Baking is a science, and scientists need the right tools. If I had to start my kitchen from scratch, these are the first ones I’d buy after some bowls and a whisk.

These baking tools are the ones that have earned a permanent spot in my kitchen after years of use.

And I’m the type of person who loves gadgets, so I’ve tried a lot. It’s kind of problematic, but my financial irresponsibility is your gain — you don’t have to waste money on the duds!

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Must-Have Baking Tools

Digital Food Scale

If you buy only one thing on this list, buy a digital food scale.

I know Americans are used to cups and spoons, but once you get your hands on the gram… there’s no turning back!

Why I love it

• Most food scales only read to 0.1g. This one reads to 0.01g, making it incredibly precise.
• I even weigh out baking soda and vanilla, which you can look to the nutrition facts to figure out the math on that (or just browse the Recipe Library).
• It’s both battery-powered and rechargeable, so you don’t have to replace batteries as often or charge it constantly.

The downside: There is a 1 kilogram limit so if your item is too heavy, it won’t read anything.

While 1 kilo may seem like a lot, it adds up when you’re baking larger batches.

A solution: I got a dual platform scale once the batches of cookies I needed to make for my home bakery became too large.

• Large platform weighs up to 33 pounds.
• Small platform also reads to 0.01g.
• Uses AA batteries, which is pretty standard.

Aluminum Baking Pans & Baking Sheets

If you’re in the market for new bakeware, I would get ones made of aluminum — or at the very least, light-colored baking pans and baking sheets. Light-colored bakeware reflects heat so your baked goods bake and brown more evenly.

I really like Doughmakers Gourmet Bakeware because patented pebble pattern that makes their bakeware non-stick. I’ve made tons of rice bakes, which are notoriously sticky, straight in the pan with no oil and it comes right off. They are pricey but unfortunately, I do love the ones I have.

If you’re looking for more affordable options, go baking pans and baking sheets made from light-colored aluminum or anything Nordic Ware, which I have a number of and can vouch that they are of great quality.

Throw in a set of silicone baking mats and some cooling racks — you’re golden.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

I inherited my KitchenAid Stand Mixer from my aunt when she sold her convenience store and retired. So, I don’t have the latest and greatest, nor did I pick the size.

However, I am so thankful I have it because I’m able to cream cold butter into sugar to prep dozens of chunky cookies without overworking myself.

If you’re looking to start a home bakery and decide to specialize in muffins or cakes, I don’t think it’s necessary unless you’re allowed to using frosting.

Metal Paddle Attachment

I did have to replace the paddle attachment because the plastic coating was peeling off. I invested in a stainless steel paddle attachment for my 5-6 quart KitchenAid Stand Mixer and I am so glad I did!

Make sure you have the correct size because Amazon says this is a frequently returned item for that reason.

I love how easy to clean it is and hasn’t warped or rusted in the two and a half years I’ve had it.

Silicone Jar Spatulas

I love this colorful set of small silicone jar spatulas because I frequently have to scoop out cookie butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, peanut butter, and pistachio cream for my chunky cookies.

And if you’ve ever tried getting anything in a jar out with a spoon, then you know how much gets left behind — both on the spoon and in the jar!

11-Inch Silicone Spatulas

This rainbow set of 11-inch silicone spatulas can hold up against regular heavy-handed use… ask me how I know.

The silicone layer is a little thicker compared to other silicone spatulas I’ve ripped through. And I love the sharply tapered edge because I can scrap out every last drop of batter!

Specialty Baking Tools

Silicone Mini Loaf Pan

What’s better than a muffin? A mini loaf.

Because why not have a tiny bread in the same shape of a big bread?

I love these 8-cavity silicone mini loaf pans because the rigid edges are reinforced, so they don’t flop around like other silicone molds. They also fit perfectly on a half and full baking sheet, which makes getting them in and out of the oven even easier.

Also, anything small is fancy. I mean look at this mini lemon loaf!

4″ & 6″ Cake Rounds

There are so many recipes online, and the only way to know which were truly the best (according to me) was to taste them all!

This is what started my obsession with small-batch baking.

These 4″ round baking pans are perfect for lunch box bento cakes and can serve up to four people who are all on diets, two people reasonably, and one person happily.

I also love baking with 6″ round baking pans to make one, two, or three-layered cakes so it’s very versatile for small and large batch baking.

And with cake, you need a cake board about 2″ larger than your cake and a mini charcuterie cake box or a classic cake box if you plan on gifting or selling.

If you have a cake recipe you love but don’t have it in the pan size you have, check out the Cake Pan Converter Spreadsheet, which resizes just about any recipe from one pan to another.

Home Bakery Tools

If you plan on selling cottage foods in your home state, I really recommend looking into pre-order drops. You can plan how much you need to bake in advance and reduce food waste, orget a head start on your sales before you even set up your booth at the farmers market.

I’ve been using HotPlate for the past two years (as of July 2026), and it’s been one of the most useful tools for running my home bakery. You manage pre-orders through scheduled drops, which builds anticipation and excitement for each release.

One of my favorite things about the platform is how simple it is to use.

The features are straightforward, it’s free to get started, and fees are only charged when a customer places an order (and you can choose whether you or the customer covers those fees).

They also continue to roll out new features and improvements, and I’ve had great experiences with their customer support over text, email, and phone.

If you’re thinking about selling your baked goods, you can create your own HotPlate storefront for free here!

Concluding My Top Baking Tools for Home Bakers

I hope this blog post on my favorite baking tools was helpful. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of baking tools for beginners but there are ones worth considering once you feel ready to go beyond the basics.

Let your collection grow naturally over time because there are baking tools I found a waste of money because they suck or I just wasn’t baking enough of what that tool called for.

Let my guilt as a gadget lover save you a few bucks!

One of the trickiest things I had to do when I started Cookie Cazimi was figure out my home bakery menu.

I believe there should be a set lineup of flavors that your customers can always expect.

If they love something, they’ll happily come back for it. And when there’s something new, there’s their reason to swing on by and just take a look…

Whether you’re selling cookies like me or not, the hardest part is narrowing down which flavors will make the cut.

In this blog post, I’m going to go over what to consider when choosing flavors for your home bakery menu that will sell based on the principles I’ve found to be true through good ol’ trial and error.

