David Crabill: Welcome to the Forrager Podcast, where I talk with cottage food entrepreneurs about their strategies for a food business from home. I’m David Crabill, and today I am talking with Alanna T’ia.
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All right, so I have Alanna on the show today. She lives in Columbia, Missouri, and sells semi-custom decorated cakes and other treats with her cottage food, business, Sugar, Butter, & Flour. Alanna always made her kids’ birthday cakes as they were growing up, but after making her daughter’s wedding cake in 2019, she decided to turn her longtime hobby into a home business. It wasn’t long before Alanna became the go-to cake maker in her area, and she has now made over $100,000 per year in sales multiple times.
In this episode, Alanna shares how she became a six figure baker by creating a professional setup with streamline systems, exceptional customer service, and consistent high quality [00:02:00] products.
And with that, let’s jump right into this episode.
Welcome to show, Alanna Nice to have you here.
[00:02:09] Alanna Ti’a: Thanks, David. It’s good to be here.
[00:02:12] David Crabill: Well, Alanna, can you take me back? How did this whole thing get started for you?
[00:02:17] Alanna Ti’a: So I made my daughter’s wedding cake. That’s pretty much how it got started officially. It was back in 2019. I was looking for other ways to change directions and my homebased business, I was a. Daycare provider for a very long time and I was getting very burnt out. So I started looking for other options.
I became a calligrapher and a stationary designer, so like wedding invitations. But then after making my daughter’s wedding invitations and trying to take care of children at the same time, it was really hard. But then I was making her cake and taking care of children as I transitioned. ’cause I couldn’t quit one and start up the other one.
I had to do both at the same time until the other one became successful. I was able to just keep running around. I was on my feet anyway, so I could just run around and take care of the kids and bake the cakes and, it just hit me hard that that’s what I should do instead. Which was definitely divine council because then COVID hit and nobody wanted a luxury invitation anymore, but everybody still wanted a cake.
my area had a really big market for it, for what I was gonna offer. So then it just kind of took off from there.
[00:03:30] David Crabill: Right. And you know, I know you did your daughter’s wedding cake, but what led you up into that? You know, Any previous experience baking.
[00:03:39] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I made all my kids’ birthday cakes throughout the years, and it was just fun. And then slowly I learned to go from a box cake to home, you know, scratch cake. And then there was this one Hershey chocolate cake that was always requested.
I made my sister’s wedding cake back in 2004, And that was just fun. I’m very [00:04:00] creative and I like to try new things. So this was just one of those bucket list things that I had tried for my sister. But yeah, it was just, kind of fun.
Mostly anything. It wasn’t, I’m gonna be a baker and then start a business. It was, I need to start a business. Oh, and let’s do baking.
[00:04:16] David Crabill: Yeah. And you’d mentioned that there was a lot of demand for cakes in your area. Why was that? You know, You usually uh, like 2019 by this point, most areas pretty saturated in, in the cake and bakery realm.
[00:04:32] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, not here. We don’t have a storefront that provides cakes here. well We have one, but they’re like dessert cakes and And then we have the grocery stores, you know, so that was pretty much the only thing. We had the few people that could do custom cakes But there wasn’t somebody that had a quick turnaround that had a good product. And that was available online. A lot of the bakers around here are hobby or social media bakers, you know, that’s pretty much the only places you can really find them. But they were [00:05:00] set up as a business first. So while we do have quite a few people who can make cakes around here, it’s not the same level I think that I am. I offer
[00:05:11] David Crabill: So you feel like one way you differentiate yourself was by being a lot more. Business oriented.
[00:05:18] Alanna Ti’a: yes, very much.
[00:05:20] David Crabill: And did you have any kind of business background?
[00:05:24] Alanna Ti’a: So, For a few years I thought about calligraphy was just a nice hobby, actually. It was a rabbit hole, and it became like this passion, but then I realized I can make money with it, and then I wanted to be professional with it.
And so I took some courses and then I learned the backend, how to make a website, and and I, I made a website. I got my CRM in place and forms and all this stuff needed for that. So I was able to just easily pivot into baking instead of stationary. So I still have my website and I just set it up for cakes instead of calligraphy and stationary.
And my CRM just turned over to baking too. [00:06:00] So I was already set up on the backend for that kind of success.
