November 13, 2024 • 26 mins
Have you ever wondered how a passion for baking can transform into a successful business? Meet Katelyn Brewer from Sweet Kate Bakery, whose journey from a childhood surrounded by family bakers to a thriving cake business in Utah is truly inspiring. Balancing a local business with an online presence comes with its own set of challenges and rewards, and Katelyn's faith-filled foundation provides the resilience and positivity needed to thrive in both arenas.
Her infectious joy and courage serve as a beacon for those wrestling with self-doubt. Whether you're starting a home baking business or just love a good success story, Katelyn's journey is sure to leave an imprint on your heart.
Follow and support Kate and all of her awesomeness by clicking here
Two ways I help my students earn $2-10k monthly👇?
1.) Grow your home bakery business inside The Entrepreneur Community by clicking here
2.) Learn to sell digital products inside Digital Product Community by clicking here
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, sweet friends, my name is Chef Sean Bird.
I started my baking businesswith a bottle of DeSorono and
one Bundt cake pan.
Fast forward to today, fromnews to magazines, speaking on
national stages and more.
I can truly say that baking haschanged my life.
So now, as a bakery businesscoach, I get to help others have
the same success.
I've helped hundreds of mystudents across the world in my
(00:24):
global membership program createsix-figure businesses, mainly
from home.
The Baking for Business podcastis an extension of that, from
actionable tips to valuabletools and resources that can
impact you as a business owner.
I truly believe y'all.
We would never have been givena gift if we couldn't profit and
prosper from it.
So come on, darling.
What are you waiting for?
(00:45):
Hey, what's going on?
Baking friends?
And welcome to the Baking forBusiness podcast.
Today, you are going to justfeel so joyful.
You have no choice but to feeljoyful, because whenever Caitlin
Brewer slides down your feed,you always know that positive
(01:11):
vibes are ensured to follow.
And so today on the Baking forBusiness podcast, we actually
have Caitlin Brewer from SweetCake Bakery here.
So, Caitlin, welcome to theBaking for Business podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Thank you so much.
I'm overjoyed to be here.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm a fan of the show, so it'sa little surreal to be on here.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Absolutely.
You're more than welcome,beautiful, and so, for those who
may not know about you, tell mehow did you start your journey,
or how did you get started withbaking?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
definitely baked goods, and so growing up I would
always go on donut runs with mydad or to a fun bakery to grab
some sweet, to show some love tomy mom from him to her, which
is always very special.
And then, of course, the sparkof the love of baking with
family whether it's cookies orcakes was always there for sure,
because that was a big waypeople showed love in our
(02:06):
community.
And so when I started watchingthese shows of Cake Boss and
Cupcake Wars, I was like, oh mygosh, there's more to baking
than I even knew, and I wantedto get in the kitchen and try it
out and have incrediblysupportive parents that let me
get into the kitchen and reallyjust experiment, make a lot of
(02:27):
mess and a lot of joy throughthat process of just trying,
which was so much fun, with alot of failures, I got to say,
but a lot of sweet success too.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Amen, I love that.
It's always a blessing when wehave supportive parents.
Did you have a grandma oranyone else in the family who
had the baking bug, or you justgot bit by it?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Absolutely.
I have grandparents that loveit, specifically my grandma and
my aunt Shannon.
She had a cookie business onthe side and it was the best
days ever because she never hadchildren of her own, but she
would always have her nieces andnephews over for sleepovers and
I always wanted to bake withher.
So that was definitely akindling of this baking fire
(03:13):
that started.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
I love that.
And for those who areunfamiliar, what state are you
in and how do you operate?
Are you a cottage baker?
Do you use commercial space ordo you just keep it cottage, or
how do you operate?
Are you a cottage baker?
Do you use commercial space, ordo you just keep it cottage, or
how do you operate?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
So I am located in Utah and I work under cottage
food, so I have half my businessof doing orders and then I have
the other half of sharing thejoy online, which is so fun that
I get to have feet in both andparty through each.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Absolutely.
I love both.
I'm a huge fan of that.
When it comes to building abusiness and getting started,
because so many bakers they havethis joy like you.
Maybe they enjoy it, butthere's always this fear of
should I go for it, should Istart the business?
What made you decide to say youknow what I'm actually going to
(04:05):
turn this into a business andactually start offering your
sweets and your cakes to yourlocal community.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I love that yes.
So how I got started was I was14 when I started.
I was 13 when I started sharingthe things I was making in the
kitchen with my community andthen in my church, one of the
young women's leaders was likehey, will you make cupcakes for
my kid's birthday coming up?
(04:33):
And I was like heck, yes, let'sdo it.
Both my parents areentrepreneurs and from a young
age I caught that bug of youknow what?
We're going to make magichappen, let's do it.
And so it was through thatprocess of just saying yes to
the things that came way andincredibly supportive people
that saw that talent in me andnourished it through support,
(04:55):
that really grew that passion.
And I'm so grateful for thatopportunity that, even as I
think, in my adolescence, as achild, to have that excitement
for saying yes, because as anadult it can be really scary
because we've seen theconsequences of maybe things not
going so well and so I try tohold on to that young spirit of
(05:21):
you know what?