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Don’t Reinvent The Wheel

This is the most important principle that all other principles will adhere to when it comes to choosing flavors for your home bakery menu:

Stick with the basics. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

I’m sorry to say but Chocolate Chip was the best-selling flavor my first two years in business. AND I KNOW! You want to set yourself apart with an Ube Marshmallow or a Red Velvet Oreo.

But, people who discover you for the first time are already taking a risk. They don’t want to play double jeopardy.

In the future, they might take a chance! But only once they know you and your baking.

One time, I offered a customer a sample of my Chunky Matcha Strawberry Cookie (this was before Matcha started trending on TikTok), and she turned it down saying “No, I know I’ll like your stuff.”

Ugh, I literally cannot… Is that not the nicest thing to say to a baker?

But, this woman had come to my booth multiple times to get to that point. I’m sure the first item she ever bought from me was probably basic AF.

Customers will be more willing to try something new once they trust you.

So, definitely let your creativity flow! Just don’t neglect what’s going to keep the business afloat.

These are some of my boring, nothing-special best sellers:

• Chocolate Chip
• Oatmeal Butterscotch Pecan
• White Chocolate Raspberry

When you’re building your home bakery menu, start with the flavors that everyone else is selling. Because they’re probably selling them for a reason (and the reason is money).

Channel Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel once famously said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory” to emphasize simplicity and minimalism in fashion.

In baking, I think changing one thing should be a philosophy to consider when curating your home bakery menu.

When I first started at the farmers market, a lot of people kept asking me if I offered Snickerdoodles because they didn’t like chocolate (a lot of people in my area don’t).

To their disappointment, I didn’t. And to be honest, I would have never considered ever making them if customers hadn’t constantly asked because I didn’t grow up eating Snickerdoodles so I simply didn’t care much for them.

And it’s important to me that both my customers and I like something, so a flavor has to both sell well and I have to stand ten toes behind it. So I didn’t just want to offer Snickerdoodles as is.

I asked myself, “What I could do to make myself like Snickerdoodles?”

Lotus Biscoff® is a food brand that specializes in speculoos cookies, which are spiced Belgian biscuits. They later popularized Cookie Butter by pulverizing their cookies into a smooth, peanut butter-like spread, which is why many bakers refer to it as simply Biscoff.

Since cinnamon is the main spice in both Snickerdoodles and Biscoff, I figured they would be a perfect pairing!

I tweaked my base chunky cookie dough recipe to hold its shape without any add-ins. Then, I freeze portions of Biscoff to wrap with my new cinnamon-spiced vanilla cookie dough, roll in cinnamon-sugar, rest in the fridge (always), bake as per usual, and sprinkle even more cinnamon-sugar on top straight out the oven.

As of June 2026, Biscoff Snickerdoodle has surpassed Chocolate Chip!

Now, I still stand by sticking with the basics. Because people are always going to recognize the Snickerdoodle first and foremost. It’s familiar enough for customers to take a chance and try something a little different.

Popular flavors that changed one thing to an otherwise classic cookie:

• Snickerdoodle → add a Biscoff filling
• Double Chocolate Chip → add Mint Extract
• White Chocolate Raspberry → replace White Chocolate with Ruby Chocolate

Cater to the Diehards

They say niches are where the riches are. That’s why you don’t want to sell to everybody; you end up selling to nobody.

Because not everyone is going to like a flavor. But, those who do will go to war for it.

Lemon anything sells really well because lemon people love lemon. They will always pick it.

While I chose Lemon Blueberry as the permanent lemon flavor on my home bakery menu, I’ve made Lemon Raspberry, Lemon Strawberry, and Lemon White Chocolate with equal amounts of great success.

Oatmeal Raisin is another flavor with a small but mighty fan base.

Granted, the haters are just as loud and honestly come in greater numbers. But, when I do offer Oatmeal Raisin, it still moves a decent amount because there’s always someone who just loves Oatmeal Raisin.

And when I was still experimenting with my flavor lineup, a handful of people asked for White Chocolate Macadamia, but I didn’t have room to put it in my home bakery menu at the time.

Then, in 2026, I decided to make it a permanent menu item. And I will admit: she doesn’t sell that well.

But, customers who love White Chocolate Macadamia always pick it, just like lemon people. In fact, they’re more dedicated than lemon people because they don’t ask questions or need samples.

• Lemon Blueberry
• Oatmeal Raisin
• White Chocolate Macadamia

Not every flavor has to speak to the masses. Because you’re not selling to the masses.

Your customers are special and within that special group of people are an extra special bunch who don’t get spoken to a lot.

That’s why they’ll love you a little extra, too.

Desserts as Other Desserts

If you want to try something new but not unfamiliar, turn one popular dessert into another.

Right now, tiramisu-flavored baked goods are trending. I’ve seen so much content on tiramisu cookies, tiramisu cakes, tiramisu cinnamon rolls, tiramisu lattes… it’s endless!

Now, as a home baker, there are limitations to what you can sell due to cottage food laws.

But, that’s just how it is. You’ll stretch your creativity and you won’t have to offer more baked goods to your home bakery menu than you can handle because burn out is real, even with one specialty item!

For example, I have a Chunky Oatmeal Banana Walnut Cookie inspired by Banana Bread, which I can’t sell. As a legal workaround, I use banana flavoring instead. Which by the way, you shouldn’t be afraid of extracts and emulsions.

Of course, test them to make sure they don’t taste weird but don’t be adverse to them all together.

Dessert flavors I’ve turned into chunky cookies:

• Oatmeal Banana Walnut
• Cookies & Cream AKA Oreo®
• Spumoni Ice Cream: Chocolate Chip and Cherry with a Pistachio Cream filling

This is a great way to not have to bake everything as a home baker. You’re saving yourself from burn out!

And your customers won’t get overwhelmed because analysis paralysis means no decisions get made.

Steal From The Rich

Take a look at your grocery shelves. That’s what people across America want to buy.

Remember, people trust what is familiar to them.

Now, one thing I did learn about my customers in particular: they don’t like nuts.

So, I didn’t jump on the Dubai Chocolate trend right away because… would they really buy a cookie with nuts now just because it has a fancy name?

The answer is yes.

Now, you don’t have to copy to a T. Just enough to be familiar!

