Kitchen Notes: A Podcast by Bakery Business Academy – Details, episodes & analysis

Episode Summary: Join us on this inspiring episode of Kitchen Notes as we sit down with Amy Smith, the dynamic owner of The Evergreen Southern Kitchen & Gathering Place, a multifaceted Bakery/Cafe & event venue in Bridgeport, Kentucky. Transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship, Amy shares her journey of creating a thriving business that not only serves delectable treats but also stands as a pillar in the community. Discover how Amy's blend of passion, creativity, and strategic business acumen has transformed The Evergreen into a beloved local destination.

This episode was originally recorded in November, 2022

Episode Highlights:

• Amy's Transition from Corporate America: Hear about Amy's shift from a corporate job to running a thriving home bakery, and eventually founding The Evergreen with her family
• The Evergreen's Unique Business Model: Learn about the multifunctional approach of The Evergreen, incorporating a bakery, cafe, gift shop, thriving catering business, and emerging event space that supports local artists. Amy's smart approach to diversifying her business model sets them up for success, despite their "off the beaten path" location
• Community Engagement and Support: Amy discusses the importance of community in the growth and success of her business, especially in a rural setting where "everyone knows everyone"!
• Challenges and Triumphs: Explore the challenges of maintaining a business in a rural area, and how Amy and her team have overcome them to create a thriving community hub at The Evergreen
• Strategic Business Practices: Gain insights into Amy's strategies for diversification and sustainability, particularly through catering & events - smart!
• Seasonal Business Strategy: Understand Amy's approach to seasonal business operation, including taking a break during the slower months to optimize operational efficiency & care for her team
• Marketing and Outreach: Discover how The Evergreen leverages social media & email marketing to reach new customers and engage the community

Resources or Links Mentioned:

• The Evergreen's Website: Visit The Evergreen's website to learn more about their offerings and community events.
• MailChimp: Amy mentioned using MailChimp for email marketing; find more information at MailChimp.

On today's episode, I'm excited to announce a new program we are running starting the week of August 5, 2024 - Bakery Finance Essentials LIVE!

I've been teaching my flagship bakery finance e-course in one form or another since 2019 ... it's gone through many iterations and revisions, and I'm confident it is the most comprehensive & approachable bakery finance e-course out there today. We re-lauched the latest version of the program last month, and now I'm excited to announce that for the first time EVER, we are running a LIVE cohort of the class!

I’ve never run a Live cohort of this course before,  and I'm looking forward to the chance to connect with you all on a deeper level, and to be able to give some more hands-on instruction and work with folks more directly than I’m typically able to do in the self-paced, DIY-version of this course.

I recognize that some folks want a bit more guidance, and an additional component of accountability, that comes with signing up for a Live program. So - if you know that you work better with that added accountability of a guided, group program - then please consider joining us for this live cohort!

To learn more about Bakery Finance Essentials and sign up today, visit:
https://www.bakerybusinessacademy.com/finance

**We discovered while editing this podcast that the episode mentioned with Amy Smith from The Evergreen has actually NOT yet been published! We are working on getting this "legacy" interview episode from November 2022 published - hopefully with an update from Amy - very soon. We will update this page with more info when that episode goes Live!**

Join me as I look back & reflect on an eventful 2023! 

It's been a year of profound changes and learning for me, both on a personal level and as a business owner. From embracing my role as a parent, to steering our bakery towards new growth with the help of my business partner ... we're unwrapping it all on today's episode! 

Key Highlights:

• The changes we made this year to manage our team more effectively, 
• New tools that have been game changers for giving our team more autonomy and saving time on things like creating schedules, managing shift swaps, and more,
• How we've overhauled our compensation strategies to keep our team motivated and happy. 
• An update on diversifying our revenue streams through new ventures like event rentals, catering, and the growth of our (small) wine program, 
• The personal challenges and joys of parenthood, and how it intertwines with running a thriving small business!

Mentioned Resources:

• 7Shifts for Team Management & Scheduling

Enjoying the podcast? Don't forget to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thanks for your support 💖

In today's episode, we're diving deep into the nitty-gritty of managing inventory, and practical strategies for deciding how much product you need to produce at your bakery.

Picture this: it's December, we're knee-deep in the "holiday hustle", & sales are booming.  

Slow down there, soldier! January's peeking around the corner, ready to throw us a curveball. Inevitably, this is a time of the year when sales start to dip...folks are starting new diets, wallets are zipped up tight after holiday spending sprees, and (for us, at least) snowy weather has folks cooped up indoors.

Tune in to today's episode as we spill the tea on understanding your market, decoding the secret language of traffic patterns, and being the neighborhood ninja - ready to tackle any unexpected road closures or crazy weather. We're sharing our playbook on adjusting staffing, ramping up marketing, and fine-tuning your product production. 