This is really just a joyfulthing and we're going to have
highs and lows because we trulycare about it and that is a
superpower, in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
It really is and, like another superpower, you so
gracefully show up and talkabout that.
Like, although you always havethis positive attitude, you're
not afraid to say, hey, I'mgoing to give this a try and I
don't know how it's going to go.
Or hey, here's a recent fail,and so I love that, because too
often people struggle with beingvulnerable on social media.
(05:54):
Where do you get all thisconfidence from that you exude.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Oh, you are so kind and I'm personally a very
spiritual person and so myconfidence or my joy, I like to
say, comes from knowing myidentity as a child of God, and
so that is the most importantthing.
And there's going to be otherinfluences in this world, but
(06:20):
it's that pure identity of whowe are, meaning that we've been
given a purpose to do here.
We've been given certaintalents and gifts and interests
that are supposed to not onlysupport us but also others.
I love that you say in yourmessage of the podcast that
we've been given gifts for notonly profitability but
(06:41):
prosperity, and that's wherethat central why comes from for
me.
So when those impostersyndromes or feelings of doubt
come in, I'm able to go back toyou know what.
There's someone out there likeme because I'm self-taught and I
learned so much from otherbakers being willing to share
(07:03):
that needs, this, and sometimesit's me going back to my own
content and be like, oh yeah, Ilearned this already, but it's
super helpful, and so I just tryto talk to the one and I'm
amazed at how the one hasmultiplied and that is truly a
blessing, I see.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Oh, my gosh girl.
Most beautiful answer.
I love it.
And you're right, that's thebest way for us to serve the
many is to just by showing upand serving one.
So I love that.
Your faith plays an amazingpart in your beautiful
personality.
You always have the most cutesylooking dresses, and so that
(07:44):
transition to the wedding cakebusiness.
How is that?
So what are some tips that youhave for growing that portion of
the wedding cake business forthose who, like a lot of bakers,
are looking to jump over andget started in the wedding
industry?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yes, weddings are such an exciting thing because
they're high risk, high reward,which means they're high risk
and high reward, and sosomething that has really helped
with that is one.
Yes, we want to make the money,but also I want to create a
(08:28):
special moment for you guys.
So that starts from meeting thecouple.
I got my name out with word ofmouth, along with social media,
going to these wedding expos andsharing the, the magic that is
you.
I think people, there's a reason.
People follow you not just onsocial media, but want to be
(08:49):
around you, because you have theenergy and the joy that people
want to hold on to, and so beingable to share that with others
is very impactful and it willcarry you through your business
if you're able to share yourheart and who you are, which can
be really scary, becausewhenever we put ourselves out
there, there can be a rejection.
(09:10):
But you know what?
We're not for everybody, andthat's okay, but you are for
somebody, and when you're goinginto stretching into the wedding
cake business, I want you tocreate that why?
Because that's going to be whatpropels you forward.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
That's a beautiful answer.
You're so right.
I love that.
And so, speaking of sharingsharing you and the things that
make you, as you've grown yourbusiness, which has done amazing
you in turn turned around andyou began to share things from
your business, aka digitalproducts, as we know.
(09:49):
But there is always a jump tothat because so many people like
yourself, you get askedquestions what's this, what's
your flavor, what's this?
And I find so many bakersstruggle with I don't want to
give my recipe.
There's this mindset of if Igive this person this thing,
they're going to do better thanme, they're going to go further
(10:11):
than me, they're going to takemy recipe and walk away and turn
into a millionaire.
And so, when it came time tonot just sharing the tips in
your business, but opening upand sharing your recipes and
your business with people, howdid you manage to do that?
Was there ever that hump there,that thought, or what was the
mindset shift that allows you tosay you know what honey have my
(10:33):
recipe?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Definitely it's a big step to transition and what
really helped me was it wasquite organic, where I was
sharing just like the excitementof like yo, I made this like to
my friends and family on socialmedia to being more of a
business owner of hey, look whatI can make for you with those
transitions.
(10:55):
And then, where it turned intothose digital products, were
people asking you know what I'mstruggling with my buttercream,
like, can you please help me?
And at first I really had thatmindset of but like if I share
it with you, who knows if I'llever get an order again, which
is terrifying.
But what I found is there is aneed and when you're part of the
(11:16):
baking community, there is moresupport than you could ever
imagine when you open your heartto it and you also share in it,
because there is need for sweettreats everywhere.
There is donuts in every gasstation across the country.
If that is so attainable,people will find you and it's
(11:42):
being open to that that mattersthe most.
And so seeing that and seeingthe outpouring of love and also
the need for help helped me takethe things I was holding on to
with such fervor.
And you know what I found?
That when you just like leaders, you lead better with an open
(12:04):
hand than you do with a tightfist, because you're able to
share, and that really helped metransition and because it
wasn't about I'm amazing, checkout this recipe, I'm the most
incredible.
It was hey, I see you.
I see that you're strugglingwith this.
This is what I've learned andthat made all the difference
(12:30):
learned and that made all thedifference.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So true, I love the way you addressed that mindset.