The Dubai Chocolate Bar has a relatively thin layer of chocolate encasing a crunchy pistachio butter filling. As a cookie, I found my Double Chocolate Chip cookie dough to completely overwhelm the Pistachio Cream filling.

So, I settled on Chocolate Chip with almond extract and pistachio emulsion so the pistachio flavor could shine. And to my surprise, although probably to nobody else’s, the Chunky Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookie was a hit.

These are the copycat flavors that did well with my customers:

• Dubai Chocolate (Chip): Chocolate Chip and Pistachios with a Pistachio Cream filling
• Girl Scout Samoas® or Caramel deLites®: Chocolate Chip, Coconut, and Homemade Toffee
• Snickers®: Chocolate Chip, Homemade Toffee, and Peanuts with a Peanut Butter filling

Concluding How To Choose Flavors for Your Home Bakery Menu

When it comes to choosing flavors for your home bakery menu, just be boring. Do the predictable thing. Be like everybody else.

Because at the end of the day, we serve people and people like familiarity. Once you are familiar to them, we can go a little crazy because you are the familiar thing now.

But, there are always going to be more customers. So, you’re always going to be new to a lot of somebodies.

Don’t be (a) strange(r).

Home bakers struggle with pricing their baked goods. They’re always afraid it’s “too much.”

When you only bake for family, friends, and co-workers, you just consider the cost of ingredients. Now as a home baker, you have to think about labeling, packaging, insurance, fees, and labor.

There will be customers who scoff and ask you, “this much for a cookie?”

Yes and no.

In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through how I priced my chunky cookies at $6 and how I stopped getting pushback on my home bakery prices.

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

What to Consider When Setting Your Home Bakery Prices

Where you are and who you serve are major qualitative factors to consider.

Although I live in Southern Maryland where it’s pretty rural and farm-y, it’s close to Washington DC. So, a lot of commuters live here, meaning prices are driven up.

I recently heard that New York City bakeries have been charging up to $8 a cookie! So, big city means big prices — even when you’re an hour away from one.

Conversely, I have heard from home bakers in smaller towns say that there’s no way they could sell a cookie for more than $2 simply because of their economy.

So, there’s definitely nuance. But, I did set my prices to $6 a 3.5-ounce cookie out of nowhere.

I created a spreadsheet that helped me set my home bakery prices. This is what to consider:

• Cost of ingredients used
• Weight of ingredients used
• How much of each ingredient is used to make 1 cookie
• How much each ingredient costs when making 1 cookie
• What is the total cost of your packaging and labeling material for 1 cookie?
• How many cookies and I make per hour, including packaging and labeling?
• What is my wage per hour? (Even if you’re not actually paying yourself)
• What would be my credit card fees for 1 cookie?
• What percent of the final cost do I want to set for overhead?
• What percent of the final cost do I want to set for profit?

You also don’t want to set your final home bakery price to what you get because you might get $3.85 for your chocolate chip cookie, $2.49 for a snickerdoodle, and $4.73 for a double chocolate chip.

Also consider possible deals and discounts you want to offer your customers in the future. So, your final cost may be $5 or $6.

Which by the way, these aren’t my costs. I put in random numbers!

Anyway, onto the good stuff — how to deal with pushback on your home bakery prices.

Show! Don’t Tell.

Back when I learned how to write essays in school, it was drilled into me that you have to state the obvious all the time because you can never assume that the reader knows what you’re talking about.

For my farmers market booth, I tie these pink dry-erase pocket sleeves with my marketing copy to introduce my home bakery and products to passerbys because people don’t like being surveilled or harped on.

They just want to look.

And I simply make it easy for them to stand in front of my tent without nervous — “JUST LOOKING!”

I explain the meaning of my business name, the ingredients I’ve chosen to use, and the flavors I offer.

If I don’t tell my customers that Cookie Cazimi is about celebration, good luck, and opportunity, or that I use more butter for my chunky cookies than other chunky cookies typically have for better flavor, then they’re not going to understand why they should buy from me at all.

Customers want to have a sense of your expertise before experiencing it.

Generally, people know that home bakers love baking. But, then what? Why not go to another stand?

Show them who you are! Without talking to them… haha.

I highly encourage you to write some stuff up and hang up signs (and these acrylic signs on your table). They’re really effective!

Comparison is the Thief of… Uncertainty

On one of my last days at the farmers market in 2025, a man came up to buy a cookie because he really wanted something sweet to hold him over, but mentioned that that $6 is a bit steep for one cookie.

I pointed him towards the $4 items I had at the time, which were my 2-ounce ginger molasses and hot cocoa cookies.

Then he pushed back on me saying that, “well, these [$6 cookies] seem like a better bang for my buck.”

Which is the point! How funny that he sold himself to me in a way.

When customers have options, it gives them power to make a decision. Because people love feeling like they have options!

And yes, they could give you the old “I’ll come back after I look around” in hopes of finding a cheaper baker. But, that’s their prerogative and right.

At the same time, you’re also going to have customers who come back despite there being cheaper bakers because they love your stuff specifically.

More is More

I don’t believe in giving discounts from a place of desperation to make a sale. When my customers buy 5 chunky cookies, they can get 1 free.

And you know what? Not everyone is taking it.

I’ll have 2 sales a market with people taking advantage of it. Because devaluing your baked goods doesn’t make people want to buy more.

Give your customers free things because it’s fun and a gesture of goodwill. They’ll sort of feel rewarded for buying more. And it’s fun to be bad and eat a lot of cookies!

From time to time, I’ll run a gift-with-purchase deal for orders valued at $18 or more because I like to bake! And I wanted to make a lot of mini cinnamon crunch coffee cakes.

So, you can offer deals and bundles as one way to combat price pushback, but don’t go at it from a scarcity angle, okay?

What if it doesn’t clock?

The latest Justin Bieber meme plays through my head a lot.

The pop singer is confronting paparazzi for stalking him (because they are) and says, “You don’t get it. It’s not clocking to you. It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business,  is it?”

I think it went viral because the statement doesn’t really make sense. But, that added to the memorability. Basically, he’s saying that they don’t understand and never will. And sometimes, that’s just what it is.

There will be people who simply won’t be your customers.

That is not a sign to lower your prices. Let them go.

There’s a saying in marketing that if you’re selling to everybody, then you’re selling to nobody.

