The Profitable Baker Podcast

Annie Bennett

The Profitable Baker — for bakers who mean business with Annie Bennett You bake beautifully. But running a profitable baking business? That’s where things can get messy. Each week, business mentor and baking industry expert Annie Bennett helps home bakers move beyond “just getting by” and start building a real, sustainable business. Inside every episode, you’ll hear practical strategies, honest conversations, and inspiring stories from bakers who’ve turned their passion into profit. From pricing and visibility to mindset and marketing, Annie breaks down what really works — without the fluff or overwhelm. If you’re ready to feel confident, charge your worth, and finally think like a business owner (not just a baker), you’re in the right place. From Annie Bennett at The Home Baking Business Academy Helping bakers to start and grow a profitable Home Baking Business. https://anniebennett.co.uk/

  1. Episode 31: With special guest Kate Tynan.

    5 hr ago

    Episode 31: With special guest Kate Tynan.

    Send us Fan Mail Kate Tynan is an award winning Cake Business Coach and has worked with over 10,000 cake designers in the last three years.  She is the founder of 'The Cake Business Club' - a monthly business membership for cake businesses around the globe.  Kate is also a certified positive psychology coach and weaves that into her 1:1 coaching so her guidance builds upon her clients' strengths, values and personality type.   She has over a decade of experience running her own multi award winning wedding cake business 'Little Button Bakery', but closed that business in October 2023 to focus solely on 'The Cake Business Club'. Kate has built a name for herself in the cake industry with her no-nonsense, straight-talking style - always with an injection of fun.  Her clients say she is their biggest cheerleader and will always tell them what they need to know to grow - even if a bit of tough love is needed.  Kate values inclusivity, honesty, fun and respect and always goes above and beyond for the cake designers who work with her. Find more about Kate and The Cake Business Club here: https://www.thecakebusinessclub.co.uk Follow Kate on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thecakebusinessclub/ If you have found this episode useful, please follow of subscribe on the platform that you listen on, and leave a review! Connect with Annie: For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Profitable Baker Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/ And if you’re looking for a different income stream… let Annie help you publish a book: https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-book-programme/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/theprofitablebakeracademy/ https://www.facebook.com/theprofitablebakeracademy https://www.tiktok.com/@profitablebakeracademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-pba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    42 min
  2. Episode 30: Learning to Look: How to Be Inspired By Brilliance Without Copying Anyone

    24 Jun

    Episode 30: Learning to Look: How to Be Inspired By Brilliance Without Copying Anyone

    Send us Fan Mail Scrolling past a brand or a bake that stops you in your tracks is one thing — knowing what to actually do with that admiration is another. In this episode, Annie unpacks why so many bakers slide from inspiration into imitation, and gives you a simple framework for borrowing the principle behind a brand you love without copying the look. In this episode: Why copying happens (hint: it's fear, not laziness) — and why it backfiresThe one question to ask instead of "how do I make mine look like that?"Real examples: packaging, captions, and photography broken down into the principle vs. the surfaceA 3-question framework you can use the next time something stops your scrollA first look at July's Academy Day brand walk in Brighton Mentioned in this episode: The Profitable Baker Academy Membership: https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/Academy Day — Brighton Brand Walk, 10th July: ••https://anniebennett.co.uk/register/brighton-away-day-non-members/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/theprofitablebakeracademy/ https://www.facebook.com/theprofitablebakeracademy https://www.tiktok.com/@profitablebakeracademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-pba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    16 min
  3. Episode 29: With special Guest Jenny Gilson

