Let's face it, CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, or gift-giving in general, can sometimes bring on more stress than joy. And in my opinion, that’s NOT how the holidays should feel. The holidays are meant to be a FUN, RELAXING, time that is spent doing what you love with the people you want to be around. That's why I've compiled a list of some of my FAVORITE holiday gift-giving ideas just for you! So you can STOP stressing about finding the perfect gifts and start doing more of what you love during the holiday season.

No matter who you’re shopping for this season, you'll find all my holiday faves here! And the best part is these gifts will fit ANY budget.

I separated them into categories so you can browse for that perfect, thoughtful, useful, and fun gift for everyone on your list! So if you’re ready to shop without the HASSLE and STRESS, then let’s get started!

GIFTS FOR HER

THE GYM PEOPLE Thick High Waist Yoga Pants with Pockets

These are the BEST leggings you’ll ever buy. They are so soft, st...

Listen up, bakers! I know this time of year can feel like a sh*t storm of stress: orders are piling up, you’re making TONS of trips to the store, and the holiday rush has you questioning if you can really keep up. 😫 The anxiety is REAL, but here’s the truth – you can get through this, and honestly, there are ways to make this season work in your favor without feeling like you’re drowning.

So let’s dig into some real-life tips to help you handle holiday demand, stay sane, and get through the season without burning out. Remember: you’re a BOSS, and you’ve got this!

1. Streamline That Holiday Menu

Repeat after me: More is not always better. Focus on the customer favorites that fly off the shelf every season and keep it simple. Cut out anything that’s going to eat up your time or add extra to your plate – trust me, your customers will be more than happy with a smaller but killer selection of treats.

2. Set Order Deadlines & Mean It

Friend, let’s be real – you can’t take on orders righ...

There are TONS of reasons why people start businesses. They want to be their own boss. They wanna work from home. They want to be able to make their own schedule. They want to make as much money as they possibly can. They want happiness. One of the biggest reasons? TIME! They want the FREEDOM to be able to do what they want when they want. The problem is, most business owners sign up to start a business and they get so caught up in BUILDING the business that they end up feeling like they have NO TIME.

I was this business owner and it took me YEARS to get out off this hamster wheel. The thing is, we all get 24 hours in a day. It’s up to YOU what you do with that time. It’s a hard pill to swallow but at the end of the day, it’s your responsibility to make the time for the things that are important to you. If you’re struggling with feeling like you have NO TIME, here are 5 different ways for you to reclaim your time as a business owner so you can get closer to that FREEDOM you desire.

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If you’re in the food or baking industry, you know first-hand that getting customers to try your product is just the start. The real win? Turning one-time buyers into loyal raving fans. Here’s actually how to keep them coming back for more!

1. Simple Ways to Build Loyalty

Retention is about creating a solid experience for your customers, so they feel valued and appreciated. Here are some quick strategies that work:

• Make it Personal: Remember their names, usual orders, preferences, special events, and the REASON they’re actually coming to you. Ask questions, be excited for them, share your recommendations. By doing this is it shows you care about their experience. A little recognition goes a long way.
• Loyalty Programs Matter: Even a basic stamp card or small rewards program makes customers feel recognized and eager to return. It also encourages them to work towards something that benefits them in the long-run.
• Surprise Perks: Offer a free birthday treat or a thank-you discount ra
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Your business is NOT going to be for everyone and that’s okay!

Some people will RIDE-OR-DIE for you and your business while others will simply spread hate on your business just because you rub them the wrong way. It can sting and if you take things personally, this hate can be detrimental to the success of your business and your MENTAL HEALTH.

So HOW do you respond when someone HATES on your products or business?

You can either:

1. Say NOTHING and let it go.
2. Be DEFENSIVE (this will get you nowhere and cause you more hurt and frustration down the road)
3. Kill em with kindness. OR…
4. Respond with GRACE, offer your perspective, wish them well, and MOVE ON.

I’m not gonna tell you there’s a right way or wrong way to respond. BUT what I will tell you is everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But what I’ve learned over being a business owner for over a decade is that some opinions simply DO NOT matter.

Instead of giving these negative comments POWER of your mood, my advice is: Use t...

