How do you even get started baking cakes, anyway? I sat down with Meg Skill of Nutmeg Cake Design to talk about just that.
Meg has been crafting art gallery worthy desserts in Philadelphia since 2015. From wedding cakes to french macarons to custom pet portrait cookies, she really does it all.
Read on to find out how Meg got her start, what cakes and ceramics have in common, and how she manages her social media branding.
So in the beginning, how did you learn to bake?
I initially became interested in cake decorating by following tons of dessert and food blogs. I experimented at home and developed a love for baking and creating. Once I became comfortable with the basics of baking, I began to try my hand at decorating techniques. I found that this process was very similar to my art school days of painting and was immediately hooked. Craftsy (now Bluprint) was a huge help at this time. They offered many online courses in more advanced decorating techniques that established my interest and allowed me to expand my skillset.
It’s really easy to get sucked into looking at stuff online but not take action. How did you get out of the rabbit hole, of looking and planning versus actually starting a business?
I knew in my heart that this was the creative direction I wanted to go in, but was having some initial trouble figuring out how to make the leap. An opportunity to rent out commercial kitchen space was presented to me and I knew that was the push I needed to move forward. I gave notice at my full time job and jumped in fully with both feet in January 2015. There was no safety net or other streams of income, so the motivation to succeed was quite high.
Once you jumped in I bet it was pretty crazy, doing everything on your own. What did you have to do to make it work?
In the beginning it’s very isolating and overwhelming and exciting… and you’re learning everything on the fly. My background is strictly in fine art and I’ve had no formal training in marketing, business, culinary arts or accounting. Everyday is a learning process and it truly has taken years to nail down efficient systems and workflows. I highly recommend hiring an outstanding accountant from day one. I, especially, found that having a strong financial team behind me gave me the knowledge and confidence to make the right decisions as the business grew.
I think people sometimes just see pretty pictures and forget all the things that go into a small business. You’re not just sitting around decorating cakes all day, right?
Absolutely. There are so many aspects to my role in the company – especially at this phase with only one employee. There is so much that needs to be tackled daily, besides cake production. Every day is a mix of emails, customer service, scheduling, social media, photography, marketing, financial planning, drafting contracts, etc.
And how did you figure out the where the line is, of how much you can handle?
I’m not sure if I have figured it all out, honestly, but finding “that line” is always a priority. I’ve delegated where I can and hopefully will be able to continue to grow the team in the coming years. We take on an amount of work that challenges us each week and really pushes us to create a high quality product.
Where do you find inspiration from?
Currently, there is a huge crossover between the cake and ceramic world. We’re seeing a lot of ceramic techniques pop up in buttercream and fondant – which I’ve been very interested in exploring. Lots of matte textures and earthy tones. Architecture has also always been a huge inspiration. Marble and cement inspired cakes have been very popular this year. I’m drawn to neutral tones and clean, sharp lines and am always keeping an eye out for inspiration in any form.
What is your favorite technique or favorite part of the cake making process?
Once the cake is baked, frosted and assembled – we essentially have a blank canvas in front of us. The “work” has been done and the decorating now becomes this fun, organic process. This is my favorite step – finally bringing all the elements together and giving the cake its personality.
What was your biggest baking fail and what did you learn from it?
Learning how to make French Macarons was a very emotional and expensive process! It takes a ton of practice to nail down the technique – which results in lots of fails along the way. They are so temperamental and have certainly taught me patience! They’ve become one of our most popular items, so we’re making them every week now and the practice has created confidence.
You’ve been able able to do a lot of successful marketing through social media, can you tell me a little more about that? Is your marketing super planned out or do you just sort of wing it?
It has always been a high priority to me to give this brand a very clear visual voice. This is a constantly evolving work in progress. Managing our social media presence is actually one of my favorite aspects of the business. This year, I was able to invest in a photo shoot to gather a year’s worth of branding images. This allowed me to art direct the look and feel of the work and allow for cohesion in the branding all year through (as opposed to trying to quickly take photos weekly in our poorly lit studio). Other than social media, we do very little paid advertising, with exception of Philadelphia Wedding magazine.
If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice when you were just starting out, what would it be?
Be realistic about the upfront costs, be smart and responsible and take on as little debt as possible. It’s a slow game, pace yourself and make smart choices. Have a solid financial plan for growth and the input of a knowledgable accountant. And most importantly – put your physical and mental health first. Prioritize sleep and exercise so you can operate with a clear mind.
Do you have any other advice for people who are thinking about starting their own baking business?
I wish I hadn’t waited as long to begin this journey, especially now when I think about things like family planning and saving for retirement. It is very rarely “the right time” to embark on this type of endeavor, so probably best to give it your best shot when you feel you can. Understand that this is rarely a glamorous business. It is tremendously tough work – 7 days a week; 14+ hours a day. Every weekend, every Holiday. If your passion and creative brain can thrive in this type of environment – you’ve picked the right path! Surround yourself with a supportive community and lend your support to others in your industry.
Where to find more about Nutmeg Cake Design:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutmegcakedesign/
Website: http://www.nutmegcakedesign.com/
All photography in this post by Quartermoon Co.
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