The holidays are coming (fast), and your Q4 revenue goals won’t hit themselves.

So let me ask you this:
 👉 Have you actually started planning?
👉 Or are you telling yourself you'll figure it out "next week"?

This week on Kitchen Notes, I’m breaking down the 6 core things every bakery needs to think through before the holiday season hits. 

We’re talking:

✅ The 6 critical areas of holiday planning that every bakery should be thinking about
✅ Why simplifying your holiday menu will make you more money
✅ How to avoid the classic production and inventory headaches
✅ Why your cash flow plan and labor schedule must go hand in hand
✅ What happens when you don’t plan—and how to avoid burnout
✅ Why your packaging, promotions, and contingency plan deserve more attention now (not later)

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• 🎯 Register for Holiday Planning Bootcamp (Live Workshop on Sept 29)
  
  

The holiday season may still feel far away, but if you run a bakery, now is the time to get your game plan in place.

In this episode, Meg is giving you a friendly (but firm!) reality check and helping you kickstart your holiday planning before it's too late. Whether you’re a seasoned bakery owner or heading into your very first holiday season this episode is packed with practical strategies, hard-won lessons, and behind-the-scenes insights that will help you turn the busiest time of year into your most profitable — and least chaotic — season yet.

On today's episode, you'll hear:

✅ Why Q4 is the Super Bowl for bakeries — and what happens when you don’t plan ahead

✅ The costly mistake we used to make every year (and the mindset shift that changed everything)

✅ How a streamlined menu can actually boost your sales and your sanity

✅ Real revenue numbers from our bakery’s holiday seasons (yes, we share actual stats!)

✅ What to start planning now — including same-day sales, staffing, gift cards, corporate orders, and more 

✅ How to stop scrambling and build a repeatable, profitable sales system for every holiday

If you've ever ended a holiday season thinking “never again,” this episode will help you rewrite that story — and create a sales strategy that works year-round.

🔗 Links & Resources:

🎓 Register for Holiday Planning Bootcamp  — Our most popular live workshop of the year! Learn the system we use to generate multiple 6-figures in Q4 sales without burning out. 

Registration opens September 15th ... get on the waitlist or sign up here > https://bakerybusinessacademy.com/holiday

Starting or running a bakery can be thrilling—but it’s also easy to get lost in the daily grind and miss some of the big-picture moves that set you up for success. In this episode, I’m looking back at my own journey and sharing the 9 lessons learned & things I would do differently if I were starting my bakery today.

We're talking about three phases of business growth—Getting Started Right, Laying a Strong Foundation, and Creating Sustainability—so you can take what’s most relevant to where you are now and put it into action.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why testing your concept before opening your doors can save you money (and stress)
• How building a local network early can lead to bigger opportunities
• Another love letter to email marketing - and how it can transform your businesses
• Why setting your weekly revenue goals from Day 1 is a game-changer
• How protecting yourself as the owner is just as important as protecting the business

🎧 Grab a notebook or take me along on your next walk—we’re diving deep into the lessons I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode

• 📊 Bakery Finance Essentials – Our signature ecourse for bakery owners & managers who want to build profitable bakery businesses with less stress & overwhelm
• 📧 Email Marketing Masterclass – Join the waitlist for our September workshop!
• 📈 KPI Tracking Episode – Listen to my episode on tracking your bakery’s key performance indicators
• 📚 The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande – A must-read on why processes matter
• 👩‍🍳 Private Coaching with Meg – Work 1:1 to create a bakery growth plan tailored to you

Episode Description:

It’s easy to look at the bakeries with long lines and viral reels and wonder if you're falling behind. But here’s the truth: slow, steady, consistent growth is the real magic in most bakery businesses. In this episode, I’m diving into the unglamorous (but wildly effective) habits that actually move the needle—and why you don’t need to chase every trend or constantly reinvent the wheel to build a business that lasts.

