Whisk Management

Today’s guest shares the importance of not JUST offering baked goods through your business, but having an intention and a purpose behind everything you do as a business owner and creative. Join me as I chat with Emily Wilson of Philadelphia’s Em Wilson pastry. Not only does she make the most drool-worthy pretzels, laminated pastries, and other delicious treats, but she also places a big emphasis on filling a need in her West Philly community by offering local and sustainable products.    Today we’re chatting about: Emily’s start in the pastry scene and how she worked her way through several Philadelphia bakery institutions How Emily faced burnout and decided to leave the industry and start running bake sales to make rent Em Wilson Pastry’s transition from shared church kitchen to a spacious studio in Philly’s Global Dye Works Emily’s approach to pastry, workflow, and menu development The importance of transparency as a business owner How to determine the needs of your community and serve that through the way you do business    Support Emily: -Visit her website or follow her on Instagram -Check out her Hotplate to place an order! Also mentioned in this episode: -The Malvern Buttery -Emily’s studio-mate, Bake Bake Philly! -Emily’s supper club Support Blayre: -follow the pod on instagram -follow the pod on tiktok -follow Blayre’s biz on instagram or check out the website

Get out your gum paste and make sure those petal dusts are ready, because today we have a wedding cake MASTER in our midst! Today’s guest episode features the incredible Minette Rushing, owner of Savannah-based Minette Rushing Cakes. From her impressive roster of clients to her passion for sharing her knowledge with other bakers, Minette is the epitome of a seasoned professional.  Today we’re chatting about: -Her foray into the cake World and how she took the jump when opportunity presented itself -Her decision to scale down from a brick-and-mortar shop (which she ran for 10 years!) to a home-based studio -Alll about the luxury wedding market- how she leveled up her business to cater to this clientele, how to position yourself to do the same, and her tips to make sure you’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk! -Minette’s Cake pricing tips! How to price for profit and how to confidently present pricing to make the sale Support Minette! -Follow her on Instagram and check out her website   -Subscribe to her Substack blog, Company & Cake  -Join The Wedding Cake Group on Facebook  -Take a class with her  Support the Pod! -Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok -Check out Blayre’s biz instagram or website -Check out the Whisk Management Shop (use the discount code WMPOD - only a few left!)

Get out your throwing sprinkles because the Whisk Management Shop is officially open for business! 🎉 Today I walk you through the two digital products now available—my Wedding Cake Consultation Guide and Ultimate Wedding Cake Cutting Guide Toolkit—and how they’re designed to help cake designers like you streamline your process and elevate your client experience. In this episode we’re talking: What’s inside the new Whisk Management Shop Who these digital products are perfect for How the Wedding Cake Consultation Guide can help you feel more confident and organized How the Cutting Guide will be a communication game-changer on delivery days A sneak peek at the 5 W’s of a successful wedding cake consultation Whether you’re just starting your cake business or ready to tighten up your systems, this one’s for you. 🛍️ Check out the Whisk Management Shop here and use code WMPOD for $3 off of your total order! Support the Podcast on instagram and don't forget to share with your baker friends! Support Blayre on instagram or check out her website for more info about her biz

In this episode, I sit down with Kristina Malone, the passionate force behind Kristina’s Kitchen and Kristina’s Cakery in Millville, DE. With roots in hospitality and a heart for her community, Kristina shares her entrepreneurial journey—from launching a café during the height of COVID to becoming a go-to spot for gluten-free and vegan baked goods. This conversation is packed with real talk, valuable insights, and plenty of inspiration for anyone building a business with purpose. We chat about: Kristina’s background in hospitality and the spa industry and how it led to café ownership What it was like opening her business during the COVID-19 pandemic Lessons learned about managing a team and yourself as a business owner How she’s grown her brand to include a successful bakery alongside the café Creating gluten-free and vegan offerings that truly serve her customers’ needs The importance of listening to and serving your local community The dynamics of running a business with your spouse and how to make it work Support Kristina! Follow the cafe or the bakery on Instagram Check out the cafe or the bakery online Give Kristina's Kitchen and Cakery a visit! Check out Santa's Letters, her non-profit   Support Blayre & The Pod! Follow the pod on Instagram Follow Blayre's biz, Flouretta Sweet, on Instagram or check her out online And, as always, be sure to leave us a review and tell your baker friends about us!

