29/09/2025
Hello everyone!
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported my small business over the past 9 years. Every like, follow, share and of course purchase and tasting of my cakes has been truly appreciated and I am eternally grateful.
However, as some of you may have noticed, I haven’t made a cake for a fee for some time now.
Last September I took a break from my business, due to other things happening in my life that meant I couldn’t give my full focus to my customers. And, as much as I have (mostly) loved running my business, I haven’t missed it. Life-challenges are ongoing, and my world has evolved. Therefore, I have made the decision to close Betty Bee Bakes. The website will disappear tomorrow (30th September 2025).
Although the website will disappear, I still own the domain name and the social media accounts will remain. They are an archive, a form of inspiration to others and may well evolve into something else – we’ll see. Betty Bee Bakes has always been my baby and (despite other’s attempting to copy or imitate the name) I am not prepared to let the name go!
I would like to say that I have loved every minute, but it hasn’t always been plain sailing. The thrill of someone loving my cakes is an epic feeling, I can never tire of that. However, there has also been blood, sweat and tears (lots of tears) – not in the actual cakes, obviously. There have been late nights, fear that the customer will be disappointed Every.Single.Time. My family not being able to use the kitchen because I was baking a three-tier cake or 60 cupcakes in batches. Juggling baking/decorating with my “real” job and being a mum. The people that ask for a quote, that you spend hours going back and forth with them on email to find out what they want, the sketches, the costings – and then they never reply, not even a “no thanks.” I didn’t get paid for that time I lost. And then that one customer who I eventually refused to deal with anymore – they might have been a blog post, but I never got round to writing it. Thank God for robust terms and conditions!
I am however thankful for what this job has taught me: I have managed multiple social media accounts, I understand algorithms and the funny quirks of various platforms; I created my own website from scratch; I wrote and refined my Ts&Cs so that they are legally binding and enforceable; I have learned better time-management; I have kept accounts and filed my own tax returns; I have created a small business from scratch and closed it down again. I have skills I can use in the future.
But for now, I am going to make cakes and bakes for my family, for birthdays, for celebrations, or just because. No stress, no time-pressures, with the knowledge that they will always love and appreciate what I make.
Much love, Clare