And so, speaking of products,what are some of the ones that
you have, or maybe, let's say,your your top three sellers that
you have that you offer toothers as well?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Absolutely.
So yes, I have the successes,but I also want to say I do have
the flops, where I've put out aproduct and it has flopped and
it's terrible.
But you know, we learnedsomething different.
The need I saw wasn't quitethere in the product and that's
okay.
So those things are going tohappen and they're great data
points to be able to one grievethat expectation but also be
(13:06):
like, okay, this wasn't quiteright.
Was it the price?
Was it the content?
Was it how I presented it topeople.
That's very important.
So I started out with mybuttercream masterclass because
I saw so many questions aroundbuttercream and I was like I get
it.
I see all these different typesof buttercream, but I also know
(13:26):
from experimenting with themthey are for different purposes.
In my experience of humidityand super dry and the crazy
temperatures, we can be battlingwith a delicious cake.
Also, the preferences ofsweetness can be adjusted.
So I really wanted to, in adigital format, sit down and
(13:47):
share that and that was a greatseller at first.
And then I found classes onlinevery helpful where it was a
live class.
That was very beneficial for mybottom line, where I could hop
on literally Instagram videocall with someone across the
(14:08):
country or across the world andbe able to share information on
a one-on-one basis.
So those two were great.
And then the most recent successI've had is with a recipe which
I call magic with cream,because again I saw people
wanting this structuralbuttercream but not loving how
(14:30):
heavy it can be and theircustomers wanting something
different, and it was truly aorder I got of, like, hey, we
would love these cupcakes andcan you do it with whipped cream
?
And I was crazy enough to say,yes, I'll figure out a way to
make this happen where it neededto sit out in the heat over 100
(14:51):
degrees Fahrenheit, and I waslike, ok, this is the time.
I needed that little kick of adeadline to figure something out
.
And through this experimentingI found a whipped cream recipe
that not only was delicious andcustomizable in flavor, but it
really held up in stacked cakes,in cupcakes, outside in the
(15:12):
heat.
It was amazing and from thatrecipe I've been able we just
hit $40,000 over a year and ahalf of selling it, and that has
been a huge blessing in ourbusiness, so much so that I've
been able to hire my husband,which is like the craziest thing
ever, but it's is such ablessing, and when you open your
(15:36):
hand to helping others, theydefinitely come back far more
than you can ever imagine, andI'm so grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yes, amen, girl.
And so 40,000 from one product,or just one product?
Yeah, man, that's why I'malways telling people that is so
awesome.
And here's the crazy thing yousaid it was buttercream, and I
know there are hundreds ofbuttercream recipes out there,
but $40,000 from one buttercreamrecipe, man, that is mind
(16:09):
blowing, girl.
I love that result.
That, right there.
I know it's going to blesssomebody, because so many people
are afraid to even sell thecake.
And here it is You're sellingthe buttercream which could go
(16:35):
with a cake a trifle, a cupcake,a filling or anything.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Girl, you go, girl, that is so awesome and y'all yes
, of course, the link to thatbuttercream recipe will be in
the show notes.
And so what are some of yourfavorite platforms to sell your
products on?
Okay, I love this questionbecause when I wanted to start
diving into this, I was like,okay, I don't have the capital
to pay for, like, this $10,000platform for the whole year.
What can I do?
So I did a bunch of researchand I started on Podia.
Podia is a website creator, butyou can also host your online
(16:58):
products through there, and I'vehad a relationship with them
now, and I'm a fan of Podia, forsure.
They are great to build yourclasses on as well as create the
community from.
They help you with emailing, soI'm a fan of that platform, for
sure.
But, of course, the internet isever evolving and a platform
(17:20):
that has really helped with justone just being able to make the
transition or transactioneasier for someone coming to
your social media platform, isStanStore.
So it's just yeah, yeah, store.
(17:42):
So it's just yeah, yeah, which,if you're a creator, you know
it's fabulous because it is away that you can have other
links to things, but it makes itso easy for the customer side
of things, but also the businessowner side of things, to be
able to have that easytransaction, and trusted one.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
So highly recommend that, oh my gosh.
Yeah, so my accountabilitybuddy, irenia, she loves Podia.
I'm a huge fan of Stan.
In fact, stan was just downhere this weekend and so I had
the opportunity to record withthem.
So I love Stan's store.
They are amazeballs and so also, aside from just the products,
(18:23):
you also have some amazingopportunities, like you were
recently on Crime Scene Kitchen,so tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
How awesome was that it was wild and extraordinary
and truly a blessed experience.
I have had opportunities to goon other shows.
Well, to apply to go on othershows and just have never made
it through the casting processor it just didn't feel right.
And so for this one, when theycame and gave us or asked us to
(18:55):
apply to Crime Scene Kitchen, Iwas like, oh my gosh, I love
Yolanda, I'd love to go on thisshow, it's so fun.
And they were like, who do youwant to go with?
And I'm like, well, I havethese baker friends but like I
would prefer my husband, buthe's not a baker, but he is the
biggest cheerleader and willingto learn and that was such a big
blessing.
