We recently connected with Grayce Holloway and have shared our conversation below.
Grayce , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?
It is extremely important to me that my business is a safe place for my entire staff. I strive every day to create an empowering, open, honest, and loving space for each of my team members. I strongly believe that there are no bad teams, only bad leaders. Any time there have been bumps in the road in team morale, systems in the bakery, or miscommunications of any kind, we all sit down as a team and clear the air. I admit when I make mistakes and I communicate with my team to improve. My entire team and I lead by example, with intention, and with compassion.
I believe, personally and professionally, that everyone deserves respect and understanding. My business is a safe haven for so many, including myself. My expectation that the business is an inclusive and loving space for everyone sets the tone for management, team members, and guests.
Everyone on my team leads from where they are, steps in whenever necessary, and uplifts one another every day. This is not because they will be written up if they don’t or because I am pressuring them to, but because I have fostered a truly tight-knit work environment where we are a team.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a wife and mom of 5. I started decorating cakes at my kitchen table after losing one of my twins ( Izaac ) during my pregnancy in 2018. I made a Facebook page to post my creations and my loss journey which quickly turned into the beautiful, whimsical, Cakery luncheonette that we have today!
My mom decorated cakes in the 90’s and as I got older she started to teach me. I’d make one or two cakes a year for friends and family until 2019, just a few months after having the boys, I made a cake and for the first time in months I wasn’t crying. I had finally found my creative outlet and something to pour all of my love in to. I never planned to leave my kitchen table, but as the demand grew for my products, so did my team! I am so proud of all of the events we have gotten to be apart of. And all of the events we have gotten to speak at so we can bring more awareness to post partum depression and recovery.
Any advice for managing a team?
As a leader it is important to me that all of my team members love what they are doing within the company and that they love to come to work every day. I truly believe that individuals work at their best when they feel heard, appreciated,and valued. When hiccups in our systems occur we meet as a team and share ideas based mostly on past experiences to improve our performance. Everyone’s input is so incredibly valuable and many times the newest employees have the best ideas! The best part about having a team is how all of our lives can improve inside and outside of the building by being open and honest in sharing wants and needs within. All of my team members are asked where they would like to be in the bakery and what their scheduling needs are. We do our best to accommodate as a team and help eachother when school schedules change or pregnancies occur. Meeting people where they are and helping them grow as individuals is the highest priority.
In some ways, being a leader can be the most challenging part of owning a business. However, my team amazes me every day and makes it all so worth it! By being their biggest advocate and following their lead, they have brought some of the most integral changes and ideas to how we run each day at the bakery!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
I represent myself on social media as a I am: a mom, a first-time business owner, and a human being. There have been very hard times that I have experienced as a business owner in the last few years. I have found that, although it is hard, if I am honest and vulnerable the community around me wants to help and support me and my business. My active presence on social media has impacted my customer base and built a strong and supportive community. For example, we suffered a major loss when our storage cooler broke overnight. Instead of hiding the very scary struggle of trying to figure out how to financially manage, I shared my fears and struggles with my audience. I was blown away at the support I recieved and we ended up raising money to cover to cost of a new cooler and even had some people reach out wanting to donate a new cooler for free. I am found with honesty and transparency comes relatability both with my team and our customers. When you are relatable then people can have empathy and with empathy comes understanding and patience. This in my opinion has been the most beneficial thing I have done as a leader in my building and in the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.icingforizaac.com
- Instagram: IcingForIzaac
- Facebook: IcingForIzaac
- Yelp: Icing For Izaac
Image Credits
Not all twins photo – Fort Wayne business journal