Today we’d like to introduce you to Colleen McGregor.
Hi Colleen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My cake journey started when I took my first bakery job in college. I immediately fell in love with the kitchen’s pace and seeing the smiles on our customer’s faces. I would always sneak a peek at the cake decorators’ design but have yet to dare to try it myself. It wasn’t until years later that I decided to make a friend a birthday cake. I went to the store armed with a recipe to buy my ingredients, fondant, flower cookie cutters, and a step-by-step decorating guide. Unknowingly I choose an ambitious design for a beginner. It had handmade flowers, quilted fondant, and pearls, but I nailed it! From there, I began to design and make cakes for all my friend’s birthdays, babies, and bridal showers. Over several years I honed my skills and began to decorate professionally.
I chose the name Beanie’s Bakes as an homage to my mother. Born no bigger “than a bean,” as she said, my childhood nic name was Beanie. Reviving this name is a way to keep my mother close to my heart daily and keep her in my memory. I grew my company one order at a time utilizing local events and festivals to network. As orders became more consistent, I opened a storefront outside of Wilmington, NC. Though I loved this area and the people, I moved to South Carolina. I came down as the lead cake decorator with Costco and continued to work there until 2021. As with many people, I took a hiatus from the kitchen during covid but came back in full force. In August of 2022, I relaunched my brand, Beanie Bakes. The company is based on Daniel Island, just outside Mt. Pleasant and downtown Charleston. As a Luxury Sugar Artist, I specialize in wedding cakes, unique birthday cakes, and hand-decorated sugar cookies. Each item made is custom for your event and can be tailored to your preferences, flavors, and design. I thoroughly enjoy working one-on-one with my customers to create a unique and special designs for their event. I aim to provide excellent customer service and a showpiece dessert that is as tasty as beautiful.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
There have been several bumps along the way. I’ve learned a big part of success is enjoying the journey, being persistent, and learning from mistakes. One of the biggest obstacles has been going from being a casual social media user to utilizing it as a main source of advertising. Creating engaging content that will grow followers is tricky for introverts. Putting myself in front of the camera and adding a face to the name paired with amazing cakes is a winning strategy. I am also putting the whisk down and getting out of the kitchen. Scheduling pop-up events and local festivals and uniting with other small business owners has been a great way to meet new potential clients. The ending of covid was an exciting time and lined up perfectly with the relaunch of my business in August of 2022. Launching a luxury business during this time with such high inflation and fear of group gatherings became challenging. I’ve noticed people were still celebrating at the end of the year but having a more intimate guest list. As 2023 progresses, I’ve noticed a group gathering increasing and covid fear subsiding. Local clients on Daniel Island have been wonderful in supporting my specialty businesses.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
Unlike larger-scale production bakers, I am a small-batch custom baker. This ensures each cake is freshly baked for the order and flavors can be customized. Even though there are crowd favorites, there is no set menu. I enjoy getting to know my client’s palate so I can provide pairing suggestions. This ensures their cake will look spectacular, be unique to their event, and taste amazing. As a self-taught decorator, I enjoy continually learning and taking on challenges. I do not shy away from an unfamiliar design but instead, use it to build upon my skill set. My constant curiosity and desire to learn led me down many internet rabbit holes. This produces more options for clients and multiple edible mediums to utilize during creation.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Networking events can seem overwhelming at first. I like to make 3-4 good connections at an open networking event and invite them for coffee or wine. In a one-on-one setting, I find a more personal connection and dive deeper into how we can work together. I look for other business owners in the same industry but in a different field. As I enter the wedding industry, I am looking to connect with event planners, florists, and venue managers.
Pricing:
- Buttercream cakes start at $6/person
- Fondant cakes start at $8/person
- Cupcakes start at $48/dozen
- Decorated Sugar Cookies start $50/dozen
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BeanieBakesSC.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/beanie_bakes_sc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeanieBakesSC/