We'll talk about managing the fine line between overproducing (hello, waste!) and underproducing (um, missed sales - no thanks!). 

It's a delicate dance, and we're giving you the moves.!

Setting your pars and creating your production plan isn't a "set-it-and-forget-it" deal. We're talking real-time monitoring, keeping tabs on sales data, and adjusting those pars like a bakery boss! We'll even discuss some creative ideas for promotions, when you find yourself with surplus goodies. 

Grab your apron, a cup of something warm, and let's chat bakery business! 

Links to External Resources:

1. Google Peak Times Tool
2. Free Facebook Group for Bakery Owners

In this episode, we dive deep into a common challenge faced by bakery owners: distinguishing between a revenue problem and a pricing problem. Often, bakery businesses struggle to cover their expenses, pay themselves, or grow due to low sales and/or cash flow issues. 

Today, we explore the importance of knowing and understanding your revenue / sales numbers, and discuss some general rules of thumb when it comes to managing your bakery budget - including how much you should plan to spend on things like ingredients, labor, and overhead. 

We also touch on the significance of a profit and loss statement, and the role it plays in helping you identify potential revenue & pricing challenges. By analyzing the percentage of your revenue spent on ingredients and supplies, you can determine whether a pricing adjustment is necessary to maintain profitability.

Resources Mentioned:

Join us for our next bakery finance workshop on October 26th!

To register for free, visit https://www.bakerybusinessacademy.com/workshop

In this episode of Kitchen Notes, we're taking a listener question & diving deep into an essential business finance topic: raising your prices! 

On today's episode, we'll talk about... 

• The various factors that can impact your bottom-line profitability, 
• The importance of understanding your business costs, which includes overhead costs (rent, utilities, etc.), labor costs (employee salaries), and product costs (ingredients and supplies), 
• Regularly reviewing your profit and loss statements, and why this is absolutely crucial for gaining insights into your business's financial health. 
• Determining your "bare minimum" number - the minimum revenue needed to cover essential expenses, and avoid losses. 
• Evaluating demand, sales volume, and customer feedback ... and how these can help identify if it's time to adjust pricing, or focus on increasing revenue 

External Resources mentioned in the episode:

1. Recipe Costing Essentials Course: This quick-hitting e-course provides guidance on how to cost your menu items properly - including a handy recipe costing template you can use to price your baked goods. More details can be found at https://www.recipecostingessentials.com
2. Finance Fundamentals E-Course: Our flagship e-course for bakery entrepreneurs who are ready to transform their business into a profitability machine! Join the waitlist: https://bba.bakerybusinessacademy.com/waiting-list-ff
3. SCORE: Score provides free and low-cost classes for small business owners on various topics, including finance and accounting. You can access their resources at https://www.score.org/

Remember, understanding your bakery's finances and making informed decisions about pricing and revenue can lead to a more successful and sustainable business.

Moira Walker is a former deli owner who turned her passion for pie baking into a successful cottage bakery business. Moira began her business baking pies on the weekends, and selling from a charming roadside stand, using an honor box for payment.

Her business grew through word of mouth, and the support of her local community.

Before long, Moira expanded her business by participating in farmers' markets and networking with other vendors to find new opportunities. 

She discovered the game-changing cheddar pastry recipe during a course at King Arthur and started making savory hand pies, which helped her expand her menu and grow her business even more.

Before long, Moira started putting processes in place around marketing, production, and operations that helped her scale - while staying committed to working from her home kitchen, with no employees. Over the years, she has optimized her production process by using smart planning, labeling, and automation - and has also upgraded her equipment to keep pace with the growing demands for her product.

Her business, Pies By Moira, has a strong online presence on Facebook and Instagram, where she announces her weekly menu and takes pre-orders in advance of the markets she attends.

Moira prioritizes efficiency and sustainability in her solo operation, allowing her to maintain her business from home without the need for employees or a brick-and-mortar location. Despite considering a brick-and-mortar shop before the pandemic, Moira realized that her current setup is ideal for her and allows her to focus on her passion for baking, serving her community, and spending time with her family and grandkids.

Moira's dedication to quality, pricing strategy, and strong relationships with customers have helped her build a thriving business and create a close-knit community of loyal supporters.


You can learn more about Moira here:

• Pies By Moira Website
• Pies By Moira Facebook Page 
• Pies By Moira Instagram

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Thank you for listening – if you like what you hear, be sure to leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform! These reviews and listener feedback really help me know what you’re enjoying, and bring you more content that is relevant and helpful to you.

Click here to continue the conversation in our Facebook group for Bakery Entrepreneurs >>

We're back!

It's been a minute since we've posted a new Kitchen Notes episode, and I'm excited to be back at it. Last time I spoke with you, we were talking 2023 goals. Now that we're about half-way through the year, let's check in - shall we?