We're BACK with Part Two of my business relocation and glow up story! Join me as I fill you in on the nitty gritty details of this complicated process and what I'm learning from them.  This episode, we continue the journey and I'm spill ALLLL the tea on: The process of applying for and speaking at a public zoning hearing and how I was faced with some opposition The endless back-and-forth with our favorite person, the health inspector Hiring and working with an Architectural Designer to come up with plans for my studio Getting things situated with alllll of the local municipalities that need to approve my business plans here in NH Where I am in the process now If you want to watch my public zoning hearing for yourself, check it out here! My section starts at 1hr 24mins   Support the pod: -Follow WM on Instagram -Leave a review and be sure to tell your baker friends about us! Support Blayre: -Follow Flouretta Sweet on Instagram -Flouretta Sweet Website

Today's guest sets trends, concocts gorgeous flavor combos, and is a pro buttercream squiggler (yeah, I said squiggler!) It's the first guest episode of Season 3 and we are starting things off with a BANG! I'm honored to welcome one of my personal favorite cake creatives and pastry chefs, Bronwen Wyatt, into the studio. We're talking: Trends! Is nothing original anymore or does it need to be that way in order for us to learn our own sense of design style? How Bronwen went from a full-time pastry chef to suddenly a full-time cake business owner Seasonality and flavor building! Satsuma? Chicory? Fig Leaf Buttercream?!! How does Bronwen infuse the skills she learned throughout storied pastry career into her bakes now? Bronwen's tips on how to remain flexible when things change, and how to recognize when something isn't serving you anymore What life is like in NOLA!   Support Bronwen! Follow her on Instagram Check out her website Check out her courses Read her newsletter LAMB CAKES?!   Don't forget to follow the podcast on Instagram and keep up with Blayre on her Instagram or her website. And of course, be sure to share the pod with your baker friends and leave me a 5-star review if you loved this episode!

We're BAAAAACKKKKK (For Season 3!) Hello hello friends! My winter break is officially over, the weather is starting to rise above 20 degrees here in New England and it's TIME for Whisk Management Season 3! I literally can't believe we're here, but because of all of you, your interest in my content, and the amazing community of Whisktakers (both listeners and guests) have made this so fun for me and worth continuing :) This episode, I'm updating all of you about my big relocation and how it's truly upleveled my business. I'll be walking you through the steps I've taken so far and giving you tips to manage all of the things that come up when you relocate your business, switch to offering new product, or even just start from scratch! We'll discuss: -WHY I decided to uproot my life and business and move seven hours North -How I prepped for the announcement of my relocation -All the things you need to research ahead of time AND once you arrive at your destination -How to expect the unexpected and be ready for whatever comes at you (even when it's scary!) Mentioned in this episode: -Our March guest (!!!) Bronwen Wyatt of Bayou Saint Cake -Season 1, Episode 13: So Ya Wanna Start a Home Baking Business? -Season 2, Episode 10: So Ya Wanna Be a Wedding Cake Designer? -Niche- a website to help with relocation research -Minette Rushing Cakes Support The Podcast by giving us a follow on Instagram and leaving a 5-star review wherever you listen! Support Blayre and stay updated with her by following Flouretta Sweet on Instagram 

New Year... Same BADASS you! Well friends, it's the FINAL episode of Season 2 and we are going out with a BANG (and maybe a little treat too)! Today we welcome Non-Diet Nutritionist, Sturdy Girl, and Mayor of the Little Treat Life, Maria Sylvester Terry to the pod! She is one of my FAVORITE content creators ever ever on IG, and if you're looking for someone to pump you up and tell you things you need to hear (lovingly) with big BFF energy, Maria is your girl! Today we're chatting about: Maria's journey to find healing and self acceptance after years of dieting, uncertainty, and burnout. drowning out urgency culture and the importance of tuning into what your body and mind need instead how to survive New Year, New You marketing (and how to avoid trying to sell to your own clients in that way) how to navigate working in a industry that glorifies good food and hospitality while living in a world that demonizes sweets and pleasure Maria's tips on how to use food neutrality to shift your perspective on your body, food, and even how you work with clients Maria's life living and working in New Orleans Connect with Maria: -On Instagram -Through a class with her -Through one-on-one coaching -Through group coaching -Join her (free!) Sunday Brunch newsletter   Other awesome accounts mentioned in this episode: -Dalina from Your Latina Nutritionist -Lauren from Lauren Leavell Fitness -Rest Days Podcast Follow Blayre's journey setting her biz up in NH!

