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. 23h ago

    Episode 38: With special guest Dawn Butler

    Send us Fan Mail Hello, I’m Dawn Butler — the cake artist behind Dinkydoodle. I’ve spent my career helping cake makers of all levels grow their skills and confidence. Over the years, I’ve earned multiple gold medals, won Best in Show at Cake International in 2016, been named International Cake Artist of the Year, and recognised as one of the UK’s Top Ten Cake Artists. In 2024, I was honoured to be inducted into the DMA Hall of Fame for my contributions to the sugar industry. But my proudest achievement is the community we’ve built inside the Dinkydoodle Cake Academy. I’m also dyslexic and have ADHD — something I’m always open about. While it occasionally means a spelling slip, it also gives me the ability to break complex techniques into simple, accessible steps. It’s part of what shapes how I teach, create, and connect with others. If you’ve ever doubted your abilities or felt unsure about trying something new, you’re not alone. I believe in learning with honesty, encouragement, and a good dose of fun, helping my students build confidence and creativity one cake at a time. Here are the links for the Dinkydoodle webpages and social media: Dinkydoodle Designs: https://www.dinkydoodle.co.uk/ Dinkydoodle Cake Academy: https://www.dinkydoodle.academy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DinkydoodleDawn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinkydoodlecake/ Connect with Annie: The Free Profitable Baker Bundle: 21 free resources to support your baking business: https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-bundle/ Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablebakercommunity For structured support, training and accountability: Join The Profitable Baker Academy Membership https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/ 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

    Episode 38: With special guest Dawn Butler
  2. Aug 12

    Episode 37: Stop Guessing What They Want

    Send us Fan Mail Most bakers design products for themselves — not for their customers. Annie breaks down how to close that gap: reading real demand signals, treating declined enquiries as a training curriculum (especially for bespoke-only bakers), planning seasonally instead of reactively, and making simple bakes feel premium through presentation, not complexity. In this episode: Why "I liked the idea" isn't the same as market evidenceSimple, free ways to find out what customers actually wantFor bespoke bakers: turning declined requests into a strategic skill-learning planWhy reactive seasonal planning keeps you rushed and underpricedMaking simple bakes feel premium through presentation, naming and storyThis episode is based on this month's Academy session, Designing Products That Sell Themselves — inside the session, we went deeper with real examples and built an actual seasonal plan together. 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: Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablebakercommunity 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

    Episode 37: Stop Guessing What They Want
  3. Jul 15

    Episode 33 With special guest Cristina Arevalo

    Send us Fan Mail Cristina Arévalo is a creative business coach, educator, and founder of The Art Cake Coach.  After more than 20 years of having her own cake business and teaching cake decorators from all over the world, she now helps home-based creative entrepreneurs create simple systems, manage their time with intention, and grow successful businesses without burnout. Her philosophy challenges hustle culture and cookie-cutter business advice, encouraging creatives to build businesses that support both their ambitions and their well-being. Through coaching, her podcast, and her online community, Cristina empowers creative entrepreneurs to work with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose, all while protecting the creativity that makes their business unique. Connect with Cristina: https://www.instagram.com/theartcakecoach/ Her Podcast: The Art Cake Coach https://open.spotify.com/episode/2yIZD4J00nf3dmNLDeZUBs?si=PpRxmF3WRfWBfy9OZbk5SA And website: https://www.theartcakecoach.com/ 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

    Episode 33 With special guest Cristina Arevalo
  4. Jul 8

    Episode 32: Does Your Brand Look Like Your Business Feels?

    Send us Fan Mail Here's a question worth sitting with: when someone lands on your Instagram for the first time, do they feel what your business actually is, or does it feel like it could be anyone's bakery? In this episode, I'm talking about the gap that quietly exists in most baking businesses: the space between how your business feels and how it actually looks to the outside world. And why closing that gap matters more than any individual design decision you'll ever make. We cover: Why your brand is making a promise on your behalf before a customer ever speaks to youA simple three-word exercise to identify what your business should actually feel likeHow to audit your own brand honestly — your grid, your colours, your captions, your price listThe most common trap bakers fall into when they're inspired by brands they admireWhy finding the gap isn't a failure — it's the most useful thing you can doThis is the first episode in our July brand identity series, and it's the foundation everything else builds on. This month inside The Profitable Baker Academy, we're going deeper… a full guided brand audit, real-world brand observation, product descriptions that sound like you, and a content rhythm that's actually sustainable.  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: FREE GUIDE: Starting a Baking Business: https://www.subscribepage.com/stepstocakebusiness 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

    Episode 32: Does Your Brand Look Like Your Business Feels?
  5. Jul 1

    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

    Episode 31: With special guest Kate Tynan.

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/