I'm sharing an update on what's been happening in MY business (Spilt Milk), and some lessons learned. I'm hoping you can find some inspiration and camaraderie in today's update!

Here's what we'll talk about on today's episode:

• Bakery Updates: What's Happening In The Business?
• How we're diversifying our revenue streams this year
• Hiring & Employee Management ... our #1 focus!
• Bakery Business Academy Updates ... Classes, Memberships, Workshops - yay!

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Thank you for listening – if you like what you hear, be sure to leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform! These reviews and listener feedback really help me know what you’re enjoying, and bring you more content that is relevant and helpful to you.

For more episodes and to learn more about Bakery Business Academy, please visit https://bakerybusinessacademy.com

Happy New Year!

In this 3-part series, we’ll be sitting down to “hit the reset button” as we start a new year. We’ll take a look back at 2022 to talk about what went well, exciting milestones we achieved as a business, lessons learned, and where we’re headed in 2023.

Today, tune in for Part Three, where we're talking about some of the important pillars that our guiding our goals for the upcoming year, including commitments we are making to our team, our community, and the planet. Here’s a breakdown of what we cover in today’s episode:

1. The Triple Bottom Line: One of my favorite articles that Molly shared with me last year was written back in 2020, but really had an impact on me when I read it. The Triple Bottom Line challenges companies to think differently about how they measure success, and we are heading into 2023 using The Triple Bottom Line as a guidepost for what we hope to achieve this year in business. And be sure to check out the article here >>
2. Our Goals for the New Year: Some of the big milestones Molly and I are hoping to achieve (and some others we don't care about anymore!)

I hope you enjoy today’s episode - thanks for listening! Click here to continue the conversation in our Facebook group for Bakery Entrepreneurs >>

Happy New Year!

In this 3-part series, we'll be sitting down to "hit the reset button" as we start a new year. We'll take a look back at 2022 to talk about what went well, exciting milestones we achieved as a business, lessons learned, and where we're headed in 2023.

Today, tune in for Part Two, where we dig into a few things that could have been better about last year, including some valuable lessons learned we will carry with us into 2023. Here's a breakdown of what we cover in today's episode:

1. Staff Turnover ... Turnover on our team was craaaaaazy high in 2022. This resulted in spending too much money in our labor budget, poor morale on the team that plagued us throughout the year, and a TON of growth to our HR processes. I am grateful for these difficult (although expensive) lessons we learned, and am excited to make PEOPLE a core focus in 2023.
2. Overshot the Labor Budget ... Building off our lesson learned around employee turnover, 2022 was extremely costly from a labor perspective. We overshot our labor budget, which resulted in lower profits for the business. Whenever you overspend in a certain budget category, I think it's important to dig into the "why". Even if a problem couldn't have been avoided, we can still learn from these situations and carry these lessons with as we try to do better next time. I am grateful for these lessons we learned in 2022 and again - super excited to focus more on our PEOPLE initiative in 2023.
3. Stepping Into Leadership Roles ... As our business has grown, Molly and I have had to evolve from generalists who "do it all" in the business to leaders who are focused on execution & growth. We learned a lot in 2022 about stepping back from the day-to-day, and letting our team grow into their roles as leaders. Our team has grown in our ability to communicate effectively & execute toward big goals, while moving quickly and being able to pivot as new challenges arise. This will continue to be a priority focus as the business continues to grow. Again - PEOPLE is a huge initiative for us in 2023, and we are excited to continue growing our team and growing as leaders ourselves!

I hope you enjoy today's episode, and be sure to tune in next time for Part 3 of this 3 part series, where we'll talk about where we are headed in 2023, our goals for the new year, and what we're hoping to accomplish as we realign and continue to grow our business in the New Year.

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Do you struggle with pricing your menu items, and feel there is something holding you back from building a truly PROFITABLE food business … that you actually ENJOY running?

Please join me for our next FREE bakery business workshop on February 7, 2023 -

Profit Boost: The 4 Major Pricing Mistakes Food Entrepreneurs Make ... and How To Fix Them!

During this hour-long workshop, we will be covering:

• The 4 profit-killing pricing mistakes I see food entrepreneurs make on a regular basis …
• WHY these mistakes are SO problematic (even if they seem like no big deal) ...
• AND how to start really addressing & fixing these lethal pricing mistakes in your business, so you can set yourself up for a profitable & successful year.

If you’re working on your menu pricing &  increasing your business profits this year, you will want to get in on this free workshop!

Space is limited, and these free workshops tend to fill up quickly…so be sure to register soon to snag your seat.

For more information or to register for free, please visit BakeryBusinessAcademy.com/workshop.

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Thank you for listening – if you like what you hear, be sure to leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts! That helps us know what type of content you’re enjoying, and b