Because if you’re marketing generic details that speaks to everybody, no one will feel like they’re being talked to specifically.

As a result, they won’t buy.

Just stand your ground. Whether you use my spreadsheet to calculate what to charge for your cottage foods or do it manually yourself, you know what you need to make on a baked good to not run yourself into the ground — financially and mentally.

And you know what? When I first started at the farmers market, I had the most expensive cookies. But, within the next few months, I noticed other home bakers charging $6-7 for their baked goods. Not because they realized they could “get away with it” but because I was there to show them that you can charge what you’re worth!

Because it costs more than just ingredients to run a home bakery.

Concluding How to Combat Home Bakery Price Pushback

As you can see, your home bakery prices aren’t really about the baked good itself. There’s so much more to consider when you’re selling to the public as a cottage food baker.

I know you’re not baking to become Bezos rich. I mean… there are better ways to do it.

You love to bake! And burnt out people are not good bakers. Charging what you’re worth will keep you going so you can spread deliciousness to your communities.

I’ve officially completed my first year as a vendor at the farmers market!

A little background: I run a home bakery in Southern Maryland selling chunky cookies in a variety of flavors. I started Cookie Cazimi in May 2024, became a seasonal vendor at the oldest farmers market in my area by September, and then was accepted as a permanent vendor the following year.

When I first started vending, I only showed up once a month. Sales weren’t amazing, but I still managed to get two returning customers in just four showings — which felt huge at the time. And still is!

In 2025, I became a permanent vendor and showed up every Saturday for three months straight.

I always knew weekly markets would be hard on me, so when I could feel that I was going to burn out soon, I switched to a bi-weekly schedule, with an extra showing if there were three Saturdays in a month.

Even with fewer showings, it’s been a wonderful and profitable year! These are the biggest lessons I learned as a first-year farmers market vendor.

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Make Your Customers Read

Every home baker stresses about pricing.

Yes, a lot of people can bake. Your customers can make cookies at home for $0.85 a cookie.

But, they’re not selling cookies. It takes time, money, and effort to bake 100 cookies, package and label properly,  set up a tent and table, and stand there for 6 hours on a Saturday.

I sell my 3.5-ounce chunky cookies for $6 each. And I didn’t just make this number up! I calculated what I need to charge in order to have a profitable home bakery.

I heard everything:

• “$6 for a cookie?”
• “GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.”
• “It’s just a regular cookie with more flour, right?”

Older shoppers were often the loudest. Some would scoff, stop mid-conversation, and walk away.

At the time, my display was pretty bare. Eventually, I bought pink dry-erase pocket sleeves and printed my schedule, the weekly menu, and these two pieces of copy that completely changed things:

Here’s the thing… you have to tell customers what’s obvious to you.

Of course you have a cute little thing with your business name. Of course  you’re using high-quality ingredients and have spent hours tweaking your recipe to make it the best thing you’ve ever baked.

Of course!

But they don’t know you.

Customers want to support small businesses. But, they need to feel good about their decisions.

When you explain who you are and what goes into making your product, people become more open and confident about supporting you.

Once my marketing copy went up, the pushback stopped!

And I know it worked because I was honestly still scared to tell older customers my prices…

But, now they buy! Because I made them read about how much effort I put into my home bakery.

No One Likes Discounts

My chunky cookies are $6 each and I offer “Buy 5, Get 1 FREE” because there wasn’t much success with the “Buy 6 for $30.”

People don’t feel “value.” People feel “free.”

People love free stuff! I love free stuff! I know you love free stuff and I don’t even know you.

This definitely boosts my sales amongst families with children, but friends who only want 2-3 items on a nice day out at the farmers market don’t usually go for it.

And that’s fine.

Freebies shouldn’t make your home bakery business a success. They’re nice little boosts for your customers and a show of goodwill.

If you want to offer some sort of discount, think about how to incorporate the word “free” instead.

This is a benefit of pricing your baked goods well. I’m not stressed and burnt out from being overworked and broke.

Do it if and when you can.

Abundance Is a Feeling

When I first started, my set up was simple: a tablecloth, acrylic signs, and a cookie of each flavor I had on display.

A major issue I had was that people thought I was nearly sold out all the time.

“Is this all you have left?” No, they’re just not on display!

Other vendors suggested shelves or decorations to hold my inventory, but I’m not a decor person. And it turned out you don’t need decor to make your table feel full.

The biggest change I made was simply… putting out more product.

Showing three cookies per flavor instead of one instantly made my table feel more abundant and plentiful — at zero cost.

And it also helped with flow.

If someone bought a cookie, there were still two left on display. I didn’t have to stall while digging through storage as the next customer was walking up.

Good Photos Start the Sale Before the Market Opens

I used to take photos of my chunky cookies in my kitchen.

But, cookies are a generally brown and beige food and I have a brown and beige countertop… so everything was just brown and beige!

The cookies were visible, but there was no feeling.

Now, I take photos and videos of my cookies outside in the sunlight on a pink tray.

And the difference is wild.

Yes, it’s a little annoying hauling everything outside and back in. Cloudy days suck, but the payoff is worth it!

I just have a phone stand and a pink tray, but the most important element is the sun. Bright and harsh, which is not what most other photographers like, but I do.

Posting images on my local Facebook groups for my upcoming market events have been the best way for me to market my home bakery.

One time, five people told me they came to the farmers market solely because of my Facebook post.

You’re welcome, everyone else at the market! My photos not only create an experience, but other vendors benefit too!

Some People Will Be Rude — That’s Part of the Job

Like I mentioned earlier, people have told me my cookies are too expensive. It’s fine because they’re not my customers.

My customers understand the work that goes into what I do. They know I’m not getting rich, but I’m also not drowning.

Because no one wants cookies from a sad person.

I am not sad. I’m very happy with how this year went — and that energy translates into better food!

That said, I won’t pretend rude comments didn’t hurt. They did.

Putting yourself out there is vulnerable, and being shit on for it sucks.

You don’t think it’s worth the price? Fine. Think it and move on. You don’t need to say it out loud.

I talked it out with friends and journaled to make myself feel better.

Concluding My First Year Selling at the Farmers Market

There was a lot of trial and error my first year as a farmers market vendor. And I still have a lot to learn as I’ve only sold at this one farmers market so far, but I’m confident in my set up now.