    17 Jun

    Episode 29: With special Guest Jenny Gilson

    Send us Fan Mail Jenny is a multi award winning business woman with over 25 years experience in the cake industry.  Originally trained as a pastry chef, Jenny worked in some of the UKs top establishments, honing her skills before establishing her cake business which went from kitchen table to 6 figures within 3 years.  Jenny created cakes for Royalty (making HRH Charles and Camilla’s first wedding anniversary cake) appeared on TV (Britain’s Best Bakery, The Alan Titchmarsh show, amongst others) and featured across the national press.  Jenny sold the cake business after selling over £2 million worth of cakes and trained as a coach and hypnotherapist.  Jenny is an expert in not only creating beautiful cakes but growing a cake business, gaining press and the mindset needed to create a successful cake business.  Jenny coaches with passion, making it fun, whilst being results driven. Jenny prides herself in being cake business owners biggest cheerleader in business, working with them on their mindset to help them achieve their goals and dreams. When not working, Jenny can be found in the forest or at the beach, swimming in the sea (when it’s warm enough!)  Get in touch with Jenny on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sweet_as_success/ Connect with Annie: For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Profitable Baker Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/theprofitablebakeracademy/ https://www.facebook.com/theprofitablebakeracademy https://www.tiktok.com/@profitablebakeracademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-pba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    36 min
  4. Episode 28  Knowing Your Worth Isn't Enough. You Have to Be Able to Say It.

    10 Jun

    Episode 28 Knowing Your Worth Isn't Enough. You Have to Be Able to Say It.

    Send us Fan Mail Most home bakers don't have a pricing problem. They have a delivery problem. In this episode, I'm talking about the moment — that specific, uncomfortable moment when someone asks how much your cakes cost and you feel that familiar tightening in your chest. Why it happens, what it's costing you, and what to actually do about it. This episode builds on Episode 27 (if you haven't listened yet, go back — today's episode picks up where that one left off), so if you've been following the June sales confidence series, this is the practical next step. In this episode: Why softening, pre-apologising and over-explaining your prices actually undermines them — before anyone has even respondedThe real reason saying a price out loud feels so exposing (and why it's not weakness)Three practical things to try in your next price conversationWhy the pause after you say your price is more powerful than anything you say nextWhat to do when someone says "that's more than I expected" — and why dropping your price isn't the answerA simple exercise to do today that will make price conversations feel less strange Ready to keep working on this? Inside the Profitable Baker Academy this month, we're going deep on sales confidence — from showing up online to handling real enquiries.  For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Profitable Baker Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/theprofitablebakeracademy/ https://www.facebook.com/theprofitablebakeracademy https://www.tiktok.com/@profitablebakeracademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-pba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    17 min
  5. Episode 27: You're Not Bad at Selling. You've Just Never Been Shown How.

    3 Jun

    Episode 27: You're Not Bad at Selling. You've Just Never Been Shown How.

    Send us Fan Mail If selling feels uncomfortable, this episode is for you — and the good news is, it's not a personality problem. It's a skills gap. And skills can be learned. Annie breaks down what selling actually looks like in a small, values-led baking business — and it's nothing like the pushy, high-pressure version that's been putting you off. In this episode you'll learn: Why most bakers who struggle with selling aren't bad at it — they just haven't been shown howWhat selling actually is when it's done well (hint: it's helping someone make a decision)The three specific skills that make up selling in a baking business contextWhy following up after an enquiry isn't pushy — and what to say when you do itOne practical thing to do before the end of this week Want to take part in The Sales Confidence Challenge?  Sign up here: https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-hbba-sales-challenge-2026/ For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Profitable Baker Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/theprofitablebakeracademy/ https://www.facebook.com/theprofitablebakeracademy https://www.tiktok.com/@profitablebakeracademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-pba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    15 min
  6. Episode 26 Why Selling Feels So Hard (And What to Do About It)

    27 May

    Episode 26 Why Selling Feels So Hard (And What to Do About It)

