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Send us Fan Mail This week I'm joined by Natalie Porter, the sugar artist behind Immaculate Confections. We talk about how her cake journey began, how she fell for sugar flowers, and how she built a reputation for detailed, lifelike floral work. Natalie also shares her experience with Cake International: what it's really like behind the scenes, what competing and being involved has done for her skills and visibility, and her advice for any baker wondering whether it's for them. This episode is part of our Cake International series. If you missed last week's conversation with Melanie Underwood, head of Cake and Bake International, go back and give it a listen. Win tickets to Cake International 2026: I'm giving away 5 pairs of tickets. CLICK HERE for details to enter. The draw closes 19th October. Connect with Natalie: Instagram: @immaculateconfectionsuk Website: https://immaculateconfections.co.uk/ Connect with Annie: The Free Profitable Baker Bundle: 25 free resources to support your baking business Now with pricing guide: 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/ Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail What really happens behind the scenes at the world's biggest cake show? And what does it mean for your business if you enter? This week I'm joined by Melanie Underwood, head of Cake and Bake International, for the first episode in our Cake International Guests series. We talk about how the show started, and how it has developed over the years. Cake International returns to the NEC Birmingham from 6th to 8th November 2026. All information about Cake and Bake International: https://www.cakeinternational.co.uk/ Coming next week: Natalie Porte of Immaculate Confections. 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/ Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail Could a cake competition be the most underused marketing tool in your business? In this episode, Annie makes the business case for entering competitions, and it has very little to do with medals. It's the opening taster for our Cake and Bake International series, leading up to the show at the NEC Birmingham, 6 to 8 November. In this episode, you'll learn: Why visibility, not your product, is often what's keeping good bakers smallHow competitions give you "borrowed credibility" that your own marketing can'tWhy the business value starts long before the results are announcedHow competing can make it easier to charge (and stand behind) your pricesThe four questions to answer before you enter anythingComing next week: Episode 45 with Melanie Underwood, head of Cake and Bake International. Join The Profitable Baker Academy for weekly live sessions on visibility, pricing, selling and more, for £30 a month: anniebennett.co.uk Links:  Cake International: cakeinternational.co.uk 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/ Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail Struggling to turn down rush orders, discount requests, or endless revisions? This episode makes the business case for saying no, and gives you the exact language to do it without the guilt spiral. You'll learn: Why "small yeses" are quietly costing you money and burnoutThe difference between the decision to say no and the delivery of itTwo ready-to-use scripts for turning down rush jobs and discount requestsA five-minute exercise to write your own non-negotiables before you need themReady to build the habits and confidence to run your business on your terms? Join The Profitable Baker Academy membership, link below. 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/ Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail Suzanne Booth is a Craft Business Mentor & Strategist for makers.  After 20+ years of selling textile-based craft to teaching in schools, she now helps and mentors makers who already sell their work to build more sustainable craft businesses.  Looking in particular at ways to add income streams beyond the making itself with things like workshops, courses and digital products, using a combination of her own creative experience and teaching knowledge. Connect with Suzanne here: Website: https://suzannebooth.co.uk/ Instagram @suzannebooth.creative 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 - and join in with The Great Bake Caper in October!! https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-profitable-baker-academy-membership/ Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail Claudia Sheena FCA is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience, providing hands-on, proactive financial leadership to growing businesses. Claudia believes accountancy should be about far more than filing accounts and telling business owners what happened last year. She works closely with her clients throughout the year, helping them understand their numbers, plan ahead and make confident decisions about growth, profitability, cash flow and the future of their business.  Having built and grown her own accountancy practice, Claudia understands first-hand the challenges that come with running and scaling a business. Known for her approachable, plain-English style and responsive service, she aims to become a trusted financial partner to her clients, supported by her experienced UK-based team. Her focus is simple: helping business owners feel in control of their finances and giving them the financial insight and support they need to build the business they want. Claudia Sheena FCA Claudia Sheena Accountancy Services Ltd 07973 504 511 Please book a call with her here or have a look at her website.   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/ Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail If the last few weeks have felt a bit foggy, school runs, no headspace, admin piling up, this episode is your reset.  Annie walks through why looking back briefly (not a deep post-mortem, just a 15-minute audit) sets you up for a much stronger Q4 than jumping straight to goal-setting. She also busts the "Q4 = Christmas" myth and shares three questions to get your own plan started today. In this episode: Why the "summer fog" is normal — and September is the right moment to clear itThe two-question business audit: what's worked, what hasn'tWhy Q4 is bigger than Christmas (engagement season, gift vouchers, classes)Reconnecting with why you started your business before you set targetsThree questions to kickstart your own Q4 plan today 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 Annie’s Best seller Food Hygiene Record book, recommended by EHOs https://anniebennett.co.uk/the-home-baking-business-books/ 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

Send us Fan Mail Two ideas, one thread: this episode brings together experimentation and identity — because you can't build a genuine signature style without testing, and testing without direction just gives you a scattered range. In the first half, Annie breaks down how to test new ideas properly — small, cheap, low-risk — before you ever put them on the menu or announce them to customers. She shares a simple three-question filter for deciding when an idea's ready to become a permanent product, and when it's just a lesson. In the second half, she turns to signature style: what actually makes a baker's work recognisable, why it's usually already there waiting to be spotted rather than invented from scratch, and why trend-chasing quietly works against it. This episode draws on two Academy sessions, Innovation Without Overwhelm and Signature Style Development.  For the full working exercises behind both, find out more about The Profitable Baker Academy Membership, link below. 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

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

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

Send us Fan Mail Emma Stewart is a wedding cake designer and business coach based in Northern Ireland. She is a judge for Cake International and is called on internationally to judge and give tuition. Listen as we talk about the cake industry, the importance of getting good foundations…   and also how Emma delivered a wedding cake to Italy!  Connect with Emma here: instagram: www.Instagram.com/emmastewartcakedesign TikTok: www.TikTok.com/emmastewartcakedesign Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/189V3Ph9Rx/?mibextid=wwXIfr Website: www.emmastewartcakedesign.com/academy  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

Send us Fan Mail This week I ran Busy But Broke, a free 4 day pricing sprint inside The Profitable Baker Community. This episode brings together everything we covered… the mindset behind underpricing, the formula to fix it, and how to raise your prices without losing customers. You are very welcome to join my new 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

Send us Fan Mail The Profitable Baker Community opens this Friday, 24th July — and its first event is Busy But Broke, a free 4-day live sprint (Mon 27th–Thurs 30th July) on working out your true cost price, building a pricing formula, and raising your prices without losing customers. In this episode, Annie goes deeper than the announcement — sharing why she built the Community, and answering the questions that have landed in her inbox since the launch: What if I can't make the live sessions?Is this only for people who already have an established business?What happens in the Facebook group after the sprint ends? She also breaks down who the VIP option is really for, and why joining early gives you a head start before day one. The Profitable Baker Community opens this Friday, 24th July — and its first event is Busy But Broke, a free 4-day live sprint (Mon 27th–Thurs 30th July) on working out your true cost price, building a pricing formula, and raising your prices without losing customers. Sign up for the group here:https://anniebennett.co.uk/busy-but-broke-sprint-2026/ The VIP option will pop up once you’ve signed up! For her website with all this and more: anniebennett.co.uk Support the show

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

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