Like we had big nights where wewere like, okay, this is what a
(19:19):
measuring cup is and this isfor liquid and all the fun
things.
But so that was months ofcasting and then to be able to
go and film.
So 2024, early in the year, wewent to Toronto, Canada, to film
everything which wasextraordinary to like be able to
be on set and truly the peoplewe met behind the camera were
(19:43):
the most incredible and kept usgoing through the very long days
and I am just so thrilled to beable to watch it because we had
to be so tight-lipped about itfor so many months, it feels
like, and so the first twoepisodes that we're in are out
how the show works.
There are two different teams.
(20:03):
We're on the family side ofteams and then there's friends
teams and they get eliminatedthroughout the weeks and then,
if we make it, we get to mergeand battle it out with the
friends to see who can win.
And it is so much fun becausethere's a mystery dessert.
Something was baked in thekitchen and we have to come in
and decipher what was made.
(20:25):
And it is so much fun.
It's also available on Hulu andairs every Thursday night on
your local Fox channel, sohighly recommend that.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Absolutely.
We'll all be tuning in andcheering you on and I'm so happy
that you were able to have thatamazing experience.
I can imagine going to Canadaand meeting Yolanda.
She's been on a podcast also.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
It was so awesome was so awesome, it was so much fun
and truly the joys of comingfrom saying yes, having that
little moment of courage and youknow what we're going to figure
it out along the way and yeah,just huge blessings come from
(21:13):
that.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I highly recommend just like 10 seconds of courage
come from that I highlyrecommend just like 10 seconds
of courage, absolutely.
And so what are some of thethings that you recommend to a
baker who is looking to getstarted with putting themselves
out there?
Speaker 2 (21:31):
I love this question because it is often the
adversary that tells us that weshouldn't use this light we have
.
We shouldn't use this spark ofinterest we have to share with
others.
That, to me, is a very divinegift and push of encouragement.
(21:52):
And it's that adversary thattries to tell you that you're
not worthy of even trying it,because they know the incredible
power you have to uplift andlove others and the joy that you
can bring and help you canbring with others.
And so taking a step back andlooking at it in that way can
(22:14):
really helps me and I hope, canhelp others, because remembering
who you are and taking the stepto just turn on the phone, like
you would with your best friendtalking on FaceTime, and trying
it you know there's no issue intrying, and maybe you're like
you know I didn't love how Isaid this or that, but looking
(22:36):
at it from, I'm so proud of thisgirl for trying Like that is
incredible, just like we wouldcheer on our best friend.
You are your own bestie.
Megan Trainor, who I love, has asong I want to be my bestie.
Yes, oh, my gosh, that makes meso happy.
So when I need a littleconfidence boost, I'll put some
(22:57):
of that music on, and it remindsme life isn't so serious, cake
is a joy and I'm gonna do mybest.
And you know what?
At least at the end of the day,I learned something.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I love that From the bottom ofmy heart.
You shared so many gems andnuggets.
Caitlin, I wanna thank you somuch for coming on the podcast
today and sharing with us.
It has been such a pleasure.
But before I let you go, wehave to play a game of lightning
round.
Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yes, thank you so much.
It's been a joy and has trulyfilled my cup.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Absolutely beautiful.
What is your favorite color?
Pink, love it.
What is a dessert you cannotlive without?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Cake.
I know like I work with itevery day but like I still just
love cake.
It's so good.
But I'm also not a snob aboutany dessert.
Like, if it's sweet, I willtake it, give it all.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Who is your celebrity crush?
Speaker 2 (24:00):
My teenage heart loves Theo James from Divergent.
That special place in my heartOkay.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
What is your favorite kitchen utensil?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Oh, spatulas, offset, rubber, all of it.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Give it to me, I love it, and what is your favorite
book?
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Oh, this is so hard.
I'm actually going to saychildren's book.
It's called Splat and it'sabout a girl and her father just
getting in the kitchen andhaving fun.
That was one of the earliestmemories I have of being like,
oh my gosh, like you can get inthe kitchen and have fun.
Of course, I learned that athome, but like seeing that was
(24:42):
very impactful.
And Yolanda actually has areally cool version of that, a
children's book where she triesto make a or Yo.
The character in the book triesto make a cake, and so I'm a
big fan of those.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Absolutely Love all the answers.
Caitlin, thank you so much fortaking time out of your day to
come and hang with us.
We'll have all your informationin the show notes and, once
again, it was truly a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Oh, thank you so much , amanda.
I'm so happy to be able to behere with you today.
So thank you so much Wow youguys.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
How amazing was hearing Caitlin's testimony.
Caitlin has such a spark andball of just joy and she is sure
to inspire anyone.
I pray, if you're not followingher, that you do so so that she
can continue to feel more ofthat joy.
And also for those who arebuilding your business, I hope
(25:41):
that her tips of just how shenetworks through community, how
she shows up and shares hergifts, really inspire you as you
go about building your cottagebakery and home baking business.
And for those of you guys whoare interested in selling
digital products, I mean, howawesome was her testimony.
