Kitchen Notes: A Podcast by Bakery Business Academy

Available Episodes

5 of 60

6 Things Your Bakery Needs for a Profitable, Stress-Free Holiday Season
The holidays are coming (fast), and your Q4 revenue goals won’t hit themselves.So let me ask you this: 👉 Have you actually started planning? 👉 Or are you telling yourself you'll figure it out "next week"?This week on Kitchen Notes, I’m breaking down the 6 core things every bakery needs to think through before the holiday season hits. We’re talking:✅ The 6 critical areas of holiday planning that every bakery should be thinking about ✅ Why simplifying your holiday menu will make you more money ✅ How to avoid the classic production and inventory headaches ✅ Why your cash flow plan and labor schedule must go hand in hand ✅ What happens when you don’t plan—and how to avoid burnout ✅ Why your packaging, promotions, and contingency plan deserve more attention now (not later)🔗 Resources Mentioned:🎯 Register for Holiday Planning Bootcamp (Live Workshop on Sept 29)
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24:35
The Holidays Are Coming: Is Your Bakery Ready?
The holiday season may still feel far away, but if you run a bakery, now is the time to get your game plan in place.In this episode, Meg is giving you a friendly (but firm!) reality check and helping you kickstart your holiday planning before it's too late. Whether you’re a seasoned bakery owner or heading into your very first holiday season this episode is packed with practical strategies, hard-won lessons, and behind-the-scenes insights that will help you turn the busiest time of year into your most profitable — and least chaotic — season yet.On today's episode, you'll hear:✅ Why Q4 is the Super Bowl for bakeries — and what happens when you don’t plan ahead✅ The costly mistake we used to make every year (and the mindset shift that changed everything)✅ How a streamlined menu can actually boost your sales and your sanity✅ Real revenue numbers from our bakery’s holiday seasons (yes, we share actual stats!)✅ What to start planning now — including same-day sales, staffing, gift cards, corporate orders, and more ✅ How to stop scrambling and build a repeatable, profitable sales system for every holidayIf you've ever ended a holiday season thinking “never again,” this episode will help you rewrite that story — and create a sales strategy that works year-round.🔗 Links & Resources:🎓 Register for Holiday Planning Bootcamp — Our most popular live workshop of the year! Learn the system we use to generate multiple 6-figures in Q4 sales without burning out. Registration opens September 15th ... get on the waitlist or sign up here > https://bakerybusinessacademy.com/holiday
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9 Things I'd Do Differently If I Started My Bakery TODAY
Starting or running a bakery can be thrilling—but it’s also easy to get lost in the daily grind and miss some of the big-picture moves that set you up for success. In this episode, I’m looking back at my own journey and sharing the 9 lessons learned & things I would do differently if I were starting my bakery today.We're talking about three phases of business growth—Getting Started Right, Laying a Strong Foundation, and Creating Sustainability—so you can take what’s most relevant to where you are now and put it into action.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why testing your concept before opening your doors can save you money (and stress)How building a local network early can lead to bigger opportunitiesAnother love letter to email marketing - and how it can transform your businessesWhy setting your weekly revenue goals from Day 1 is a game-changerHow protecting yourself as the owner is just as important as protecting the business🎧 Grab a notebook or take me along on your next walk—we’re diving deep into the lessons I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode📊 Bakery Finance Essentials – Our signature ecourse for bakery owners & managers who want to build profitable bakery businesses with less stress & overwhelm📧 Email Marketing Masterclass – Join the waitlist for our September workshop!📈 KPI Tracking Episode – Listen to my episode on tracking your bakery’s key performance indicators📚 The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande – A must-read on why processes matter👩‍🍳 Private Coaching with Meg – Work 1:1 to create a bakery growth plan tailored to you
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No Lines Around the Block? You’re Still Doing It Right
Episode Description:It’s easy to look at the bakeries with long lines and viral reels and wonder if you're falling behind. But here’s the truth: slow, steady, consistent growth is the real magic in most bakery businesses. In this episode, I’m diving into the unglamorous (but wildly effective) habits that actually move the needle—and why you don’t need to chase every trend or constantly reinvent the wheel to build a business that lasts.In this episode, we’re covering:The story of a new Chicago bakery that's buzzing—and what we can really learn from their successWhy comparison is normal—but can be toxicWhat consistent, unsexy habits actually lead to bakery growthThe importance of sticking with what’s already working (instead of always launching something new)A simple fitness metaphor that will change the way you think about tracking progress in your bakeryPractical ways to start seeing the real results hiding in your weekly numbersWhether you’re in a slow season, questioning your growth, or feeling tempted to blow everything up and start over—this episode is your reminder that the quiet work counts.Resources Mentioned:📊 Break Even Number Episode🔁 Leading Indicators Episode💌 Join Our Private Facebook Group******************************Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I’d be very grateful if you'd leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!Have a question or topic you want covered on a future episode? Send me a message—I love hearing from you!
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Sold Out in 60 Minutes – The Power of Email Marketing
Slow sales week? We’ve all been there! In this episode, Meg shares the story of how one simple email helped sell out an entire weekend’s worth of pies—in under an hour.If you’ve been pouring time into social media with little to show for it, this episode will get your wheels turning on a marketing strategy that’s simple, repeatable, and actually works. Whether you’re brand new to email or just need a nudge to use it more consistently, this one’s for you!📝 Show Notes + Takeaways:In this episode of Kitchen Notes, we cover:What happened when we needed a quick sales boost (and had just 15 minutes to spare)Why email marketing outperforms social media by a mileThe low-lift marketing mindset that guides how we operateThe tools and systems we use to make email marketing easy and effectiveHow to start building your email list this week—without overwhelm or perfection👀 Spoiler: If you’ve been spinning your wheels on Instagram, this episode might change your marketing game completely.📌 Resources & Links Mentioned:💌 Join the waitlist for our upcoming Email Marketing Mini Program💬 Email Meg to Inquire About 1:1 Coaching: [email protected] 📱 Chat with other bakery owners in our free Facebook Group:
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