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

MJ, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

When coming up with the name of my brand, I really wanted to go with something that is truly authentic. My authenticity is what sets my business apart from others, so it’s important to me that my business name really reflects that.

For some background, I pursue acting and I also have many other creative hobbies and pursuits that are an important part of my life. So when I decided I wanted to start my business, I feared that my business would overshadow, or worse, cancel out all of my other creative pursuits. I remember having the thought, “If I start this business, does that mean I’m no longer an actor?” I hated the idea of being defined by just one thing.

I reassured myself that it doesn’t have to be that way. Who says I have to be defined by just one thing? I can still do everything I want to do, and bake, too!… and bake, too… Light bulb moment. That’s where I had the initial concept for my business name: “She Bakes, Too.”

I loved the concept of “She Bakes, Too.” because it had that authenticity that I was striving for. But I also felt that “She Bakes, Too.” had a really empowering message overall. It’s a reminder that we are limitless, and we can do whatever we set our minds to.

So obviously I had to run “She Bakes, Too.” past some close friends and family members. When I ran the title by my friend, Ivy, she loved the concept, but she thought that “Too.” would be mistaken for a “2”. She said: “What about ‘And She Bakes’ instead?” And BOOM! And She Bakes was born!

I could not think of a more fitting name for my business than And She Bakes. I love that it’s authentic, empowering and that it was developed through collaboration with my loved ones.

She does it all…. And She Bakes!

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.

Sure thing! My name is Madelyn but you can call me MJ. I’m the owner and one-woman-show behind And She Bakes.

Between my life-long sweet tooth, and being a part of a large Italian family that appreciates food, I naturally picked up baking as a hobby.

Growing up, I always loved cooking and baking, but I specifically got into making cakes about 6 years ago. After watching a baking competition show, I was inspired to make my first ever layer cake. The science, the precision and the artistry that went into making this cake was a very satisfying and rewarding process for me. I was immediately hooked.

From that moment, baking, and cake-ing, became a passionate hobby for me. I began to teach myself everything I could. Books, youtube videos, and practicing recipes on my own… a delicious journey eventually leading me to create And She Bakes.

The idea to start And She Bakes really hit me after making my sister’s birthday cake last year. I took a step back and thought that maybe, just maybe, it was time for this hobby to become something more. Scary!! Like any human being, I had some limiting beliefs about starting a business and how difficult that would be. I had no idea how to do it! But step by step, I figured it out… And let me tell you, I am STILL figuring it out. The learning never ends!

And She Bakes has been an incredibly fulfilling part of my life. I’m learning, I’m growing and I’m proving to myself that I am capable of so much. Not to mention, I’ve always been a creative person, and being able to put edible art out into the world feels perfectly aligned with my purpose in life and who I am at my core.

And She Bakes just turned 1 last month and I feel incredibly proud of this milestone. As mentioned previously, I am a one-woman-show. I can’t believe I’ve been keeping this thing going for a year. It makes me feel like I can do anything (and like I should maybe hire a team soon?.. phew!). I want to give a shout out to all of my incredible friends and family who have supported me, and all of my amazing clients who have helped turn my little baking dream into a reality.

And She Bakes is a home-based bakery, creating luxury, bespoke cakes and cakesicles. What sets And She Bakes apart from others is that my creations are just as delicious as they are beautiful. One of my favorite parts about baking is knowing that my art gets to be enjoyed by almost every sense: sight, touch, smell and TASTE. It’s important to me that every level of consuming an And She Bakes product is absolutely decadent. Let’s create edible art together!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Social media and word of mouth have been the most helpful tools for building my clientele.

People live for photos these days. And especially when it comes to custom artistry, people want to see what you can do. It gives potential clients the comfort and confidence to invest in your product. That’s why social media has been the most powerful, FREE, tool that has brought me a lot of clients.

I’m not even very strategic about how I post on social media. My only strategy right now: don’t overthink, just post! And, while I’m not a social media expert, that would be my advice for anyone like me, who wears a lot off different hats for their small business and maybe doesn’t have all the time in the world to dive deep into social media strategy. Just gather some content, put it out into the world, and let the product speak for itself!

From there, word of mouth has been extremely helpful. And that’s where quality and consistency comes into play. Making sure that every new client has a wonderful experience with my product – from ordering it, to picking it up, to eating it – makes it more likely that they will recommend my business to someone else… and even better, becoming a returning customer.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Being a small business, I’m able to personally communicate and build relationships with my clients. I think this makes a difference because it adds a level of humanity and authenticity to my business. If I have the opportunity to build a relationship with my client, that client is no longer just investing in just And She Bakes as a business, but they’re now also investing in me as a person. This helps build brand loyalty, but also makes my clients feel seen and special – because they are!

Contact Info:

• Website: andshebakesnashville.com
• Instagram: @andshebakesnashville
• Other: TikTok: @andshebakesnashville

Image Credits
For the photo with the “one year” cake: photo credit to Lacy Hartselle Buffat / Headshots with Heart For the photo with the red backdrop: photo credit to Davis Delisi / Studio Grape Jelly