You know, the way she sharesand delivers her message is so
(26:03):
full of confidence, just so fullof pure joy.
I even had her come and teach mystudents inside of the digital
product community because she isjust amazing at sharing your
gifts and sharing your knowledgeand serving others through the
content that you put out.
So, once again, a specialthanks to Kate.
(26:26):
We wish her all the best as shecontinues to grow and if you
want to check out her products,don't forget to check the show
notes as well.
I'll have a link to those also.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
Take care and bye for now.
Hey, sweet friends, my name is Chef Sean Bird.
I started my baking businesswith a bottle of DeSorono and
one Bundt cake pan.
Fast forward to today, fromnews to magazines, speaking on
national stages and more.
I can truly say that baking haschanged my life.
So now, as a bakery businesscoach, I get to help others have
the same success.
I've helped hundreds of mystudents across the world in my
(00:24):
global membership program createsix-figure businesses, mainly
from home.
The Baking for Business podcastis an extension of that, from
actionable tips to valuabletools and resources that can
impact you as a business owner.
I truly believe y'all.
We would never have been givena gift if we couldn't profit and
prosper from it.
So come on, darling.
What are you waiting for?
(00:45):
Hey, what's going on?
Baking friends?
And welcome to the Baking forBusiness podcast.
Today, you are going to justfeel so joyful.
You have no choice but to feeljoyful, because whenever Caitlin
Brewer slides down your feed,you always know that positive
(01:11):
vibes are ensured to follow.
And so today on the Baking forBusiness podcast, we actually
have Caitlin Brewer from SweetCake Bakery here.
So, Caitlin, welcome to theBaking for Business podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Thank you so much.
I'm overjoyed to be here.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm a fan of the show, so it'sa little surreal to be on here.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Absolutely.
You're more than welcome,beautiful, and so, for those who
may not know about you, tell mehow did you start your journey,
or how did you get started withbaking?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
definitely baked goods, and so growing up I would
always go on donut runs with mydad or to a fun bakery to grab
some sweet, to show some love tomy mom from him to her, which
is always very special.
And then, of course, the sparkof the love of baking with
family whether it's cookies orcakes was always there for sure,
because that was a big waypeople showed love in our
(02:06):
community.
And so when I started watchingthese shows of Cake Boss and
Cupcake Wars, I was like, oh mygosh, there's more to baking
than I even knew, and I wantedto get in the kitchen and try it
out and have incrediblysupportive parents that let me
get into the kitchen and reallyjust experiment, make a lot of
(02:27):
mess and a lot of joy throughthat process of just trying,
which was so much fun, with alot of failures, I got to say,
but a lot of sweet success too.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Amen, I love that.
It's always a blessing when wehave supportive parents.
Did you have a grandma oranyone else in the family who
had the baking bug, or you justgot bit by it?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Absolutely.
I have grandparents that loveit, specifically my grandma and
my aunt Shannon.
She had a cookie business onthe side and it was the best
days ever because she never hadchildren of her own, but she
would always have her nieces andnephews over for sleepovers and
I always wanted to bake withher.
So that was definitely akindling of this baking fire
(03:13):
that started.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
I love that.
And for those who areunfamiliar, what state are you
in and how do you operate?
Are you a cottage baker?
Do you use commercial space ordo you just keep it cottage, or
how do you operate?
Are you a cottage baker?
Do you use commercial space, ordo you just keep it cottage, or
how do you operate?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
So I am located in Utah and I work under cottage
food, so I have half my businessof doing orders and then I have
the other half of sharing thejoy online, which is so fun that
I get to have feet in both andparty through each.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Absolutely.
I love both.
I'm a huge fan of that.
When it comes to building abusiness and getting started,
because so many bakers they havethis joy like you.
Maybe they enjoy it, butthere's always this fear of
should I go for it, should Istart the business?
What made you decide to say youknow what I'm actually going to
(04:05):
turn this into a business andactually start offering your
sweets and your cakes to yourlocal community.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I love that yes.
So how I got started was I was14 when I started.
I was 13 when I started sharingthe things I was making in the
kitchen with my community andthen in my church, one of the
young women's leaders was likehey, will you make cupcakes for
my kid's birthday coming up?
(04:33):
And I was like heck, yes, let'sdo it.
Both my parents areentrepreneurs and from a young
age I caught that bug of youknow what?
We're going to make magichappen, let's do it.
And so it was through thatprocess of just saying yes to
the things that came way andincredibly supportive people
that saw that talent in me andnourished it through support,
(04:55):
that really grew that passion.
And I'm so grateful for thatopportunity that, even as I
think, in my adolescence, as achild, to have that excitement
for saying yes, because as anadult it can be really scary
because we've seen theconsequences of maybe things not
going so well and so I try tohold on to that young spirit of
(05:21):
you know what?
This is really just a joyfulthing and we're going to have
highs and lows because we trulycare about it and that is a
superpower, in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
It really is and, like another superpower, you so
gracefully show up and talkabout that.
Like, although you always havethis positive attitude, you're
not afraid to say, hey, I'mgoing to give this a try and I
don't know how it's going to go.