I recently did a fall bazaar at a senior center, which ended up being a surprisingly fruitful day!

If you’ve been thinking about starting a home bakery or selling at a farmers market, I hope this gives you a little insight on what to expect in your first year as a vendor at the farmers market.

Congratulations on making it to the final installment of my three-part series on how to start a home bakery in Maryland.

Now that you know how cottage food is defined in Maryland and how to package and label your cottage food products, it’s time to get into the legal side of running your home bakery.

I promise it’s not much! Part of what makes starting a business so intimidating is not knowing what to do.

But, once you do, the process becomes less overwhelming and you can move forward with confidence.

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Do I need an LLC to operate a home bakery in Maryland?

No, you do not need to file for a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to operate a home bakery in Maryland.

Many home bakers start as sole proprietors, which means there is no legal separation between the owner and the business.

Maryland does require sole proprietors to register with the state, which isn’t the norm compared to other states, but it is what it is.

You’ll also need to register a trade name (sometimes called a DBA, or “Doing Business As”) if you don’t plan on running your home bakery under your legal name.

The good news is that you don’t have to do everything at once. I didn’t start doing business as Cookie Cazimi until about three months after I started selling chunky cookies.

Personally, my Certified Public Accountant (CPA) recommended that I start an LLC. While a single-member LLC is generally taxed the same way as a sole proprietorship, it may provide additional liability protection and helps me keep my business and personal expenses separate.

The major con to starting an LLC is that I have to pay $300 to the state of Maryland every year just because they always need money! Boo.

Anyways, if you’d rather hire a third party to handle the paperwork, I recommend Northwest Registered Agent to file on your behalf.

You totally don’t have to though! In fact, their LLC services sales page pretty much outlines the steps you can take yourself. And a lot of people who offer this service professionally say it’s not hard, people like myself just don’t want to deal with it.

Also, it’s worth noting that I was told Registered Agents are useless. If you get this service for free, be sure to cancel once that year’s up.

What about the income cap for my home bakery in Maryland?

The $50,000 income cap per the state of Maryland has nothing to do with the type of business you have.

No one or entity can make more than $50,000 from selling cottage foods. If you sell other products or services, that does not count towards your income cap.

Do I need to open a business bank account for my home bakery in Maryland?

I can only tell you what I did and what my CPA advised me to do.

If you have an LLC, you can and probably should open a business bank account under that LLC. My bank also required an LLC formation in order to open a business bank account, so your bank may require the same.

If you are operating as a sole proprietor, your banking options may vary. Some banks may allow sole proprietors to open business bank accounts.

Regardless of your business structure, it is a good idea to keep your business and personal finances separate.

If you are looking to form a single-member LLC in the future, get into the habit of tracking your income, keeping receipts, and recording your business mileage.

Do I need to charge sales tax for my home bakery in Maryland?

I had a very hard time finding clear information on whether I needed to charge sales tax. And when I tried emailing, every response I got back was a literal copy and paste of the legal document that I already found and did not clearly understand!

Eventually, I was able to book an in-person appointment at my local Comptroller office in Maryland and finally got the answer to my specific situation selling cottage foods as a single-member LLC.

Based on what I sold and how I operated, I didn’t need to open a Sales and Use Tax account with the Comptroller and so I do not need to collect a 6% sales tax.

Your situation may be different, so I recommend meeting with someone at the Maryland Comptroller in-person if you’re unsure about anything.

Do I need food liability insurance to run a home bakery in Maryland?

As long as you’re following Maryland’s cottage food laws, food liability insurance is not required.

But, I highly recommend it, even if you have an LLC. Some farmers markets also require it.

Remember, an LLC will give you certain protections, but you’re not invincible.

Personally, I use FLIP because it’s affordable and a lot of home bakers in Facebook groups use it.

Concluding Part 3

And that’s everything I know so far about how to start a home bakery in Maryland!

Well, okay maybe not everything, but this is all the information I would give to myself if I had amnesia and were starting over.

If you’re looking to explore ways to sell your cottage foods, read about my experience as a farmer’s market vendor here! 

Welcome to Part 2 of my three-part series on how to start a home bakery in Maryland.

Now that we’ve gone over what cottage food is, it’s time to go over how to package and label your cottage foods.

The public needs to know what they’re eating after all!

In this blog post, I will go over what you need to put on your labels in order to sell cottage foods for your home bakery in Maryland.

While the products you sell may be different, the labeling requirements will be the same.

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Why do I have to package and label my cottage foods for my home bakery in Maryland?

Because the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) said so!

The Guideline for Cottage Food Businesses clearly states that “[a]llowable foods produced under the cottage foods regulation must be prepackaged at the cottage food business and labeled.”

So, I can’t just have my chunky cookies out in a case and put them in a little baggie like a coffee shop would.

I prepackage almost all my baked goods in these cellophane cookie bags and use printable stickers for my labels. I place these labels on the back.

For the front, I add white round labels on top of these large pink round labels with my Cookie Cazimi logo, a QR code, and name of the cottage food item.

Recently, I started offering mini chunky cookies so these pink charcuterie boxes have been really helpful and cute to boot!

In regards to how to label your cottage foods in Maryland, you have to include the following:

• Business name
• Residential home address you’re baking out of
• Name of the cottage food product
• Ingredients (and sub-ingredients) in descending order of the amount of each ingredient by weight.
• Net weight, count, or net volume of the cottage food product. I personally use “Count 1” for my cookies because if you go by net weight or net volume, you will have to be exact.
• Allergen information as specified by federal labeling requirements. If any health or nutritional information claim is made, you will also need to include nutritional information as specified by federal labeling requirements
• The statement, “Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to Maryland’s food safety regulations” in a 10-point or larger font size in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the label

What are sub-ingredients?

What is butter? Is it just butter?

No, it’s made of pasteurized cream and salt, if you’re using salted butter.

On a label, you have to break everything down!

Flour is actually “Unbleached All Purpose Flour” and it is made up of “Organic Hard Red Wheat Flour, Organic Malted Barley Flour.” So, on your label, you would put:

Unbleached All Purpose Flour (Organic Hard Red Wheat Flour, Organic Malted Barley Flour)

And just keep going.