In this episode, we’re covering:

• The story of a new Chicago bakery that's buzzing—and what we can really learn from their success
• Why comparison is normal—but can be toxic
• What consistent, unsexy habits actually lead to bakery growth
• The importance of sticking with what’s already working (instead of always launching something new)
• A simple fitness metaphor that will change the way you think about tracking progress in your bakery
• Practical ways to start seeing the real results hiding in your weekly numbers

1. Whether you’re in a slow season, questioning your growth, or feeling tempted to blow everything up and start over—this episode is your reminder that the quiet work counts.

Resources Mentioned:

• 📊 Break Even Number Episode
• 🔁 Leading Indicators Episode
• 💌 Join Our Private Facebook Group

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Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I’d be very grateful if you'd leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Have a question or topic you want covered on a future episode? Send me a message—I love hearing from you!

Slow sales week? We’ve all been there! 

In this episode, Meg shares the story of how one simple email helped sell out an entire weekend’s worth of pies—in under an hour.

If you’ve been pouring time into social media with little to show for it, this episode will get your wheels turning on a marketing strategy that’s simple, repeatable, and actually works. Whether you’re brand new to email or just need a nudge to use it more consistently, this one’s for you!

📝 Show Notes + Takeaways:

In this episode of Kitchen Notes, we cover:

• What happened when we needed a quick sales boost (and had just 15 minutes to spare)
• Why email marketing outperforms social media by a mile
• The low-lift marketing mindset that guides how we operate
• The tools and systems we use to make email marketing easy and effective
• How to start building your email list this week—without overwhelm or perfection

👀 Spoiler: If you’ve been spinning your wheels on Instagram, this episode might change your marketing game completely.

📌 Resources & Links Mentioned:

• 💌 Join the waitlist for our upcoming Email Marketing Mini Program
• 💬 Email Meg to Inquire About 1:1 Coaching: [email protected] 
• 📱 Chat with other bakery owners in our free Facebook Group: 

Episode Description:

Thank you to Margaret for submitting a question for this week's episode!

In today’s episode, Meg tackles one of the biggest (and scariest) growth decisions bakery owners face—how do you know when it’s time to hire? If you’ve ever found yourself stretched thin but nervous to bring on staff before the revenue follows, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• How to spot the signs that you're outgrowing your current role—and what that means for your business.
• Why it's sometimes normal to take a short-term financial hit when you're scaling—but how to do it wisely.
• How your break-even number can be your best friend when making hiring decisions.
• Simple ways to start systematizing your bakery now, so you're not scrambling when you do hire.
• Real talk from Meg and Molly’s own hiring journey—including what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned the hard way.

Resources Mentioned:

• 🎧 Break-Even Number Episode – Learn how to calculate your break-even point and use it to guide smart financial decisions.
• 📓 Tech Stack Episode – Learn about tools that help scale your business and support your team.
• 📝 Delegating To Your Team Episode - Setting up your new employees for success & getting comfortable delegating important tasks as a small business owner
• 📘 Bakery Finance Essentials Course – Our flagship program to help you run a financially strong bakery (includes hiring calculators and templates).

Join the Conversation:

Got a question you’d like Meg to answer on the show? Send it in or join our free Facebook group to connect with other bakery owners and get support.

We're halfway through 2025—and wow, what a year it's been! In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the trends and patterns I'm noticing in the baking industry. From price sensitivity to labor market challenges, catering wins to AI tools—we're covering what's shifting and, more importantly, what’s actually working right now. Whether you're "feeling the pressure" or simply want to stay ahead of the curve, this one’s for you!

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why customer price sensitivity is rising—and how to adapt without racing to the bottom
• What’s helping us navigate high turnover, especially in entry-level roles
• How catering is boosting revenue (it’s easier than you think to get started)
• Creative ways to bring people into your shop through events and promos
• The power of holiday planning and systemization
• Quick-hit trends in subscriptions, co-packed goods, and low-lift, bakery-friendly AI tools

📌 Resources & Mentions:

• Learn More about Bakery Business Academy
• Episode: Prepping For The Holidays: The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!
• Episode: How Chickadee Bakeshop Built A Sustainable & Profitable Subscription-Based Bakery Business
• Join our Facebook Group to keep the conversation going

Ever wonder how a small bakery team can consistently generate over $1 million a year in revenue—without burning out? 