Or hey, here's a recent fail,and so I love that, because too
often people struggle with beingvulnerable on social media.
(05:54):
Where do you get all thisconfidence from that you exude.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Oh, you are so kind and I'm personally a very
spiritual person and so myconfidence or my joy, I like to
say, comes from knowing myidentity as a child of God, and
so that is the most importantthing.
And there's going to be otherinfluences in this world, but
(06:20):
it's that pure identity of whowe are, meaning that we've been
given a purpose to do here.
We've been given certaintalents and gifts and interests
that are supposed to not onlysupport us but also others.
I love that you say in yourmessage of the podcast that
we've been given gifts for notonly profitability but
(06:41):
prosperity, and that's wherethat central why comes from for
me.
So when those impostersyndromes or feelings of doubt
come in, I'm able to go back toyou know what.
There's someone out there likeme because I'm self-taught and I
learned so much from otherbakers being willing to share
(07:03):
that needs, this, and sometimesit's me going back to my own
content and be like, oh yeah, Ilearned this already, but it's
super helpful, and so I just tryto talk to the one and I'm
amazed at how the one hasmultiplied and that is truly a
blessing, I see.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Oh, my gosh girl.
Most beautiful answer.
I love it.
And you're right, that's thebest way for us to serve the
many is to just by showing upand serving one.
So I love that.
Your faith plays an amazingpart in your beautiful
personality.
You always have the most cutesylooking dresses, and so that
(07:44):
transition to the wedding cakebusiness.
How is that?
So what are some tips that youhave for growing that portion of
the wedding cake business forthose who, like a lot of bakers,
are looking to jump over andget started in the wedding
industry?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yes, weddings are such an exciting thing because
they're high risk, high reward,which means they're high risk
and high reward, and sosomething that has really helped
with that is one.
Yes, we want to make the money,but also I want to create a
(08:28):
special moment for you guys.
So that starts from meeting thecouple.
I got my name out with word ofmouth, along with social media,
going to these wedding expos andsharing the, the magic that is
you.
I think people, there's a reason.
People follow you not just onsocial media, but want to be
(08:49):
around you, because you have theenergy and the joy that people
want to hold on to, and so beingable to share that with others
is very impactful and it willcarry you through your business
if you're able to share yourheart and who you are, which can
be really scary, becausewhenever we put ourselves out
there, there can be a rejection.
(09:10):
But you know what?
We're not for everybody, andthat's okay, but you are for
somebody, and when you're goinginto stretching into the wedding
cake business, I want you tocreate that why?
Because that's going to be whatpropels you forward.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
That's a beautiful answer.
You're so right.
I love that.
And so, speaking of sharingsharing you and the things that
make you, as you've grown yourbusiness, which has done amazing
you in turn turned around andyou began to share things from
your business, aka digitalproducts, as we know.
(09:49):
But there is always a jump tothat because so many people like
yourself, you get askedquestions what's this, what's
your flavor, what's this?
And I find so many bakersstruggle with I don't want to
give my recipe.
There's this mindset of if Igive this person this thing,
they're going to do better thanme, they're going to go further
(10:11):
than me, they're going to takemy recipe and walk away and turn
into a millionaire.
And so, when it came time tonot just sharing the tips in
your business, but opening upand sharing your recipes and
your business with people, howdid you manage to do that?
Was there ever that hump there,that thought, or what was the
mindset shift that allows you tosay you know what honey have my
(10:33):
recipe?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Definitely it's a big step to transition and what
really helped me was it wasquite organic, where I was
sharing just like the excitementof like yo, I made this like to
my friends and family on socialmedia to being more of a
business owner of hey, look whatI can make for you with those
transitions.
(10:55):
And then, where it turned intothose digital products, were
people asking you know what I'mstruggling with my buttercream,
like, can you please help me?
And at first I really had thatmindset of but like if I share
it with you, who knows if I'llever get an order again, which
is terrifying.
But what I found is there is aneed and when you're part of the
(11:16):
baking community, there is moresupport than you could ever
imagine when you open your heartto it and you also share in it,
because there is need for sweettreats everywhere.
There is donuts in every gasstation across the country.
If that is so attainable,people will find you and it's
(11:42):
being open to that that mattersthe most.
And so seeing that and seeingthe outpouring of love and also
the need for help helped me takethe things I was holding on to
with such fervor.
And you know what I found?
That when you just like leaders, you lead better with an open
(12:04):
hand than you do with a tightfist, because you're able to
share, and that really helped metransition and because it
wasn't about I'm amazing, checkout this recipe, I'm the most
incredible.
It was hey, I see you.
I see that you're strugglingwith this.
This is what I've learned andthat made all the difference
(12:30):
learned and that made all thedifference.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So true, I love the way you addressed that mindset.
And so, speaking of products,what are some of the ones that
you have, or maybe, let's say,your your top three sellers that
you have that you offer toothers as well?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Absolutely.
So yes, I have the successes,but I also want to say I do have
the flops, where I've put out aproduct and it has flopped and
it's terrible.
But you know, we learnedsomething different.
The need I saw wasn't quitethere in the product and that's
okay.