[00:06:05] David Crabill: let’s talk about your website ’cause it is an impressive website. I mean, I, I was just going through it and I have actually never seen a website like it say I. seen something close, but you’re very unique in that everything is spelled out. You know, Like for somebody who is just like, I don’t really know what I want.
but, all of the options are there and what I normally see right, is, you know, you have a custom bakery, especially one that focuses on wedding cakes like you do and it’s just like, all right.
Send me I your ideas, and I’ll work with you to make something custom. Why’d you move in this direction Where, you’re running a service with all these different options, but it seems like it’s a little bit less customized.
[00:06:50] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, it’s semi, I kind of call it semi-custom, and I think that’s where in my. I was stationary, that’s how it was going. I had certain templates I was gonna set up for them [00:07:00] to choose from, and then I would customize the template, right? So I just transitioned that into cakes. And then I found a bakery in San Francisco that was doing the same thing, and it was exactly the same model.
And so that was nice to know that I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be completely alone, but, you know, here’s the design. Now customize the flavor, you know, and if you want it further customize, then we can figure that out. But here’s the basics. And then I set up, I don’t work with fondant. I don’t do shape cakes because. There’s several reasons, but if I’m gonna want a quick turnaround time to be able to serve as many people as I can, I can’t take time shaping a cake and rolling out fondant. So yeah, it just became more of a semi-custom. and I didn’t wanna gate keep anything. if you wanna pay for my cake, here’s the prices, here’s the sizes, here’s everything you need to know.
So that really weeds out a lot of people to begin with. So I’m not answering calls or questions to see if people want to be able to afford a cake. it just really helps, I [00:08:00] think, just to be transparent as I can and just say, this is what you get if you don’t like it, okay. You know, there’s no harm, no foul.
Just move on somewhere else. But here you go. This is what you get.
[00:08:12] David Crabill: And just to describe it a little more, you have a whole design page where it’s, it’s like, okay, these are all the different elements that I could do, you know? and people can combine different elements, I’d imagine. And then you have a whole sizing page with all different sizes and tiers. And then you have a whole pricing page which lays all that out.
And you have a whole accents page of like all the different things you could add to the cake. And you have a whole flavors page right, which has a ton of flavors and. For someone like myself, like I would totally be like pouring through that website and figuring out what I wanted before I reached out to you.
But do you feel like a lot of people do that? Do they like come to you already knowing what they want or do most people like have to have you basically spill it out for them?
[00:08:55] Alanna Ti’a: It’s a mix. Honestly. Some people are like, this is what I want. Can you do this? And I’ll be like, sure. If [00:09:00] it’s something that’s basically in my wheelhouse, then I’ll, be able to do it. Some other people come to me with stuff and I’m just say, Nope, that’s fondant. I can’t do that. I won’t do that. And so we try and turn that into buttercream, but if they’re adamant, then I just send them along.
And then there’s others who have no idea what they want. They look on the page and they’re just like, great, I’ll take that. And then unfortunately, there’s others who come along and just are overwhelmed. You have so many options, I don’t know how to choose. And I was like, I’m sorry. I just like to give people choice.
So then I can help whittle it down for them. And I have a set amount of questions that I ask to see, you know, what would be best. And usually we end up with something that they’re very happy with. then you can also order from my website too. So that is something that makes things very different, I think, from most other bakers as well.
[00:09:50] David Crabill: I feel like the best way to describe, it’s like a pizza company,
[00:09:53] Alanna Ti’a: Oh.
[00:09:53] David Crabill: Where like they have the whole order system laid out for you, right? And you can pick exactly what you [00:10:00] want and then click and, you get what you want. So why have you decided not to do like, custom orders?
Like If somebody says, Hey, I have an idea, can you do this and it’s not on your site, are you just gonna turn that customer away entirely?
[00:10:16] Alanna Ti’a: No, it really just depends on what they’re asking for. I’ve had plenty and in fact, my Google business page is where I photo dump everything. And so a lot of what’s on there is not on my website. And I’ve actually linked that now in my website, you know, just if you want it. ’cause I can’t keep up with my website.
So I just linked it to say, Hey, if you’re looking for something different, this is also things I’ve done. I do draw the line of profanity. I won’t put profanity on cakes. Or you know, there’s just a few things that I just kind of draw the line on on. But if it’s buttercream and if it’s something that I feel I can do without totally messing it up, you know, that I feel confident, then I can figure out how to do what they’re asking, then yeah, I have no problem with
[00:11:00] doing that.
