Its now her business:Wandering Whisk Bakeshop.
After she packs up her bag for the day, she spends the next five hours filling orders.
So how did she build a full-fledged business while maintaining a full-time careerandnot lose her mind?
Jacobs prioritizes her time so she can get a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night. Chris Zuppa/The Penny Hoarder
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Learn How To Manage Your Time
These days, Jacobs works her 9-to-5 job at HSN.
When she gets off work, she busies herself in the kitchen until about 11 p.m. midnight tops.
Sleep is important to her, and she promises herself at least seven hours a night.
But when Jacobs first started out, she pulled a number of late-nighters.
In fact, her grandmother recently gave her some cute Post-it Notes, which Jacobs sticks around her kitchen.
These notes help her figure out what needs to be donetonightand what can wait.
The key is to be realistic and to remain patient.
Once business ramps up, youll be longing for that free time, she says.
Shed taken on too many orders to manage.
Since that night, shes been careful not to repeat her mistake.
Jacobs also doesnt hesitate to turn down orders that arent in her wheelhouse.
She resolves the issue by referring the customer to another local baker.
You have to do what you enjoy, Jacobs emphasizes.
Otherwise, it could lead to burnout, which leads to her next tip…
4.
It becomes your every thought, she says of baking.
I mean, I wake up, and I think about cake.
I go to bed, and I think about it.
Im on Instagram, and Im looking at cake…
Passion is key, but Jacobs encourages self-starters to strike a balance.
If you dont, you risk losing your passion and your business.
The keys for her are saying no to what she cant handle (see tip No.
- and spending time outside the kitchen.
Willtheypaythatmuch for these cupcakes?
But, over time, she was able to stop comparing herself to others.
And shes found people are willing to pay.
She was spending the day with Angela Garbacz, the pastry chef, food stylist and owner ofGoldenrod Pastries.
There, Jacobs shadowed the owner, poking her with questions and observing her art.
At the end of it all, Garbacz even offered Jacobs access to her business plan.
Jacobs is now starting to pay it forward.
People will reach out to her about certain baking techniques or with inquiries about starting their own businesses.
Just reach out, she says.
There are so many people willing to help you for free.
Accept That Not Everyone Is Your Customer…
…but they can help you in other ways.
Maybe theyll tell someone about the awesome cake they saw on Instagram.
Or that a birthday party they recently attended boastedbeautiful succulent (like the plant) cupcakes.
Word of mouth is the most important thing for any business, Jacobs says.
It can also be that someones there to lend a hand like her mom.
There was a night not too long ago where she started feeling overwhelmed.
Just surround yourself with supportive people, Jacobs says.
Everyone has a different purpose.
Leverage Yourself on (Free!)
Social Media Platforms
Jacobs hasnt paid a single penny to advertise.
Instead, shes been smart about using free social media platforms to her advantage.
Her favorite, of course, is Instagram, which does justice to her artful creations.
Jacobs invested in a refurbished camera and takes all her own photos.
Shes able to connect with people near and far (as far as Australia).
Shes also been big on soliciting Facebook reviews.
Almost everyone leaves a review, she says.
And its not so she can shove her business card in peoples faces.
She enjoys having genuine conversations with others.
If Wandering Whisk comes up, great.
If not, thats OK, too.
Wandering Whisk gets a ton of repeat customers.
In fact, one woman just placed her third order with Jacobs in two months.
Thats the reason I do this.
I love getting to know people and hearing their feedback.
Thats just a phase just like cupcakes and doughnuts and everything else considered craft and trendy at any point.
Instead, she wants to remain Wandering Whisk Bakeshop, with an emphasis onbakeshop.
She encourages others to enter their own industries with the same throw in focused flexibility in mind.
Keep it broad and flexible and nimble, she says.
Read more about the start of Wandering Whiskhere.
Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Shes more of a wanderer than a whisker.
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