So those things are going tohappen and they're great data
points to be able to one grievethat expectation but also be
(13:06):
like, okay, this wasn't quiteright.
Was it the price?
Was it the content?
Was it how I presented it topeople.
That's very important.
So I started out with mybuttercream masterclass because
I saw so many questions aroundbuttercream and I was like I get
it.
I see all these different typesof buttercream, but I also know
(13:26):
from experimenting with themthey are for different purposes.
In my experience of humidityand super dry and the crazy
temperatures, we can be battlingwith a delicious cake.
Also, the preferences ofsweetness can be adjusted.
So I really wanted to, in adigital format, sit down and
(13:47):
share that and that was a greatseller at first.
And then I found classes onlinevery helpful where it was a
live class.
That was very beneficial for mybottom line, where I could hop
on literally Instagram videocall with someone across the
(14:08):
country or across the world andbe able to share information on
a one-on-one basis.
So those two were great.
And then the most recent successI've had is with a recipe which
I call magic with cream,because again I saw people
wanting this structuralbuttercream but not loving how
(14:30):
heavy it can be and theircustomers wanting something
different, and it was truly aorder I got of, like, hey, we
would love these cupcakes andcan you do it with whipped cream
?
And I was crazy enough to say,yes, I'll figure out a way to
make this happen where it neededto sit out in the heat over 100
(14:51):
degrees Fahrenheit, and I waslike, ok, this is the time.
I needed that little kick of adeadline to figure something out
.
And through this experimentingI found a whipped cream recipe
that not only was delicious andcustomizable in flavor, but it
really held up in stacked cakes,in cupcakes, outside in the
(15:12):
heat.
It was amazing and from thatrecipe I've been able we just
hit $40,000 over a year and ahalf of selling it, and that has
been a huge blessing in ourbusiness, so much so that I've
been able to hire my husband,which is like the craziest thing
ever, but it's is such ablessing, and when you open your
(15:36):
hand to helping others, theydefinitely come back far more
than you can ever imagine, andI'm so grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yes, amen, girl.
And so 40,000 from one product,or just one product?
Yeah, man, that's why I'malways telling people that is so
awesome.
And here's the crazy thing yousaid it was buttercream, and I
know there are hundreds ofbuttercream recipes out there,
but $40,000 from one buttercreamrecipe, man, that is mind
(16:09):
blowing, girl.
I love that result.
That, right there.
I know it's going to blesssomebody, because so many people
are afraid to even sell thecake.
And here it is You're sellingthe buttercream which could go
(16:35):
with a cake a trifle, a cupcake,a filling or anything.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Girl, you go, girl, that is so awesome and y'all yes
, of course, the link to thatbuttercream recipe will be in
the show notes.
And so what are some of yourfavorite platforms to sell your
products on?
Okay, I love this questionbecause when I wanted to start
diving into this, I was like,okay, I don't have the capital
to pay for, like, this $10,000platform for the whole year.
What can I do?
So I did a bunch of researchand I started on Podia.
Podia is a website creator, butyou can also host your online
(16:58):
products through there, and I'vehad a relationship with them
now, and I'm a fan of Podia, forsure.
They are great to build yourclasses on as well as create the
community from.
They help you with emailing, soI'm a fan of that platform, for
sure.
But, of course, the internet isever evolving and a platform
(17:20):
that has really helped with justone just being able to make the
transition or transactioneasier for someone coming to
your social media platform, isStanStore.
So it's just yeah, yeah, store.
(17:42):
So it's just yeah, yeah, which,if you're a creator, you know
it's fabulous because it is away that you can have other
links to things, but it makes itso easy for the customer side
of things, but also the businessowner side of things, to be
able to have that easytransaction, and trusted one.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
So highly recommend that, oh my gosh.
Yeah, so my accountabilitybuddy, irenia, she loves Podia.
I'm a huge fan of Stan.
In fact, stan was just downhere this weekend and so I had
the opportunity to record withthem.
So I love Stan's store.
They are amazeballs and so also, aside from just the products,
(18:23):
you also have some amazingopportunities, like you were
recently on Crime Scene Kitchen,so tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
How awesome was that it was wild and extraordinary
and truly a blessed experience.
I have had opportunities to goon other shows.
Well, to apply to go on othershows and just have never made
it through the casting processor it just didn't feel right.
And so for this one, when theycame and gave us or asked us to
(18:55):
apply to Crime Scene Kitchen, Iwas like, oh my gosh, I love
Yolanda, I'd love to go on thisshow, it's so fun.
And they were like, who do youwant to go with?
And I'm like, well, I havethese baker friends but like I
would prefer my husband, buthe's not a baker, but he is the
biggest cheerleader and willingto learn and that was such a big
blessing.
Like we had big nights where wewere like, okay, this is what a
(19:19):
measuring cup is and this isfor liquid and all the fun
things.
But so that was months ofcasting and then to be able to
go and film.
So 2024, early in the year, wewent to Toronto, Canada, to film
everything which wasextraordinary to like be able to
be on set and truly the peoplewe met behind the camera were
(19:43):
the most incredible and kept usgoing through the very long days
and I am just so thrilled to beable to watch it because we had
to be so tight-lipped about itfor so many months, it feels
like, and so the first twoepisodes that we're in are out
how the show works.