It’s a pain in the butt but that’s why I recommend keeping your menu small and niche down.

The last thing you want to do is set yourself up to burn out!

Do I have to put my home address on cottage food labels for my home bakery in Maryland?

If you don’t have a unique identification number, you have to put your home address on your cottage food labels.

How do you get a unique identification number? Just apply for one!

Go to the Cottage Food Business Request page and follow the instructions.

This process can take up to twelve (12) weeks. Although your experience may vary, I received mine in about a month.

What if I still have questions specific to my home bakery in Maryland?

If the FAQ page doesn’t answer any of your cottage food questions, email the MDH Food Plan Review at mdh.foodplanreview@maryland.gov for clarification.

I emailed them all the time when I first started my home bakery. Shout out to Ashley!

Concluding Part 2

Labeling your cottage food products can feel really intimidating because it gets into “official business” territory rather than the fun “I-want-to-start-a-home-bakery-in-Maryland” land.

And anything regarding the law can feel scary!

But, it’s not. While I am very Ron Swanson-like when it comes to the government, the government workers want you to succeed. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to your state’s health department reps.

In the final part of my how to start a home bakery in Maryland series, I’ll go over the legalities of running a cottage food business.

While there are no requirements other than the food item you’re selling is a cottage food, there’s always more to it.

But don’t worry. I’m here to guide you along the way!

The year I started Cookie Cazimi, I didn’t think I would start a home bakery in Maryland. But, life has a way of surprising you, even if you feel like you’re starting over in your 30s.

If you’re looking to sell cottage food and have been overwhelmed with information, this three-part series will break down how I started a home bakery in Maryland. And if you still have questions, I know where you can get those answers!

In this blog post, I will be going over how I navigated cottage food laws in Maryland, so that I knew what I could sell to the public and how.

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. The content provided is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Please read the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

What does Maryland consider to be cottage food?

In general, cottage food refers to what you can make and sell from a residential kitchen. Exactly what those foods are varies by state.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) outlines what foods are allowed for cottage food businesses in the Guideline for Cottage Food Businesses but I’m going to breakdown the gist of it.

In the state of Maryland, cottage food is defined as “non-potentially hazardous/non-perishable” and can be “stored under normal conditions without refrigeration.”

Basically, you can sell food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated within 2 hours.

Breads, cookies, muffins, and bagels — anything you can keep on the counter is a-okay.

Highly acidic foods, like lemon, strawberries, and blueberries, and hard cheese, like cheddar and parmesan, are allowable as of writing this blog post.

Which, you might have noticed that the document doesn’t say this is “allowed” or this is “not allowed.” Instead it says “allowable” or “cannot be allowed.”

That’s because this is a guide, not a strict rulebook!

You can make whatever falls falls within the stated definition.

So, if you want to start your home bakery in Maryland selling focaccia, you totally can as long as you follow the guide and not include fresh vegetables or soft cheeses, etc.

What is not allowed under cottage food law in Maryland?

The Maryland Department of Health writes that “baked goods that require any type of refrigeration” cannot be allowed as cottage food. This includes toppings and fillings, like custards, meringues, and buttercreams.

Use of vegetables, meats, fish, etc. are also listed for those into baking savory foods.

I know it seems unfair but commercial kitchens undergo inspections and must follow additional food safety requirements, so they are allowed to sell more types of food.

In fact, I believe the intended purpose of selling cottage food in Maryland (and really any state) is to help fund the eventual move into a commercial kitchen and grow the local economy — or just make their landlord friends richer. I don’t know.

Of course, you don’t have to move or want to move into a commercial kitchen. I’m not.

I’m just saying that I think that’s part of the incentive and reason as to why cottage foods are limited for home bakeries in Maryland.

Oh, you also can’t make chocolate, meaning transform a cacao bean and doing who knows what to make it into chocolate. I don’t why the hell you’d want to do that, but you can’t.

You are allowed to use commercially made and available chocolate like a normal person.

What kind of fruit can I use for my cottage home bakery in Maryland?

Water activity and pH will tell you whether a food item is perishable or potentially hazardous.

So how is fruit allowed since there’s typically a lot of water in fruit? It’s the pH!

Fruits with a low pH of 4.6 or less are considered acidic. At these levels, bacteria growth is inhibited, which is why you’re allowed to sell cottage foods using apricots, apples, blueberries, citruses, cranberries, pineapples, pomegranates, raspberries, and strawberries — just to name a few!

Personally, I like to use commercially freeze-dried versions of these fruits in my chunky cookies because the moisture from my cookie dough will give the fruit a wonderfully chewy texture after baking.

And, also why foods like bananas, pumpkin, and zucchini are not allowed to be used in your cottage baked goods. You also can’t use freeze-dried bananas or powdered pumpkin because they could be reconstituted after baking. While this is only in theory, I did confirm this information with the MDH.

This is a bit of a sidebar tangent, but if you want to make a glaze for a lemon loaf, be sure to only use lemon juice and not water.

Water will make your glaze susceptible to bacterial growth because we’re increasing the water activity, whereas lemon juice is too acidic to let things grow even if there technically is water in the lemon itself.

What commercially made foods does Maryland allow in cottage baking?

Yes! You are allowed to use commercially manufactured food items as long as they don’t need to be refrigerated after opening.

I’ve used commercially made soft caramels as cookie filling and marshmallow fluff for a Hostess-inspired cupcake bar.

This also includes peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, cookie butter, and pistachio butter/cream — so long as the instructions or company tells you to store at room temperature after opening!

Are there any exceptions as to what I can sell as cottage food for my home bakery in Maryland?

Remember, the Guideline from MDH said that low water activity and/or low pH determine whether a food can be “stored under normal conditions without refrigeration.”

So if it can, then it is considered a cottage food that you can sell from your home bakery in Maryland.

So, how can you prove it?

Get it tested.

There are food laboratories that will tell you what the water activity and pH of your baked goods are.

While I’ve personally never sent anything out for food laboratory testing, I have heard good things about the University of Arizona and Midwest Laboratories.

You will send out what you want tested as a fully finished product. If you forget an ingredient, you will unfortunately have to get it re-tested since it could materially change the outcome of the product.

If you plan on switching out extracts, like vanilla for cake batter, as long as something is there, you don’t need to re-test for each flavor because you use so little and they’re commercial products that are stable at room temperature after opening.