    Send us Fan Mail If talking about your work, following up on enquiries, or asking for the sale makes you want to quietly look the other way, this episode is for you. This week I'm getting into something that doesn't get talked about enough in the home baking world: the discomfort around selling. Not pricing, not finding customers… the actual act of putting yourself and your work forward with confidence. I talk about the three beliefs that keep brilliant bakers stuck, why the version of selling most of us are afraid of isn't the version we actually need to do, and what the reframe is that changes everything. There's also one practical task, something you can do today, in about ten minutes, that will start to shift how you talk about your business. And at the end, I share details of the Sales Confidence Challenge, a free five-day challenge I'm running from Monday 1st June. One email a day, one short video from me, one task. Link below if you'd like to join. Sign up for the Sales Confidence Challenge: https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-hbba-sales-challenge-2026/ Connect with Annie: For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Home Baking Business Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-academy/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/thehomebakingbusinessacademy/ https://www.facebook.com/thehomebakingbusinessacademy https://www.tiktok.com/@hbbacademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-hbba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    17 min
  7. Episode 25: When They Say 'That's Too Expensive' — What to Do Next

    20 May

    Episode 25: When They Say 'That's Too Expensive' — What to Do Next

    Send us Fan Mail Those four words. You know the ones. You've done the work, built your pricing properly, sent the quote — and then it comes back: "that's too expensive." And suddenly all the confidence you had disappears. In this episode, I'm talking about what's actually happening in that moment, what it means (and what it doesn't), and what to do next that isn't immediately reaching for a discount. We cover: Why "that's too expensive" is almost always budget information — not a verdict on your workThe two questions that fire at once when a client pushes back, and why the emotional one tends to drive the responseA real enquiry I had for a wedding cake — and what happened when I handled it properlyThree practical responses you can use when the pushback comesWhy guilt-discounting costs you more than just the moneyThe mindset shift that changes how these conversations feelIf you've ever said yes to a price you knew was too low just to make the discomfort stop — this one's for you. Connect with Annie: For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Home Baking Business Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-academy/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/thehomebakingbusinessacademy/ https://www.facebook.com/thehomebakingbusinessacademy https://www.tiktok.com/@hbbacademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-hbba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    20 min
  8. Episode 24: Stop Covering Costs and Start Building a Business

    13 May

    Episode 24: Stop Covering Costs and Start Building a Business

    Send us Fan Mail Most home bakers price to survive. In this episode, Annie makes the case for pricing to build — and explains why that shift changes everything. If you've ever set a price by working out what your ingredients cost and adding "a bit on," this episode is for you. Because covering costs is the floor, not the goal. And if you've been pricing from the floor, it explains why you're busy but not building. In this episode Annie covers: Why "what do I need to cover?" is the wrong starting question — and what to ask insteadThe hidden costs that almost never make it into a home baker's pricing (but absolutely should)The three layers of pricing: direct costs, overheads, and the profit margin that actually builds a businessWhy low prices don't just affect your margin — they affect perception, and perception affects everythingThe real reason raising your prices often loses the wrong customers and attracts the right onesHow to use pricing as a filter, not just a formulaPlus: a practical exercise to find the gap between what you're charging and what you should be charging — and what to do about it. If your prices haven't been looked at in a while, this is the episode to listen to with a notebook nearby. For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Home Baking Business Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-academy/ For regular delves into baking business matters, including taking part in podcast episodes: https://anniebennett.co.uk/#subscribe For free tips, insight and real-world business talk: Follow me on social media https://www.instagram.com/thehomebakingbusinessacademy/ https://www.facebook.com/thehomebakingbusinessacademy https://www.tiktok.com/@hbbacademy https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-bennett-hbba/ For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

    15 min

About

The Profitable Baker — for bakers who mean business with Annie Bennett You bake beautifully. But running a profitable baking business? That’s where things can get messy. Each week, business mentor and baking industry expert Annie Bennett helps home bakers move beyond “just getting by” and start building a real, sustainable business. Inside every episode, you’ll hear practical strategies, honest conversations, and inspiring stories from bakers who’ve turned their passion into profit. From pricing and visibility to mindset and marketing, Annie breaks down what really works — without the fluff or overwhelm. If you’re ready to feel confident, charge your worth, and finally think like a business owner (not just a baker), you’re in the right place. From Annie Bennett at The Home Baking Business Academy Helping bakers to start and grow a profitable Home Baking Business. https://anniebennett.co.uk/