Today we welcome a true wedding cake chameleon to the pod,  because she can DO IT ALL! Sugar flowers? Yes. Modern, colorful fondant cakes? Yes. Buttercream ruffles, petals, Lambeth? YEP. Baroque classical beauties? You know where I'm going with this. Jenna Jenkins is the face behind ButterSugarFlour, 2024 winner of Best Wedding Cakes at the American Cake Awards, AND the Executive Cake Designer at Philadelphia-based Cescaphe Events. Today we're talking about: Jenna's experience working in a high-volume cake design environment by day, and running her solo cake biz by night The importance of communication with your team, employees, and clients when working with tons of details Jenna's thoughts on how to be a lifelong learner and building long-term client relationships The excitement of working toward and finally WINNING Best Wedding Cakes at the American Cake Awards Jenna's tips on how to hack your workflow and how to find a cake design job that will improve your skills Support Jenna on Instagram and Facebook! Support the podcast on Instagram, or follow Blayre's biz on Instagram And be sure to tell your baker friends about the pod and leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN WHISKTAKERS! It’s become a thing on the podcast to have a fun episode for Halloween. After filming Halloween Baking Championship Season 8 in 2022, Halloween has become a super meaningful holiday to me! Last year I welcomed two past HBC winners for a fun roundtable. This year, I knew I had to go even bigger… so I invited HBC JUDGE, Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, and the entrepreneur behind the infamous Piecaken, Zac Young, to join us in the studio!   This episode has ALL THE THINGS: Hear about Zac’s unique journey from a musical theater career to somehow finding himself enrolling in culinary school Zac’s adventures working as part of the opening team at Bouchon Bakery, as the pastry chef for Alex Guarnaschelli, and consulting for (and ultimately becoming a partner at) The David Burke Group. The story behind the creation of the Piecaken, Zac’s foray into large-scale production desserts for wholesale, and the opening of his newest venture, Zac Young’s Sprinkletown How Zac landed his “night job” doing Food TV, and how he balances his crazy schedule ALLLL of the behind-the-scenes tea about Halloween Baking Championship, what it’s like to be a judge on Food TV, and a fun round of HBC-themed rapid-fire-questions! Support Zac! Follow him on Instagram  Check out Piecaken Bakeshop on Goldbelly or visit Zac Young’s Sprinkletown Watch Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship, now streaming on MAX Support the Pod! Follow us on Instagram Be sure to leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Sometimes being a business owner makes us feel like a solo juggling act at the circus.  Four balls in the air was fine, but then we add another, and another, and soon we've got 15 going all at once! Our guest today is learning how to become an expert "juggler" and is here to share her tips on how you, too, CAN and WILL earn a standing ovation from your audience. Whether its figuring out how to blend biz life and family life, finding ways to connect with the community around you, or setting small, attainable goals to get you where you want to go, Pastry Chef Jill Davis is focused on finding the perfect balance of them all.    Today we're talking about: Jill's journey leaving her full-time baking job and figuring out how to provide for her growing family in the middle of the pandemic The story of how Jill transitioned from selling at markets into her brick and mortar studio space, and her tips for what to know and focus on when your business takes that next step How she found her stride and became sought-after in a small community, and how YOU can plug into your local area too! More Halloween Baking Championship tea, of course Support Jill: -Visit the Drizzle website -Follow her on Instagram or Facebook Support the Pod: -Follow us on Instagram -Follow Blayre's business, Flouretta Sweet -Leave us a 5 star review wherever you listen! *And don't forget to tell your baker friends about the pod!*