So, if you have a cheesecake recipe that passes, you can sell cheesecake… although I don’t think that’s actually possible!

Concluding Part 1

The hardest part of starting a home bakery in Maryland is figuring out what you can sell as a home baker.

While Maryland outlines what is and isn’t a cottage food, there’s a lot of nuance!

Whenever I’m confused, I just ask myself, “does this need to be refrigerated?”

And that usually does it for me.

In part 2, I go over labeling requirements and how I package my chunky cookies.

If you’ve already got that covered, but haven’t gone out to the farmers market yet, read more about what I learned my first year as a vendor.

Branding is one of the first things people look into when they start a business.

To be frank, I don’t think you need to spend so much time on branding for your small business at the beginning because it’s going to change as you and your business grows.

But, it is good to have something, right? And we have to start somewhere because having no clue is also not good!

I want to share with you my experience with branding for my small business so that maybe you can skip a few steps.

Cookie Cazimi and Magical Girl Adventures colors are hot pink and baby pink. Before Cookie Cazimi’s were orange and yellow; Magical Girl Adventures former alias, The Diane Collective, was lavender and purple.

So, what happened?

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Different for the Sake of Different

My home bakery specializes in chunky cookies, which are all over the Internet, but I’m the only one who does them in my small town besides big, bad Crumbl.

And as a result, my instinct was to immediately not go with pink. Not just because of Crumbl, but also a lot of bakeries I knew of used pink and I didn’t want to be another pink bakery.

When I became a vendor at the farmers market, I leaned on orange and yellow because I read that McDonald’s uses red and yellow in their branding as psychologically it makes you feel hungry.

And I thought those fiery colors would be fitting for the “cazimi” in Cookie Cazimi since it means “in the heart of the Sun.”

One day, I was working on some flyers and I asked my cousin, who works in design, to give me some pointers on visuals and spacing because I didn’t like what I was seeing but I also didn’t know what to fix.

And the more we worked on the flyer, the more she wanted to change the colors since she said the orange and yellow just reminded her of fast food and that it’s probably what was making things stay “off” for her despite the meaningful changes we made.

Suddenly, she said, “why don’t we see how pink looks?” because pink was my favorite color growing up and so that’s what she associates me with.

SHOCK HORROR!

Not really. But, while I didn’t want to be another pink bakery, I didn’t relent because:

1. Pink is a popular color for everything, like actually… who cares that there’s another pink business; they’re always going to exist. And it’s okay to be like every other girl.
2. My cousin isn’t into bakeries or sweets, so this suggestion came from a very unassuming and ignorant place. Her focus was just on “this would look great” instead of “this will make you stand out” because she didn’t know what was normal or even overdone in this space.

This made me realize that standing out isn’t the real goal. It’s about sending a message.

And the message isn’t “I’m different from other bakeries” because… what does that even mean?

Anyway, this is how we selected the perfect pink…

How to Steal a Color

Okay, so we decided on pink, but which pink? There are a million varieties of one color.

I’m going to just cut to the chase — We started looking at logos from big companies in completely different industries and just took what they used.

Now, we didn’t take everything and copy their entire color scheme!

But, if they have a pink we liked, picked that pink. Then, we plugged and played around in Canva until we liked what we saw because we had pretty much finished the flyer.

Now, if you don’t like the idea of stealing or copying, that’s totally cool.

You can skip that step and go straight to looking up HEX colors yourself and go with what you like.

Just don’t be afraid to do what other businesses in your space are doing like I was. Don’t stay away from pink for the sake of it.

Other businesses are doing it because it probably works. I mean they’re all in the game, right?

And to be clear, I do not endorse stealing from other small businesses because that’s not cool; we’re all trying our best here and working very hard.

BUT, BIG MONEY??? I don’t give a fuck. They already spent the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars on studying and marketing that pink, so I know it works.

And they probably treat their employees like shit and had a bunch of layoffs so… it’s fine (to me).

Sticking it to the man aside, it’s important to note that I only took that one element.

Because a brand is more than just one color.

Like, I don’t think you would know which pink I got from what company because the vibes with how I used this pink is totally different.

When we finalized our two colors, we just thought the flyer was perfect now because it said “PARTY!”

Because cookies are a fun food and parties are where you have fun. And what that company sold was… definitely not that, haha.

You take one thing and make it your own.

Step 1

I know I just explained all of this and we’re nearing the end of the blog post, so how the hell are we talking about Step 1?

Well, this is your Step 1 because I don’t want you to go around this big loop-de-loop that I did; and you might not have a relative who’s working in design to help you.

Decide what emotional experience you want to sell.

What meanings do you want people to attach to your business?

With Cookie Cazimi, my chunky cookies aren’t going to be an everyday food like bagels.

So, when we got that fun and festive vibe with the pinks, we felt like we were telling my customers that if you’re planning a good time, think of Cookie Cazimi!

I do want to mention that the decision to go with pink was based on my cousin’s personal association with me.

Because generally you aren’t always your target audience, so you don’t necessarily want to go with what you like.

That’s just a decision you have to make whether you are or not.

A few years ago, I had a spirit guide reading and my spirit guides told me that it’s important for my businesses to be a reflection of myself; otherwise, it’s not going to work out long-term.

I know it’s kind of funny that I’m taking business advice from some kooky lady, but her advice is working for me because while this isn’t my first business… it is my first successful one!

But, it might not be the right advice for you.

And I know of successful founders who say, “I was my target customer so that’s why it worked” but don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel that way.

There are many successful small businesses whose founder is not a part of their customer base.

You have a great product and you want to find the people who will benefit from it the most!

And if you’ve been wondering why The Diane Collective has the same branding as Cookie Cazimi, my cousin said that it’s just confusing to have two different brands.

She said that I want both to be associated with each other (and me), so they need to match.

I did like the mystic purple though… which ironically is the more overdone than pink bakeries, lol.

Concluding Branding for Your Small Business

Picking a color scheme is not that serious. At least, I don’t think so.

And I’m a Scorpio — meaning I take a lot of things seriously, so if I don’t think it’s serious, then it’s really not.

Because color is only a part of your branding. Branding is about the meaning customers attach to you!