[00:11:01] David Crabill: Well, You have done a ton. Of different things, not just cakes, but so many different things. So like, it feels like you’re not afraid to venture into almost any realm of baking, but as you said, you don’t do fondant. And you also, I know you don’t ride on cakes, which is so interesting sense.
You have a background in calligraphy. So why have you decided to like draw the line with certain things?
[00:11:24] Alanna Ti’a: well With fondant. Honestly, it’s a, I don’t wanna spend 10 hours on a cake for someone to destroy in five seconds. And nobody eats it. Nobody eats the fondant on cakes. They only think it’s gross and they peel it off. So if I wanna make a sculpture of something I’ll make it like a marble, you know, and have it last forever. I just, to me, it’s a time waste. It’s just my very literal, very practical brain working like that. However, I’m also extremely creative and I get bored. So that’s where I like to branch out and to try new things. That, and I’ve also noticed that especially in the wedding industry.
The way that they [00:12:00] were doing wedding desserts was shifting and to stay up and current, I needed to shift with that. So instead of like the big tiered cake, a lot are now doing a small cutting cake for pictures and then a dessert spread or a cupcake spread for a table for their desserts. So to stay relevant and to stay making money I needed to shift and, do new things.
and I’ve made a chocolate chip cookie forever that everybody loves. So that wasn’t hard. And then just experimenting with other recipes, you know, that wasn’t too hard. I get the gist of how recipes are supposed to go and then go from there. And some things are just super easy and some things are just really trendy and still kind of easy.
But yeah, so that’s where the variety comes from, is needing to keep up so that I stay relevant. And also I get bored. So like I just started my sourdough journey because it’s something I want to conquer and I’m starting to get bored again.
[00:12:56] David Crabill: That is something I wanted to ask you about. I haven’t seen as [00:13:00] many traditional cakes these days, you know? So you’ve definitely noticed that in the last six years there’s been a major shift.
[00:13:08] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, definitely. And more specifically, in the last two or three years, I’d say probably three years. There are still some who say I want that three-tiered cake, and others are, I love light cake, but I don’t love it. So I just wanna do something easy and we’ll just do desserts.
And I don’t know this, I’m sure that there is a national trend going on somewhere that someone’s, somewhere started on the East coast or west coast and it just slowly came into our part of the country. Um. But yeah that’s just what happens. And now it’s kind of become a mixed bag. Some people still want that three tier cake like I did this weekend.
I actually did a groom’s cake this weekend too, which was almost unheard of nowadays. And a three tier cake. And then others just want a cutting cake for pictures and a dessert spread. So it really just depends. Everybody’s a little different.
[00:13:57] David Crabill: So like what? What kind of [00:14:00] things have you made? Like what’s on your menu today?
[00:14:04] Alanna Ti’a: Now I actually have a few more things that I, I, I’m finally doing sheet cakes only because I figured it out and I just thought after doing round cakes for so long, making something. Angular is really hard. So I finally started practicing more. I do, I’ll do sheet cakes, cinnamon rolls, and various flavored rolls.
I finally got a good roll recipe, so I’ve been doing that. I’ll do like holiday specials Thanksgiving, a Christmas. I’ve been wanting to offer things. So I started cinnamon rolls breakfast things. I’m a part of the Chamber of Commerce here in my city, and they do a lot of breakfast things.
And so I started offering some of those things. And then allergen friendly. I just feel bad for those poor people who are allergic to tasty things. And so I’ve been able to develop recipes for, at least for cake. So everybody can have a cake that needs to cut out certain allergen foods.
and then I’m just always trying to [00:15:00] innovate and see what people want. Try and cater to them. Although I’ve realized I need to start simplifying down too for certain things. Cause I’m, I don’t wanna do too much and I get all over the place.
[00:15:11] David Crabill: Yeah, I mean, just looking what you’ve done you’ve done like at least 25 completely different types of products and that’s not even counting all the flavors you have of these different products. How do you keep it all in stock or like ready to make, you said, you like to have a quick turnaround time.
[00:15:31] Alanna Ti’a: So I run my bakery, my home bakery, like I would a shop. you know, every week I go shopping And Sam’s Club is the best place for me here, and I’ll get, you know, 75 pounds of flour, you know, three big bags of flour and three big bags of sugar. uh, Through just doing this for so long, for through repetition, how much to keep in stock and what I need to still keep in stock.
