Baking For Business Podcast – Episode #91 Summary
Title: Celebrating A $4k Day As Home Bakers By Serving Their Community With Cookies And Classes
Host: Chef Amanda Schonberg
Guest: Megan Brewer of Brown Butter Bakery, Texas
Release Date: October 9, 2024
Introduction
In Episode #91 of the Baking For Business podcast, Chef Amanda Schonberg welcomes back Megan Brewer from Brown Butter Bakery in Texas. This episode delves into Megan and her partner Kyle’s journey from selling cookies in their neighborhood to celebrating monumental sales days and expanding their business through community classes.
Background of Brown Butter Bakery
Megan Brewer shares the inception story of Brown Butter Bakery. Started in October 2022, Megan and Kyle transitioned to a new home to support their daughter's education and sought additional income to supplement their full-time jobs. Megan recounts, “[We] had to get creative and think what skills do we have that we could utilize” (02:10). With Kyle's baking prowess and her knack for organization, they began crafting gourmet cookies and quickly found their niche.
Selling Gourmet Cookies
Initially, Brown Butter Bakery focused solely on their gourmet cookies. Megan highlights their unique offerings: “We make big, giant gourmet cookies, cookie cakes, stacked cookie cakes. If it's a cookie, but not royal icing, we make it amazing” (02:10). Their dedication paid off as they priced single cookies at $10 each, a noteworthy achievement in a market where many bakers price cookies between $2-$3. Megan emphasizes, “That in itself, I love. And we can go down a rabbit hole because so many bakers assume that a cookie only has to be two or three dollars” (04:05).
Transition to Community Classes
After their initial success with cookie sales, Megan and Kyle ventured into hosting community classes. Inspired by Chef Amanda’s guidance and testimonials from the entrepreneur community, they recognized the potential of classes to not only generate additional income but also foster community spirit. Megan explains, “We wanted to involve kids in some way… to help change that stigma and just embrace anybody that wanted to learn cooking” (05:14).
Their first class focused on chocolate espresso mousse with Chantilly cream and fresh berries, adapting their offerings to suit venues without commercial ovens. “It was something pretty simple, but a lot of people don't know how to make” (06:55). The success of this class encouraged them to expand, leading to repeated sessions and multiple class offerings.
Children’s Camps and Unique Classes
One of the standout offerings from Brown Butter Bakery is their children’s camp. Megan describes it as, “one of the most fun weeks we've ever had” (11:12). Targeting kids aged 7-12, the camp focused on basic kitchen skills, safety, and creative baking projects. Activities included making desserts, gift wrapping, and drawing their dream bakery, fostering both culinary skills and creativity among participants. The impact was profound, with families reporting increased kitchen activities and stronger familial bonds.
Brown Butter Bakery also experimented with unique classes, such as their “pancake flight class.” Megan elaborates, “We made ricotta pancakes and we made four different toppings to put on them… It was an absolute blast” (14:37). This class not only diversified their offerings but also enhanced community engagement, as participants collaborated and enjoyed the interactive experience.
Celebrating a $4k Day
A significant milestone for Brown Butter Bakery was achieving a $4,000 sales day. Megan reflects on this achievement with mixed emotions of pride and exhaustion: “It felt really great. And also felt like I was really tired” (17:12). This success underscored their growth from humble beginnings, highlighting their capacity to handle large orders with their invested infrastructure, including commercial-sized ovens. Megan attributes their success to hard work, community support, and guidance from Chef Amanda: “Everything that we have come our way. It's all the glory goes to him. We couldn't do it without him” (17:12).
Advice for Aspiring Bakers and Class Hosts
Megan offers invaluable advice to those looking to incorporate classes into their baking businesses:
- Join Supportive Communities: “My very first piece of advice would be join the entrepreneur community and get the layout of it, because it helped 110%” (19:30).
- Embrace Fear and Failure: “Don't be scared. You don't know what's going to happen if you don't try and you miss 100% of the shots that you don't take” (19:30).
- Start Small and Learn: Megan emphasizes the importance of learning through experience, stating, “When you do mess up, you learn and you're better the next time” (19:30).
Future Plans for Brown Butter Bakery
Looking ahead, Brown Butter Bakery plans to expand their class offerings, including more children's camps and high school age classes. They are also exploring digital classes to reach a broader audience: “We're excited to roll those out, hopefully soon” (20:19).
Lightning Round
The episode concludes with a fun lightning round, showcasing Megan’s playful side:
Conclusion
Chef Amanda wraps up the episode by celebrating Megan and Kyle’s achievements and reinforcing the podcast’s mission to inspire home bakers to diversify their income streams through innovative methods like classes. Amanda encourages listeners to evaluate their worth and seize opportunities to scale their businesses, highlighting the success story of Brown Butter Bakery as a testament to what’s possible with dedication and community support.
Key Takeaways:
- Diversifying income through community classes can significantly boost a baking business.
- Building and engaging with a supportive community is essential for growth.
- Creative and unique class offerings can differentiate a business and enhance community involvement.
- Achieving significant sales milestones is possible through hard work, investment, and strategic planning.
Notable Quotes:
- Megan Brewer: “We make big, giant gourmet cookies… [they] go for $10 each” (03:44).
- Megan Brewer: “Don't be scared. You don't know what's going to happen if you don't try” (19:30).
- Chef Amanda Schonberg: “You can literally earn more money in one night just hosting one class than you can baking all week long” (22:09).
Timestamp Reference:
- 02:10 – Formation of Brown Butter Bakery
- 03:44 – Pricing Strategy for Gourmet Cookies
- 04:05 – Valuing Gourmet Cookies
- 05:14 – Introduction to Community Classes
- 06:55 – First Community Class
- 11:12 – Children’s Camp Experience
- 14:37 – Unique Pancake Class
- 17:12 – Celebrating a $4k Day
- 19:30 – Advice for Aspiring Bakers
- 20:19 – Future Plans
- 21:04 – Favorite 90s Artist
- 21:19 – Favorite Cartoon
- 22:09 – Closing Remarks
This episode serves as an inspiring blueprint for home bakers looking to expand their ventures through community engagement and innovative class offerings. Megan and Kyle’s story exemplifies the blend of passion, creativity, and strategic thinking necessary to achieve substantial business success.