There are two different teams.
(20:03):
We're on the family side ofteams and then there's friends
teams and they get eliminatedthroughout the weeks and then,
if we make it, we get to mergeand battle it out with the
friends to see who can win.
And it is so much fun becausethere's a mystery dessert.
Something was baked in thekitchen and we have to come in
and decipher what was made.
(20:25):
And it is so much fun.
It's also available on Hulu andairs every Thursday night on
your local Fox channel, sohighly recommend that.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Absolutely.
We'll all be tuning in andcheering you on and I'm so happy
that you were able to have thatamazing experience.
I can imagine going to Canadaand meeting Yolanda.
She's been on a podcast also.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
It was so awesome was so awesome, it was so much fun
and truly the joys of comingfrom saying yes, having that
little moment of courage and youknow what we're going to figure
it out along the way and yeah,just huge blessings come from
(21:13):
that.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I highly recommend just like 10 seconds of courage
come from that I highlyrecommend just like 10 seconds
of courage, absolutely.
And so what are some of thethings that you recommend to a
baker who is looking to getstarted with putting themselves
out there?
Speaker 2 (21:31):
I love this question because it is often the
adversary that tells us that weshouldn't use this light we have
.
We shouldn't use this spark ofinterest we have to share with
others.
That, to me, is a very divinegift and push of encouragement.
(21:52):
And it's that adversary thattries to tell you that you're
not worthy of even trying it,because they know the incredible
power you have to uplift andlove others and the joy that you
can bring and help you canbring with others.
And so taking a step back andlooking at it in that way can
(22:14):
really helps me and I hope, canhelp others, because remembering
who you are and taking the stepto just turn on the phone, like
you would with your best friendtalking on FaceTime, and trying
it you know there's no issue intrying, and maybe you're like
you know I didn't love how Isaid this or that, but looking
(22:36):
at it from, I'm so proud of thisgirl for trying Like that is
incredible, just like we wouldcheer on our best friend.
You are your own bestie.
Megan Trainor, who I love, has asong I want to be my bestie.
Yes, oh, my gosh, that makes meso happy.
So when I need a littleconfidence boost, I'll put some
(22:57):
of that music on, and it remindsme life isn't so serious, cake
is a joy and I'm gonna do mybest.
And you know what?
At least at the end of the day,I learned something.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I love that From the bottom ofmy heart.
You shared so many gems andnuggets.
Caitlin, I wanna thank you somuch for coming on the podcast
today and sharing with us.
It has been such a pleasure.
But before I let you go, wehave to play a game of lightning
round.
Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yes, thank you so much.
It's been a joy and has trulyfilled my cup.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Absolutely beautiful.
What is your favorite color?
Pink, love it.
What is a dessert you cannotlive without?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Cake.
I know like I work with itevery day but like I still just
love cake.
It's so good.
But I'm also not a snob aboutany dessert.
Like, if it's sweet, I willtake it, give it all.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Who is your celebrity crush?
Speaker 2 (24:00):
My teenage heart loves Theo James from Divergent.
That special place in my heartOkay.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
What is your favorite kitchen utensil?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Oh, spatulas, offset, rubber, all of it.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Give it to me, I love it, and what is your favorite
book?
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Oh, this is so hard.
I'm actually going to saychildren's book.
It's called Splat and it'sabout a girl and her father just
getting in the kitchen andhaving fun.
That was one of the earliestmemories I have of being like,
oh my gosh, like you can get inthe kitchen and have fun.
Of course, I learned that athome, but like seeing that was
(24:42):
very impactful.
And Yolanda actually has areally cool version of that, a
children's book where she triesto make a or Yo.
The character in the book triesto make a cake, and so I'm a
big fan of those.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Absolutely Love all the answers.
Caitlin, thank you so much fortaking time out of your day to
come and hang with us.
We'll have all your informationin the show notes and, once
again, it was truly a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Oh, thank you so much , amanda.
I'm so happy to be able to behere with you today.
So thank you so much Wow youguys.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
How amazing was hearing Caitlin's testimony.
Caitlin has such a spark andball of just joy and she is sure
to inspire anyone.
I pray, if you're not followingher, that you do so so that she
can continue to feel more ofthat joy.
And also for those who arebuilding your business, I hope
(25:41):
that her tips of just how shenetworks through community, how
she shows up and shares hergifts, really inspire you as you
go about building your cottagebakery and home baking business.
And for those of you guys whoare interested in selling
digital products, I mean, howawesome was her testimony.
You know, the way she sharesand delivers her message is so
(26:03):
full of confidence, just so fullof pure joy.
I even had her come and teach mystudents inside of the digital
product community because she isjust amazing at sharing your
gifts and sharing your knowledgeand serving others through the
content that you put out.
So, once again, a specialthanks to Kate.
(26:26):
We wish her all the best as shecontinues to grow and if you
want to check out her products,don't forget to check the show
notes as well.
I'll have a link to those also.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
Take care and bye for now.
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