The two main takeaways are:

1. Don’t be afraid to do what others are doing.
2. Steal like an artist.

I officially set up an LLC for Cookie Cazimi, my home bakery in Maryland, specializing in chunky cookies, in May 2024.

But, did you know that this is actually my second business? And spoiler alert: I closed the first company down because it wasn’t successful.

This time around, I’m a little more prepared. And while I know I’ll continue to make mistakes and run into roadblocks, I wanted to share with you the lessons I learned from my first business and what I’m doing differently the second time around.

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I simply was a first-time business owner, so my first business failed

It seems like kind of a lame answer to say that the reason why my first business failed was because I’m a first business owner, but it is what it is lol.

While the exact figure on how many first-time business owners succeed is unknown, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) states that entrepreneurs with prior business experience are more likely to succeed.

So, getting it right the first time is a rare feat.

In fact, the Chamber of Commerce postulates that roughly 20% of new businesses fail within the first year. And 50% fail by the fifth year. And, these figures include businesses owned by experienced entrepreneurs.

Business is hard! Period.

I also definitely spent way too much money as a result of my inexperience. Luckily, I had a job that could finance these risks without leaving my bills unpaid. Though it would be nice just to have that money again knowing that it didn’t work out

But, that’s the cost of experience, I guess

This leads me to the second reason why my first business failed…

My first business failed because I started too big

I tried to launch a fancy cosmetics bag that could fit all my shower and beauty products without taking anything out on the counter. The travel bag was big, luxurious, and custom-made so expensive to both product and buy off the shelf.

This just stemmed from an idea I had and I just ran with it.

In hindsight, I think going off of my intuition and creativity was actually great for my personal growth, and that in itself is worthwhile, but it wasn’t great for just straight-up making money, haha.

 

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For Cookie Cazimi, I started with chunky cookies in different flavors. I simply became the cookie girl.

My tent at the farmers market stand was just has a big ass “COOKIES” banner that can be read a mile away. I mean, what else do people really need to know??

Also, I’ve heard from other avid bakers that they had a hard time narrowing down what they should sell because they liked to bake everything. And I do, too!

I can fucking make anything and everything lol.

But, when it comes to running a business, having too many options is not only overwhelming for the customer, but also for you!

I can’t imagine trying to offer a variety of crumb cakes, muffins, loaf breads, and other approved cottage foods in different flavors on top of what I’m doing right now.

I just introduced brownies, but only as a part of a monthly special if I decide to put them in the lineup. Because you can’t be everything for everyone!

Be one thing to everyone and those who want that one thing are who it’s for

For the most part anyway… since I also do brownies from time to time now.

The third reason why my first business failed?

I didn’t tell anybody about my business

Well, I told some people, but it was slowly over time. Having had no social media following, I felt cringy telling people outright what I was doing and posting.

When I did eventually tell my friends and acquaintances, they were really supportive!

Nevertheless, I didn’t get much financial support because I not only created a high ticket item, but also those in my social circle weren’t my target audience.

Which is why Cookie Cazimi is doing so much better! Cookies are for anyone who… likes cookies lol. And those who don’t simply continue about their day.

This is the perfect segway to the fourth and most important reason why my first business failed:

I created a product I wanted

I know you’ve probably heard a lot of entrepreneur success stories about how “they were their own customer, so they knew the perfect product to create and it all worked out” trope.

Well, I did just that, thinking that it’ll lead to the same type of result. After all, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others, right?

So, wouldn’t that same wise man do what worked for others?

Seeing that you’re reading this post titled “5 reasons why my first business failed…” this sentiment didn’t work for me LOL

I started my cookie business off of a semi-flippant comment of “making it a thing” and I just did because I went through the hoops already of setting up a business legally.

Granted, I may have jumped the gun a liiitle bit, considering that I could have just run my home bakery as a sole proprietor or individual.

In the end, however, it doesn’t matter much.

In Maryland, the only “penalty” is I have to pay some lame land tax of $300? I’m not sure lol. I’ve outsourced this so I just pay to get taken care of and told what to do. I don’t play with taxes lol

And lastly…

My first business failed because I invested in coaches

This one might be a bit controversial because I’m still friends with some of these said coaches, but I should have just saved my money…

Coaches aren’t selling anything you can’t Google yourself. They save you time and put all the relevant information in one place.

And that’s great value! I’m not knocking it.

I just think it doesn’t matter as much when you’re starting out. Coaches are a luxury. And when you’re new in business, you can’t afford dessert. Cut the fat — No! LOL

With that said, I did learn a lot and I’m sure I’m implementing some of their teachings without realizing it. However, because my first business amounted to nothing but money spent, the business coaches weren’t worth it.

That’s why any resources I do share with you is money well-spent and something I would buy again if I had to. And that’s not too hard right now considering I literally just started this blog and posting short-form videos on the Internet, so no one’s giving me free stuff lol.

But, should that day ever come, I want you to know that I’ll even be skeptical of recommending things for free because spending money (or not) fundamentally changes the value of something.

If all the programs I did were free and only cost my time, I probably would say they were worth it. But, having put money on the table, I wouldn’t do most of them again.

Concluding what I learned from the failure of my first business

I never felt bad about my first business failing. I do miss the money I spent but I’ve made it back.

Which is a bit surprising because I’m someone who grew up feeling like a failure and constantly chasing success and validation. I’m surprised that I felt as good as I did when I closed my first business.

Because I didn’t believe that life was about the experience and lessons we learned along the way.

“Why couldn’t I do both like that person did?”

“Why couldn’t I struggle on my way to the top instead of just struggle?“

I did work on my first business during my Saturn return so maybe I just delulu’d my way past the roadblocks lol. Speaking of which, I recently looked back on an Excel file of notes for month-to-month predictions for 2024 by psychic and astrologer Evan Nathaniel Grim.

He said that in May, someone close to me would encourage me to start a business and that came true! And now, I’m making actually some money lol.

I’m still in the red overall as of this blog post but being out and about, trying new things, and receiving support is something I was able to easily jump into without overthinking because… well, of the astrology lol AND the fact that my first business failed.

Hopefully, you won’t make the same mistakes I did, and if you do, no big deal! Just move on… because you don’t have a choice.

That’s why my blog is focused on sharing how I turn my hobbies into businesses especially the home bakers and sewists.