Unleashing Your Wedding Business Potential - with Lauren Smy

Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney

Today I'm chatting with Wedding Cake creator and business mentor - Lauren Smy. We talk about her journey to wedding business success and the advice she has for cake makers and new wedding business owners. Lauren also shares her own personal journey of being diagnosed with ADHD, and how that has impacted her business.

Find out more about Lauren's cake coaching

Find out more about Lauren's ADHD coaching

Time Stamps:

Pricing (00:00:00) Lauren discusses the common mistake of not charging enough to cover the cost of running a business, including time and money spent on behind-the-scenes activities.

Introduction and Background (00:01:00) Becca introduces Lauren, founder of The Honeybee Wedding Cake Company, and discusses Lauren's journey in the wedding cake industry.

Starting the Cake Business (00:01:52) Lauren shares how she started making cakes for friends during her maternity leave and transitioned into setting up a proper business, Honeybee Bakes, which later evolved into The Honeybee Wedding Cake Company.

Transition to Making Wedding Cakes (00:03:37) Lauren explains her transition from making birthday cakes to specializing in wedding cakes, driven by her passion for creating sugar flowers and a desire to focus on the wedding industry.

Gaining Confidence in Cake Making (00:04:31) Lauren discusses the challenges and learning experiences she faced when transitioning from making celebration cakes to creating high-quality wedding cakes, emphasizing the importance of confidence and perfectionism.

Finding Clients (00:06:59) Lauren shares her early strategies for finding clients, including leveraging social media platforms like Facebook and engaging in word-of-mouth marketing within her local community.

Networking and Building Relationships (00:09:22) Lauren highlights the significance of networking with other wedding suppliers and building relationships within the industry, emphasizing the value of word-of-mouth marketing and collaborative partnerships.

Transition to Business Coaching (00:10:22) Lauren explains her motivation for transitioning from making cakes to helping other cake makers with their businesses, driven by a desire for community, a background in business studies, and a need to address pricing and confidence issues within the industry.

Common Mistakes in Cake Businesses (00:14:16) Lauren discusses common mistakes in cake businesses, focusing on pricing complexities, lack of confidence, and the failure to account for the costs of running a business, including time spent on behind-the-scenes activities.

Importance of Photography (00:17:13) Becca and Lauren discuss the significance of high-quality photography for cake makers, emphasizing its impact on attracting clients and the need for professional images to showcase their products effectively.

Taking Quality Pictures of Cakes (00:18:03) Tips on capturing high-quality cake photos, including lighting, venue considerations, and collaboration with photographers.

Personal Transition and Business Expansion (00:19:53) Lauren's personal journey, discovering her ADHD, and transitioning from coaching cake makers to working with entrepreneurs with ADHD.

Formal ADHD Diagnosis (00:22:17) Lauren's decision to seek a formal diagnosis for ADHD and the importance of self-awareness and acceptance.

Strategies for Business with ADHD (00:23:27) Discussion on practical strategies and self-compassion in managing business challenges with ADHD.

Future Plans and Community Support (00:26:31) Lauren's current work with entrepreneurs with ADHD, plans for a group program or membership, and the importance of community support.

Business Evolution and Outsourcing (00:27:48) The evolution of businesses, the value of seeking support, and the importance of not doing everything alone.

Contact Information (00:28:39) Details on where to find Lauren's cake community and ADHD coaching services.

Closing Thoughts on Business Growth (00:29:10) Reflections on the importance of following passions and moving businesses forward.