Cake stands and sugar flowers and dowel rods, oh my! The World of wedding cakes is strange, beautiful, and honestly a little daunting- especially if you're trying to break onto the scene for the first time.  In today's episode, I'm giving you all of my tips and tricks and telling you MY story of how I found my niche in the wedding industry as a wedding cake designer.  We'll Discuss: My journey from culinary school to working in cake shops along the East Coast to now running my own wedding cake-focused business! Ways to hone your skills WITHOUT spending years and tons of money going back to school or working for someone else How I transitioned from working for someone else to working for myself The mindset work it takes to push past your limiting beliefs and step into your awesomeness as a business owner Mentioned in this episode: Bayou Saint Cake's Dome Cake Class Finespun Cake Academy- Sugar flowers and wedding business courses Commonwealth Cake Co Mentorship Program You are a Badass by Jen Sincero Support the Podcast by leaving Blayre a 5 star review wherever you listen! Follow the pod on Instagram Follow Flouretta Sweet on Instagram

"Do no harm, take no s***." (Now that’s a motto I can live by!) And it happens to be the approach our guest takes to running their business. Obsessed.  Today we welcome award-winning wedding planner, ultimate powerhouse boss-lady, and accidental badass entrepreneur Taryn Blake to the pod! We’re talking about: How she accidentally fell into the wedding industry and loved the freedom so much that she left her six-figure corporate job to pursue it The obstacles she overcame (personally and professionally) that prepared her to run a successful all-female team with salaried employees and have a healthy work/life balance Her advice for wedding vendors and cake designers on how to break into a new corner of the industry and how to best connect with planners Her thoughts on The Engagement Gap, how to pull yourself out of a creative rut, and the future of the wedding industry Support Taryn! Blake Events website Blake Events Instagram Taryn’s Instagram Vendor Club Also mentioned in this episode: Buy Back your Time Support the Pod: Follow us on Instagram Follow Blayre’s business, Flouretta Sweet Leave us a review wherever you’re listening and share with your baker friends!

As Beyonce once said, "lemme upgrade ya"! If you really think about it, most of our time as business owners isn't spent doing the thing we actually are in business for. Instead, we're spending our time marketing, e-mailing, creating invoices- ALLL of that back end work that helps keep things moving AND keeps our clients HAPPY! Today's episode is going to help you take a deep dive into your processes and hone in on some ways to better cater to the people who keep our lights on and keep our toolkits stocked with endless mini offset spatulas.  Mentioned in this episode: -Dubsado - Blayre's Client Management System -CakeMemes4U -NoVendorMeal -Bakey Bakes & Disco Sugar   Support the Podcast on Instagram! Follow Blayre's biz, Flouretta Sweet!

Luxury is in the details, and nobody embodies that more than today's guest! On this episode, we're welcoming the supremely talented Alexandria Carmona from Toronto's Finespun Cakes. Not only is she a true sugar flower wizard, she's also an expert at creating romantic, flowy, and DELICIOUS luxury wedding cakes (and she can teach you how to do the same thing!). She joins Blayre in the studio to discuss: How she entered the whimsical world of sugar flowers and how she remains known for them to this day How she grew her business and opened her brick and mortar studio in the middle of the pandemic The way to build a trustworthy team Her classes and tutorials and community through YouTube and her Finespun Cake Academy Her tips on how to break into the luxury wedding space and how she builds luxury experiences for her clients Support Alexandria! On Instagram By visiting her Website Learn from Alexandria! Finespun Youtube Channel/Free Tutorials Finespun Cake Academy (use code WHISK30 for 7 day free trial + 30% of first month!) Support the Pod! On Instagram Visit our website Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify!

WE'RE BACK WITH PART TWO OF THE PRIDE MONTH SERIES! Last episode we talked about some changes you can make in your business to make your space safe and more inclusive. This week, we're inviting Blayre's past clients (and friends!) Calvin and Orin Macon Phillips onto the pod to hear about their experience planning a wedding as a Queer couple.  We're discussing: The good, the bad, and the ugly of searching for inclusive wedding vendors Calvin & Orin's tips for planning a wedding that was unique and special to them What you can do to show allyship to clients in minority groups How to celebrate and uplift Queer love and joy Contact Calvin with your questions! Support the Pod! On Instagram Online Blayre's Business Instagram and Website

