Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Greene.
Hi Bethany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my first career early on as a music educator! I was passionate about music and was a successful trumpet player since middle school. I ended up attending college for a degree in Music Education at the University of West Georgia and graduated in 2013. I was a high school band director for seven fantastic years. I loved my students and my colleagues more than anything. However, the lifestyle of a high school band director is one of the most demanding jobs I know of and was not sustainable. I made one of the hardest decisions of my life and quit teaching to pursue baking full-time. I started baking in 2017 as something fun to do and found out I had a talent for that as well! It was just a hobby and a “side gig” for five years until I made it my full-time job. I have officially been in business for over a year now, and I had an amazing first year as a professional baker.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some challenges I’ve faced along the way have been relatively small thus far. Getting started was definitely difficult seeing as the education world and the business world don’t have a lot in common! I had no idea where to start with establishing a bonafide small business. Luckily, I found an attorney who went from lawyer to bakery business owner. She pointed me in the right direction! She told me exactly where to go, what to do, what paperwork to fill out, and when to do it all. A similar challenge that I will soon face is something we all dread… taxes. Filing with this business addition is obviously brand new, hopefully it will all go smoothly. Of course, I am facing other challenges that all business owners have; rising costs in products and ingredients, handling customers and their wants, and trying to provide the best value to my clients. I am very fortunate to say that I haven’t met huge challenges just yet.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a home baker that makes custom desserts for special events such as weddings, birthdays, showers, etc. I specialize in sugar cookies, cakes, and cupcakes, though I do make the occasional “comfort” dessert-like pies, muffins, and homemade cookies. I would say I’m “known for” my sugar cookies! They have definitely been the most purchased item this past year. I believe I stand out mostly for my attention to detail and expectation for high-quality products. I believe this is a rarity in today’s world and that people know when they are consuming a first-rate product.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think risk taking is a necessity to growth! Leaving my higher-paying job to bake was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. Of course, it hasn’t payed off monetarily speaking so far… I’ve got years before that growth will come. But me and my family’s life has changed for the better because of this huge risk we’ve taken. As I get more comfortable in my new field, I find myself taking risks all the time with new designs in my desserts, taking on new clients and their requests, and pushing new boundaries past my comfort zone. I’m continually looking at other dessert artists’ work, researching new techniques, and finding ways to better my craft.
Pricing:
- Custom Sugar cookies start at $5
- Cakes start at $4 per serving
- Cupcakes start at $25 per dozen
- Macarons start at $25 per dozen
- All other products vary in price
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @greenecakes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenecakes.us or @greenecakes.us
