We were lucky to catch up with Madeline Ashby recently and have shared our conversation below.
Madeline , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?
I absolutely take vacations! It’s been an extremely busy year for Maddie Cakes Bakery 2. There has been a consistent number of orders every month this year. In addition to the business, I also have schoolwork, extracurricular activities and social time with my friends. As much as I love baking, it was nice to take some time off and just travel. My family and I spent several weeks in Europe this summer and traveled around Greece, Italy and France. It was awesome to take that time to relax and recharge.
While in Europe, I visited several bakeries to taste different pastries that I wanted to try to make when I returned home. I even took a cooking class in France! When I returned home, I was excited to get back to baking!
I think for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away, I would say that it’s important to take care of yourself. Getting rest and relaxation does not mean that you are not committed to your business. It can make you more effective and taking that time to recharge can help you avoid burnout. I found that I returned with renewed energy, creativity, and focus!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’ve always loved baking. I decided to start my business during quarantine since I was home all day and homeschooled during that time. I was pretty much baking every day and realized how much I loved it. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and have always wanted to start my own business. I started off making chocolate treats (hot cocoa bombs) in December 2020 which were a big hit but decided moved more into my real passion which is baked goods- cakes and cookies.
When we first launched Maddie Cakes Bakery 2 in February 2021, we put an ad on Facebook expecting to get a few orders but was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response. There were 40 orders in our first week and business has been consistent and great ever since then. One of the biggest lessons that I have learned is time management and priority setting. I’ve learned how to manage my schedule so that I am able to balance my personal and business life and still be a kid but also run a professional business. I’m also lucky to have a very supportive family, including my brother, Michael who is my business partner.
I not only want to have a successful business, but I want to inspire other kids who dream of entrepreneurship to follow their passions. We aren’t too young to make an impact and find success in doing what makes us happy.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Social media is a powerful tool! I have been fortunate to have built a large following on Instagram with over 42K followers. I have found that being consistent in posting is important but also being patient as you grow your following. There are times when I feel that I have created great content but no one seems to notice, or it doesn’t get much response. Just keep posting. Don’t focus on going viral, buying followers or any of those “overnight” methods of growing your following. Just be authentic and let your audience see who you are.
I find that the posts that I get the most response on are the ones where I wasn’t focusing on creating the perfect lighting, with the perfect song while wearing the perfect outfit. It’s the ones where I was just doing what I love and having fun. Maybe my brother walked by in the background, or the icing busted out of my piping bag…but that’s real life and people want to see the real you and they appreciate the authenticity.
Another method of growing your following is to collaborate with others. That way you can cross promote each other and grow your brands. This is also a fun way to meet other content creators and influencers.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients has definitely been referrals. I still get clients who may have found the business page on social media or seen me on a tv interview or some type of media, but 85% of the clients are from word of mouth. I am so grateful for such loyal customers who continue to support Maddie Cakes Bakery2!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maddiecakesbakery2.com
- Instagram: maddiecakesbakery2
- Facebook: maddiecakesbakery2
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5dz2maERb9k_fw3Wou1nOg
- Other: Email: Info@maddiecakesbakery2.com