Tips for Starting Your Own Business

Hey WAFs! I’m Natalie and I’m here to chat with you about starting your own business! I’ve been an elementary school teacher for 7 years and love my kiddos more than anything. But I also have a huge passion for cooking and baking. During the summer of 2019, after a lot of encouragement from my husband and my friends, I started my side business :: The Graceful Baker. I’ve learned so many things along the way and am here to share some tips and tricks I wish I knew before I got started (and why I shouldn’t have waited so long!).

Before you start a business, think about things you already love to do! Do you have a hobby that you are incredibly passionate about or something your friends constantly compliment you for? I have spent time with ladies who are our “go-to” gals for photography, vinyl decals, graphic design, workouts, etc. Before I started baking as a side hustle, I baked and cooked for friends regularly and was often the friend who’d show up at the door with all the things (and still do!). My favorite was texting my neighbors a simple BYOP (bring your own plate), and within minutes, my kitchen would be cleaned out! Bagels are truly what started the business. I started making them for myself because we didn’t have any shops in Columbus to get homemade bagels or breakfast goodies. I posted a few pictures of them on my personal social media and automatically started getting the “Can you make me some?” messages! Now, The Graceful Baker is still in love with some bagels, but the treats have expanded more than I ever thought they would.

WHERE DO YOU START?

As we all know, these things don’t happen overnight. I had this idea for an incredibly long time before I had the courage to do anything about it. Whatever your niche is, just start practicing! Personally, I loved baking but didn’t want to constantly have it in the house. Cue the BYOP texts, sending containers into the squadron, and bringing treats to my school office staff! You have your people for a reason…don’t be afraid to ask them to be your guinea pigs. Ask for the feedback whether you’re ready for negative or positive! Trust me, I got both, and took it to heart. When I finally gave myself the nudge, I posted on our squadron spouse page to share that I was simply starting. I used their orders to figure out what worked and didn’t work. A few weeks later, I posted on the main base page on the designated “Small Business Monday” and got a huge influx of orders!I’m not one to put myself out there, but word of mouth is an incredible thing. The point being, if you’re unsure, start small and gradually add on what you feel comfortable managing.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE?

Set yourself up for success and GO FOR IT. I will shout this from the rooftops…don’t sell yourself short! Set your goals high and work for them. I had no idea what would happen, but I made sure I had supplies ready to go “just in case.” I had enough ingredients, packaging, and labels to get me through a few orders and I’m so glad I did. That fall, I had the idea to bake and sell pumpkin and apple cider donuts. I had no idea if I would even get a single order for them, but thank goodness I stocked up on boxes beforehand. I was living and breathing donuts after I got home from work for the better part of the October/November!
List. List. List. This piece of advice seems obvious, but I think we all still need to hear it. Write down your goals and ideas, both big and small! Personally, I find that I am more likely to achieve something if I make a list. There’s something about seeing your goals and ideas written down in front of you. My husband often falls victim to my stream of thoughts and will put me on pause to say “Have you written any of this down?” I’m constantly thinking of treats to add to my menu, flavor combinations, pricing, customers, marketing, and the list goes on! I started keeping a list of all my ideas in a notebook so everything is in one spot.
Be Vulnerable. It’s okay to ask for help! I tell this to my students every single day. Reach out to people in your niche who you admire! Take the positivity of social media and search for accounts that correlate with your business goals. Write down any questions you have and ask for their advice on whatever it is you need! It may be pricing, marketing, staging products, or any strategy you feel they are strong in. Don’t be afraid of competition; I have chosen to look at it as collaboration. Chances are, they may not even be in the same part of the country as you! You know the saying “two heads are better than one”? That comes into serious play when you are in a community of small business owners! We are better together and I have collaborated with so many awesome bakers and we swap ideas on a regular basis. There is room for everyone in the arena!
Social Media Isn’t Everything. I read a piece of advice somewhere that said, “Don’t let your social media following be what you are worth.” Take a moment and let that sink in. No one sees the behind the scenes of photographers editing photos, personal trainers checking in with their clients, or realtors constantly answering questions from first-time home buyers. Someone may have 28 followers on Instagram, but is busy every single day doing work for clients that don’t know he or she has a social media account. Your social media does not define your business!

Be you and hold true to how you want to run your business, and never be afraid to learn along the way. Cheers!