Kitchen Notes: A Podcast by Bakery Business Academy

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...

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 clar...

Episode Summary: Meg returns to the Kitchen Notes podcast after a six-month break to share what’s been happening behind the scenes at Spilt Milk Pastry and Bakery Business Academy. In this quick catch-up episode, Meg opens up about why she paused the show, exciting new projects underway, and what listeners can expect from Kitchen Notes moving forward—including more frequent episodes, updated resou...

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 alway...

Episode Summary: Join us on this inspiring episode of Kitchen Notes as we sit down with Amy Smith, the dynamic owner of The Evergreen Southern Kitchen & Gathering Place, a multifaceted Bakery/Cafe & event venue in Bridgeport, Kentucky. Transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship, Amy shares her journey of creating a thriving business that not only serves delectable treats but...

On today's episode, I'm excited to announce a new program we are running starting the week of August 5, 2024 - Bakery Finance Essentials LIVE! I've been teaching my flagship bakery finance e-course in one form or another since 2019 ... it's gone through many iterations and revisions, and I'm confident it is the most comprehensive & approachable bakery finance e-course...

Order Up! On today's episode of Kitchen Notes, we're diving deep into your bakery’s ordering process - with a specific focus on reducing friction in the ordering process so you can increase sales.  From crafting a user-friendly menu to leveraging modern technology for 24/7 ordering capabilities, we explore strategies & techniques to make buying from your bakery as effortless as possi...

On today's episode, we dive into a detailed financial review of the first half of 2024. We'll discusses investments, revenue growth, budget considerations, and specific financial metrics that we're keeping on eye on as we grow our bakery. This financial check-up aims to provide listeners with insights on managing their bakery's finances and adapting strategies for continued gro...

On today's episode, we're digging into "Part 1" of a new two-episode series where we look back at the first six months of 2024 - sharing key business updates, financial insights, and unique investments that have shaped the success of our year so far! Join us as we discuss the projects we've worked on, investments we've made this year, and trends that have influenced n...

Episode Summary: In this episode of Kitchen Notes, Meg dives into a crucial topic for bakery owners struggling with profitability: the myth that more sales always lead to more profit. Drawing from personal experiences and lessons learned with her bakery, Spilt Milk, Meg emphasizes the need to deeply understand your costs, price your products correctly with healthy profit margins, create a profit-f...

Episode Summary: In this episode of Kitchen Notes, join us as we explore the power of business collaborations to boost bakery sales, expand customer reach, and enhance brand exposure. Discover how partnerships with complementary businesses - whether with taco joints or local florists - can lead to fun and fruitful outcomes. Host Meg Svec shares real-life examples from recent successful collaborati...

Episode Summary: In today's episode of Kitchen Notes, we're diving deep into effective strategies for increasing your bakery's revenue, without the need to expand your menu or invest in new product development.  Focusing on practical, low-effort techniques, we'll explore how things like minor packaging adjustments, "low-fi" subscription models, and regular sales promo...

Episode Summary: In this episode, we're diving into a detailed post-Mother's Day debrief that reveals how to leverage holiday sales to sustain and grow your bakery business. Join us as we explore practical strategies for maximizing revenue during key sales periods, with real-life examples from our recent successful Mother's Day holiday baker promo!  Whether you're running a bus...

Episode Summary: In this comeback episode of Kitchen Notes, we delve deep into the personal and professional challenges of running a bakery amidst life's unpredictable swings. Host Meg Svec shares her heartfelt experiences balancing personal challenges & family life with bakery management, and offers insights into navigating the financial and emotional ups and downs of the bakery business...

Join me as I look back & reflect on an eventful 2023!  It's been a year of profound changes and learning for me, both on a personal level and as a business owner. From embracing my role as a parent, to steering our bakery towards new growth with the help of my business partner ... we're unwrapping it all on today's episode!  Key Highlights: The changes we made this year to manag...

In today's episode, we're diving deep into the nitty-gritty of managing inventory, and practical strategies for deciding how much product you need to produce at your bakery. Picture this: it's December, we're knee-deep in the "holiday hustle", & sales are booming.   Slow down there, soldier! January's peeking around the corner, ready to throw us a curveball....

In this episode, we dive deep into a common challenge faced by bakery owners: distinguishing between a revenue problem and a pricing problem. Often, bakery businesses struggle to cover their expenses, pay themselves, or grow due to low sales and/or cash flow issues.  Today, we explore the importance of knowing and understanding your revenue / sales numbers, and discuss some general rules of thumb...

In this episode of Kitchen Notes, we're taking a listener question & diving deep into an essential business finance topic: raising your prices!  On today's episode, we'll talk about...  The various factors that can impact your bottom-line profitability,  The importance of understanding your business costs, which includes overhead costs (rent, utilities, etc.), labor costs (emplo...

Moira Walker is a former deli owner who turned her passion for pie baking into a successful cottage bakery business. Moira began her business baking pies on the weekends, and selling from a charming roadside stand, using an honor box for payment. Her business grew through word of mouth, and the support of her local community. Before long, Moira expanded her business by participating in farmers&apo...

We're back! It's been a minute since we've posted a new Kitchen Notes episode, and I'm excited to be back at it. Last time I spoke with you, we were talking 2023 goals. Now that we're about half-way through the year, let's check in - shall we? I'm sharing an update on what's been happening in MY business (Spilt Milk), and some lessons learned. I'm hopin...

Happy New Year! In this 3-part series, we’ll be sitting down to “hit the reset button” as we start a new year. We’ll take a look back at 2022 to talk about what went well, exciting milestones we achieved as a business, lessons learned, and where we’re headed in 2023. Today, tune in for Part Three, where we're talking about some of the important pillars that our guiding our goals for the upcom...

Happy New Year! In this 3-part series, we'll be sitting down to "hit the reset button" as we start a new year. We'll take a look back at 2022 to talk about what went well, exciting milestones we achieved as a business, lessons learned, and where we're headed in 2023. Today, tune in for Part Two, where we dig into a few things that could have been better about last year, in...

Happy New Year! Over the next 3 episodes, we'll be sitting down to "hit the reset button" as we start a new year. We'll take a look back at 2022 to talk about what went well, exciting milestones we achieved as a business, lessons learned, and where we're headed in 2023. Today, tune in for Part One of this three-part series, where we'll dive into: Our "Million Dol...

If you run a bakery, you know that the fourth quarter can be incredibly hectic. Everybody wants their pastries and treats and goodies for the holiday season. While that usually means a big boost in revenue, it also means a whole lot of work.  In this episode, we’re talking all about prepping for the holiday season — like how to boost revenue without adding a ton of extra tasks to your already full...

While blindly running on instinct probably isn’t going to be the best path to a successful business, there IS something to be said about listening to what your gut is telling you.  In this episode, we’re talking about why when it comes to your bakery business you should listen to that little voice in the back of your head telling you to pay attention — while still looking at the numbers to validat...