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

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

My first clients were my family and friends. The first paid order I received was from my Grandma, who had asked me to make a cake for her friend’s birthday. I would also get occasional orders from friends and neighbors who wanted to help on the road to achieving my dream. Family and friends have always been my biggest supporters; helping me taste test and offering input on menus for events. I had looked into having a home based baking business before, but it wasn’t something that was allowed. Once the pandemic hit and the food industry shut down, I went back to do more research, and found Minnesota had adopted a Cottage Food law, allowing many baked goods to be made and sold from home. This was an exciting revelation, as I found a way to start my own business without the overhead risk of a storefront. I was soon registered, and on December 7th, 2020 I typed up a post on Facebook, hit submit and crossed my fingers. A few minutes later, I had my first order! The messages continued to come in-it was such an exciting way to start! Most of the people that were ordering didn’t know me and had never tried my baking. I stayed up until 12:30am responding to messages that night, and woke up to even more the next morning. It was very surreal to realize I had finally made it! I continue to be so grateful for the community support; the dream I have had since the third grade is finally coming true!

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 have loved baking since the third grade. My friend and I would bake every time we got together, and dream of opening our own bakery. She has decided on a different career path, but it is one I have continued to pursue. I took a few classes at the local craft stores, and in high school took all the culinary classes that were available. Through a culinary competition in high school, I met my boss, who had seen me compete and was impressed enough to take a chance on offering me a part time job in the catering business. While I worked part time, I also enrolled in culinary school to learn more skills and gain some knowledge about the business aspects of running a bakery. I continued to learn many skills at work after graduation, and remained there until the pandemic. At that point I started going a little stir crazy and wanted to share my baking with others. It was at that time I decided to become a Cottage Food Producer and start selling my baked goods professionally. I have made custom orders for everything from Christmas cookies to wedding cakes, and love to be part of someone’s special day. My business name came about by realizing that is what I enjoy about baking-it makes me happy to bake for other people and my baking makes them happy. Thus the name Bake You Happy. I take pride in making everything fresh and from scratch, and was even awarded 4th place at the 2023 State Fair for my chocolate cake! It was such an honor to be recognized for my baking.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has been meeting community members at events. I participate in farmer’s markets, craft shows, and any other event I can. Getting to know the people in your community can help to tailor your menus and other aspects of the business. Some items may be more popular in certain areas, or with other demographics. It’s only by putting yourself out there that you will learn what sells best. Taking the time to talk to passers by, or anyone who comes to your table is also important. They may not need a baker at the time, but handing them a business card and telling them about your business could help you gain a future client. Being friendly and approachable will make you memorable-someone could remember your business name, or point you out to their friend at a market. Keeping an online presence is also important. Making sure your page is active, that you show the best pictures of your work, and continue to post your upcoming events and menus can help keep you in potential customers minds when they are looking for a baker. I also like to take the time to introduce myself to potential clients by commenting on posts that ask for recommendations for a baker. It only takes a few minutes, but makes your page more visible. You never know who else is looking for a baker; the more your name is seen, the greater chance someone will look up your work and inquire to see if you fit their needs.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I owe much of my growing reputation to my customers, family, and friends. They write reviews, share my posts, and tell their friends and neighbors about my baking; I am so thankful for their support. It helps my business name become more known in the community when they share, and the positive reviews from previous clients help build confidence in my brand. The businesses that host markets and craft fairs are also very supportive by encouraging their clients to try goods from myself and other vendors. Another part of growing my reputation has been maintaining the quality of my baked goods. With the exception of cakes, I take great pride in baking custom orders the day they are due. It is important to me that clients receive the freshest products possible. Even when making large quantities for a market, I spend the entire day before the event baking my products, and spend the morning of the event drizzling, making icing, and decorating. This is something I learned in catering. Even when we were making large quantities of food, it was always important to maintain the quality product we presented to our guests. I took that lesson to heart, and it has really paid off in my business practices.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063819585304
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Jessica Mayer-all food photos Joe Skifter-personal photo