn’t good money and I have set my personal and business boundaries so that there isn’t any confusion. Some I work with and others I flat out will not. If it starts as a headache; it will most definitely end as one. My thin skin and light heartiness was put away real quick. So moral of the story; Strangers will love and support you more than whom you expect. It doesn’t matter what those persons title is to you. Do what makes you happen.

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

Social Media is very interesting, all platforms. Learn what works best on the chosen platforms you’re apart of and roll with it. For instance with me when I want to just scroll and see videos/reels/or posts and I don’t want sound I love I can mute the sound and enjoy. Learn the platforms, learn your targeted audience and post accordingly.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/BrittneesBakingTable
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrittneesBakingTable
• Other: www.Tiktok.com/BrittneesBakingTable

Image Credits
Brittnee Powell LaVar Slaughter Photography Ashley Snell Photography