And yeah, that’s pretty much it. I keep it in my head, which is not a good process. I know, but it works for me. But then I, [00:16:00] you know, so I don’t buy like two boxes. I buy a pack of 25. So storage then becomes an issue. But yeah, so I just, I run it like a shop just in outta my home.
[00:16:10] David Crabill: Has it taken over your home?
[00:16:13] Alanna Ti’a: Almost. Yeah. So my, my son left for a mission and then he took over his room and then my daughter came back to visit and I was like, oh no, she needs a place to sleep, so I gotta clean out that room. So just shoved everything in her bed. But yeah, it’s, the garage is pretty much packed full. And then I’ve just been really creative with how I store other things.
It’s my bun racks that get in the way more than anything else now, but I try and also it’s still my home. So while I do have an industrial 20 quart mixer on my floor that I’ve lovingly named Rosie everything else, I’ve tried to keep it as tastefully decorated as I can to make it still look like my home and not like a commercial environment .
[00:16:59] David Crabill: [00:17:00] I know you’ve done a lot of sales. Have you thought about moving beyond how?
[00:17:04] Alanna Ti’a: I have many times. My husband had some health issues and that just kind of scared me. And then just trying to get the head space to do all of it it was just a little too much for me. That, and I’m getting really tired, you know, doing this for six years. I’ve broken a hundred grand a few times.
You know, it just fluctuates here and there. Like, I checked today when I was at like, at 98, but I still realize I need to raise my prices because I’m also the only one providing an income for my home at this time, which I’m totally happy to do, but it’s a lot of pressure. And I know also usually with storefronts, they usually don’t pay themselves and I can’t do that.
So it’s just, you know, it’s something I would love. It’s like a pipe dream. But in the end we’re not now basically, and I’ve, hem and hawed throughout the years, but I’m just tired right now. I don’t know if I can handle all of it
[00:17:53] David Crabill: Well, You mentioned like you, you’re hitting six figures and I know. Missouri doesn’t have a sales limit. I can’t remember if [00:18:00] they used to, but I know you’ve worked to improve Missouri’s law. Can you expand on that?
[00:18:06] Alanna Ti’a: for sure. Yeah. So I started this and then I was like, oh, I should probably look into the laws. And I saw back in 2020, I think that they were capped at, 50,000. And I was just more outraged thinking, how dare you try and tell me how much I can make outta my own home. More than anything else. You know, It just didn’t make sense to me.
why would you limit me of what I can make out of my home? This is my business. We don’t need any more bureaucracy, So my daughter was good friends with the granddaughter of my local representative. I met him a couple times, so I just reached out and gave him a call and he’s like, sure, let’s figure this out.
So then we went through the process and then COVID hit. So it took a little longer, but yeah, we got it on the bill. Somebody else in St. Louis I think asked to do online sales, which was another thing that’s just crazy, you know, that this industry tends to be a little archaic and way behind the times.
So I just said, let’s just remove the cap. And they, heartily [00:19:00] agreed. now that I see so many other states have much more freedom I’m gonna start it up again and see if we can like ship over state lines and make cheesecakes for Gran Loud and just some other things that I see other states are doing.
And I have a lot of support from a Facebook group of local Missouri home bakers. So the more support you get, the better
[00:19:21] David Crabill: Did you feel like it was easy to change the law?
[00:19:25] Alanna Ti’a: it was to me. It seems super easy. You just ask, and I think most people don’t understand that is that, especially for some sleepy states that just kind of go along and everybody just feels like that’s what has to be done. They don’t understand that if you ask for it, then you might get it what you need.
No. Who’s paying attention to cottage food laws except for cottage food Bakers, no one, the health department, maybe if they get calls So really it’s just, you just kinda gotta stand up for yourself sometimes. And this is just one of those times.
[00:19:55] David Crabill: Well, I will say it just, it varies a lot, right? Like in some [00:20:00] states. A lot of people do care and don’t want cottage food laws improved. In some states, the health department is the one that improves the law. In some states, the health department is the one that’s opposed to improving the law. And then in a state like Missouri, I think it’s, it’s one of the states and there are a lot of states like this where just stepped up, to take the lead or to talk to their assembly member or something and, and get something to change.