In this behind-the-scenes episode, Meg shares the exact tech tools that help her and co-owner Molly run a lean, efficient, and profitable bakery operation. From point-of-sale systems to payroll, email marketing to order automation, you’ll get a peek into the tools that power their bakery’s success—and learn how to start streamlining your own business, one smart upgrade at a time!

Key Takeaways:

• The full tech stack we use to run our bakery on part-time hours
• How automation helps us reduce admin work and increase efficiency
• Specific tools for POS, accounting, marketing, payroll, timekeeping, and more
• Where to start if you’re overwhelmed and want to implement just one change
• Why choosing the right tools (not the most expensive ones) can be a game-changer

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Shopify
• Zapiet
• Seal Subscriptions
• Order Printer
• A2X for Shopify
• Mailchimp
• QuickBooks Online
• Bill.com
• Gusto
• 7Shifts
• Google Workspace
• Zapier
• Asana
• Zoom
• LastPass
• Linktree

Join the Conversation:
 

Got a favorite tool of your own? Want help figuring out what systems to implement first? Join our free Bakery Business Academy Facebook Group or reach out via email—I'd love to hear from you!

If you've ever pulled your sales report and thought, "We did okay this week... I guess?" — this episode is for you.

In today’s solo episode, Meg walks you through a simple but powerful tool to help you track what’s really going on in your bakery — without fancy software or a finance degree.

We’re talking about the Leading Indicator Scorecard — a weekly habit that gives you more clarity, more control, and fewer surprises at the end of the month. You’ll learn how to identify the metrics that matter most (beyond just sales), so you can catch issues early, spot new opportunities, and build toward your goals with more confidence.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to get more strategic with your numbers, this episode offers an easy first step.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between leading indicators and lagging indicators, and why it matters for your bakery
• Simple weekly data points that can tell you whether you’re trending in the right direction
• Meg’s step-by-step advice for building your own scorecard using tools you probably already have
• How to use your numbers to make more informed decisions around staffing, production, marketing, and more
• Info on how to start a repeatable, low-lift habit that helps you stay focused and in control of your business performance

Episode Resources:

• KPI Tracking Episode (Throwback!) 
• Book Mentioned: Traction by Gino Wickman 
• POS Systems Mentioned:
  • Square for Retail
  • Shopify 
  • Hotplate (I kept calling this tool "Hotjar" in the episode ... Hotjar is a different software tool ... the POS system is called Hotplate!)

Episode Summary:

In this episode, we’re breaking down one of the most important—yet overlooked—numbers in bakery business success: your break-even point. Whether you’re feeling stuck, wondering if you can keep your doors open, or just want to make smarter decisions for your bakery’s future, understanding your break-even number is the first step. On this episode, Meg shares why “busy” doesn’t always mean “profitable” and a simple, actionable method to calculate your break-even—even if you’re not a “numbers person.” She also shares real-life stories from Spilt Milk and other bakeries, and practical tips you can use right away to start running your business with clarity and confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why so many bakery owners struggle with making ends meet, even when sales seem strong
• The difference between “busy” and “profitable”—and why it matters
• What the break-even number is, and why it should be your business’s North Star
• How to quickly calculate your own break-even (with simple examples)
• Common pitfalls to avoid when doing these important calculations
• Tips for estimating monthly sales if you’re brand new or have seasonal swings in your revenue numbers
• How your break-even number can guide decisions on hiring, pricing, and growth
• Why monitoring your numbers regularly is absolutely key to staying profitable

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Did you enjoy this episode? If so, we'd be very grateful if you'd leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Have a question or topic you want covered on a future episode? Send me a message—I loves hearing from you!