On October 1st, 2010 I GRAND OPENED The Cake Mamas bakery in Glendora, California. I was terrified, anxious, EXCITED, and didn’t know what this next season of life was going to look like.

Little did I know that this bakery I was building from my home would turn into a 7-figure business, be featured on Food Network, not once, not twice but three times, would expand into two locations, and lead me to my new chapter of coaching and consulting other bakery owners to do the same.

Over the last 14 years, 10 being in my storefront, I learned a SH*T ton of lessons and I wanna share them with you in the hopes that they inspire you, validate you, offer a new perspective, and maybe even warn you. 😆

1. Don’t expect your friends and family to be your biggest supporters. They are NOT your target audience. They will support you when you first start, maybe even buy a cake or two out of love, obligation or pity, but once your prices reflect “fair market value”, they’ll be the first to ghost you, (
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Every ONE in FIVE bakeries fail. That’s 20% BEFORE even making it past the first year. If you’re lucky to make it to the three-year mark, that percentage increases to 60%. WHY is that? Well, there’s a couple reasons. 1) The barrier to entry for bakers is extremely low. There isn’t a ton of skill required to get started and the cost is relatively low. And 2) A lot of bakers focus solely on creating new products when instead they should be focusing on the BUSINESS side of operating a bakery. Things like pricing their products, customer retention, marketing, sales, and operations.

So HOW do you beat those odds and ensure that your bakery is going to be a success? Well, I believe there are 6 things every baker should do in their business on a quarterly basis if they want to continue to grow and increase their chances of building a sustainable and thriving business.

1. Checking in and UNDERSTANDING your numbers
   1. Have prices for your ingredients/ supplies/ overheard increased in the last
   ...

Email is one of the primary ways people communicate. So not having the perfect email sequence can cost you a TON of sales! I know when you are the business owner it’s easy to get caught up in all the other things that are required of you when running a business which is why I wanted to share a few email scripts I used at The Cake Mamas that won me clients and helped me CLOSE more sales!

These email scripts are super easy to personalize, so much so, that your husband, teenage daughter, son, friend, or first employee can copy/paste and take answering emails off your plate.

You can grab the full list of all my email scripts, PLUS my guides on how to sell on social, through your website, and most importantly YOURSELF by clicking the link here!

Communicating to your clients doesn’t always need to be a LONG, DRAWN-OUT, in-depth proposal or email. These email scripts were exactly what I used in my bakery and helped me win more clients. Be warm, welcoming, energetic, straightforward, and yo...

Serious question… Do you have an EXPENSIVE ASS hobby or a legitimate business?

Your prices are a direct representation of your worth! If you don’t value your time, energy, labor, and work, how do you expect your customers to?

There are SO MANY bullshit lies in the baking industry about how you should be charging for your baked goods when in reality these “pricing tips” are keeping your bakery BROKE!

That’s why I created a FREE DOWNLOAD just for you full of my TOP 10 B.S. pricing tips so you can AVOID these “pricing” red flags and start making the money you deserve!

You can download those pricing tips here! But while you’re reading this here are a few HUGE red flags to watch out for!

1. You need to price LOW to build a customer base! (NOPE!)

Starting off with low prices to attract customers can actually BACKFIRE in your business. While you might gain some initial traction, you’re also setting the precedent with your customers that your products are cheap. Therefore setting you up ...

Have you ever asked yourself, “How do I make more money in my bakery business?” Well, buckle up, buttercup, because you might not like what I’m about to say…

The reason you’re not seeing growth in your baking business, the reason it feels like you’re not making any money, is because you aren’t pricing your products properly. And you might be saying, “Well, Janelle, I priced out everything and it just seemed too ridiculous to charge $100 for two dozen cupcakes.”

Well, sis, that’s the MATH! Numbers don’t lie. So many of you are charging for your products and services based on emotion, and your “emotional” pricing is going to plummet your business.

While you may think $100 for two dozen cupcakes is ridiculous, someone else may think that’s a bargain! You can’t let your limiting beliefs and your perceived value determine how you price your products. If you do, you’ll end up overworked, working for pennies, burnt out, and resentful because you are personally funding this business (let al...