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, WHISKTAKERS!!! Here on the Whisk Management Pod, Pride is 365, baby! And this month I'm bringing you not one, but TWO episodes that will help you foster genuine inclusivity within your business! Today we're talking about the work you should be doing as a business owner if you want to make your business a safe space for Queer clients.  We're discussing: Some basic Queer terminology that you might want to be familiar with so you're not making assumptions about your clients (or people in general) How to practice allyship and center the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community How to make your space (be it a brick and mortar business or the digital space in which you occupy) SAFE. What to do when you face backlash for making a statement on where you stand (because trust me, it will happen!) So get out your pencils, paper, gel pens, and glitter, because this episode is full of helpful tips and LOTS of homework.  Here are the amazing Queer Folx/Organizations referenced in this episode: Tess Feiler, Sarah Katherine Davis Photography, Kim Williams Weddings, Dolly Jaye, Human Rights Campaign Support the Pod! On Instagram Online Blayre's Business Instagram and Website  

Today we introduce Pastry Chef and #1 fan of the pod, Aaron Davis! Aaron is not only a wildly talented pastry chef, cake artist, and baker, but he's a personal friend of Blayre's and has so many awesome things to share with us today.  In this episode, Aaron and I are talking about: His personal and professional growth since graduating in the middle of the Pandemic, and how he's honing in on finding what brings him joy in his career His experience navigating his own mental health journey in an industry that stigmatizes it and how we can prioritize our own mental health  How it doesn't matter where you start in your career, it's the intentional steps that you take from there that will lead you to where you want to go Ways to seek creative inspiration for your art from unique places Aaron's experience on Holiday Baking Championship AND Holiday Wars and how they differ Support and follow Aaron on Instagram! Check out these mental health resources for Hospitality Professionals: CHOW- Culinary Hospitality Outreach Wellness The Burnt Chef Project Focus on Health Restaurant After Hours Open Path Collective- Affordable Therapy for those without Health Insurance Support the Pod! Follow us On Instagram Follow Blayre's business, Flouretta Sweet Visit us online Mentor Sessions are Here! Click here for more information about how to work with Blayre one-on-one  

Sometimes, business ownership isn't all sunshine and roses. Today we're talking about what happens when you've girlbossed for so long that you can't possibly girlboss ANY LONGER.  May is Mental Health Awareness month, so I'm bringing you some episodes to help remind you that there's nothing wrong with a little pausing, contemplation, and focusing inward. So if you're feeling like turning off the alarm, rolling over and hiding back under the covers when it comes to running your business, this episode is FOR YOU! In this episode: Blayre shares how she's had to mentally (and physically) rearrange her expectations and priorities for 2024 after a VERY slow booking season and some big life changes Commiseration for the wedding vendors, what the heck the Engagement Gap is, and how you're DEF not the only one experiencing low bookings (and it likely isn't your fault either!!!) How to find contentment when things are hard, and what to do with a lull in business or a lack of work Recognizing growth when what you thought you wanted has shifted ALSO, MENTOR SESSIONS ARE HERE! Maybe you've been wanting a extra set of eyes to look at your socials, branding, or website. Maybe you need help starting an LLC or discussing logistics about an in-home kitchen, finding your brand voice, or breaking into the wedding industry. Or maybe you've just been wanting to sit down and pick Blayre's brain! Now is your chance! Book a free 15-20 minute discovery call here and fill out the inquiry form, then we'll chat about what it is you want to work on specifically! Can't wait to meet you! Support the Pod Follow on Instagram or visit our website Check out Blayre's biz instagram or website

If at first you don't succeed... Learn from that shit and keep going!!!!! In today's guest episode, we get to chat with a true Macaron Princess. Crystal Arvelo is no stranger to making things work (I mean, she chose one of the hardest confections in French Pastry, taught herself how to bake them in the middle of the pandemmy, and started a business selling them locally AND Nationwide).  We're talking about: Client transparency and the art of pivoting when things aren't working The story of how Crystal had to close her brick and mortar shop in order to find a better location to serve her customers How to market depending on your own unique business model Not being afraid to just START, but also being smart about business choices and how to learn from your failures and mistakes (hint: failure isn't bad!) Stay up-to-date with Crystal and the exciting future of Colorful Macarons: Follow them on Instagram Follow them on Facebook  Check out their Website Stay up to date with the pod! Follow WMPod on Instagram or visit the podcast website Follow Blayre on Instagram or check out the Flouretta Sweet Website Join the Whisktakers Society!