And I think especially in particular, the Midwest states are probably more likely to be like this, but I don’t know how often smaller towns actually follow the law or care about whatever’s on the state laws. So that’s part of the reason why sometimes you don’t get like an official change because it’s not really impacting anybody.
[00:20:46] Alanna Ti’a: That’s true too I did a couple of county fairs last year and one of the counties were like, oh, we don’t care. Like anything. I was like, oh, okay. Another county was like just make sure you have your labeling on there and then otherwise [00:21:00] they didn’t really care what you made. But then I got a call from the health department a few years ago that a concerned citizen told them that I was making cream cheese frosting.
And so, you know, it was kind of a cease and desist kind of a thing. And I was like, okay, that’s fine. You know, I didn’t, completely know, so I just kind of was touting that gray area. And I was fine to take it off. And cheesecakes as well. had to remove cheesecakes, but it really just depends on your county, you know, and they, I see these Facebook groups and they’re all getting into fights of you can’t use butter.
And others are like, we can use butter. I don’t know why you can’t use butter. And you know, it’s just this whole thing. And it very much here in Missouri at least, is very dependent on local health department views of what they think is right or not
[00:21:44] David Crabill: Well, So I know you do a lot of different things. You make a lot of different desserts, but I was wondering if you had to choose to focus on just one thing, what do you think you would focus on?
[00:21:56] Alanna Ti’a: Probably cakes just because. It’s a better profit [00:22:00] margin and I do them really well now. You know, It’s just the experience has brought me more power in what I do, so if I could, that’s probably what I would do. And I, for the most part, I do.
so Sometimes I’ll get large cookie orders, but for the rest it’s mostly cakes and wedding cakes. That’s the bread and butter of what I do.
And again, I think it’s because it’s just not readily available. And every week it seems like I find new customers who are, somehow find me and didn’t know I existed and now will becoming to me forever, yeah, probably cakes and cookies. Just ’cause they’re easy and tasty.
[00:22:37] David Crabill: It’s not generally too hard to break into like the cake industry and birthday cakes, but usually it takes a little bit of time to break into the wedding cake industry. It sounds like maybe that wasn’t the case for you.
[00:22:52] Alanna Ti’a: No, because apparently from what I heard from a bride who was trying to book with me, that I, I have one blackout week, a [00:23:00] year, and that is for our college graduation week. That is the biggest week of the year for me, and I won’t do weddings that week. But she said she called around and couldn’t find anybody who would do a tiered cake.
Oh, a multi-tiered cake, like more than two. And that just seemed baffling to me. But maybe that’s why because I’m not afraid to try. And that’s just part of my personality is that, I’m just not afraid to try it. So if I can do two tiers, why can’t I do three? Why can’t I do four or five?
Not that I’ve done five, but it’s just the same principle as why not give it a try?
[00:23:35] David Crabill: Is this your only job or is this your, are you working on this full time
[00:23:41] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah. That’s more than full-time. This is all I do.
[00:23:45] David Crabill: and has it always been the case for the last six years?
[00:23:49] Alanna Ti’a: So I was doing daycare and the bakery at the same time until 2022 is when I let go. Of the bulk of my daycare kids, and then I kept [00:24:00] a few uh, who were older and easier to take care of. And then through time, either, they went to school or that there, the parents changed the way they’re doing things.
Then I am now completely dependent on this. I am daycare free and it’s actually nice to be free, not have to think about, oh no, there’s a kid coming and, and I have to do this and this and this. I can leave in the middle of the day, which is, you know, I kind of think I felt like a caged animal for a long time.
’cause I was bound to my home for a very long time and now I can just go to the store in the middle of the day if I needed to. So that’s shifted quite a bit, but right now, this is all I do. However, I am looking to make more passive income in the form of digital products. So like selling my recipes online, that kind of a thing.
[00:24:45] David Crabill: What gave you the confidence to totally quit the day job? How did you know it was time to move with it?
[00:24:55] Alanna Ti’a: It was more of a feeling than anything else, but also I realized I was making enough in the [00:25:00] bakery that I could let go of the daycare
[00:25:03] David Crabill: Did it feel risky?
[00:25:06] Alanna Ti’a: a little bit and I mean, it’s always a little scary but it also just felt right. It felt the timing was right. I had done the work to build it up and I just felt that it would be okay. So it was mostly by faith than anything else, but I was so burnt out with the daycare.
ready to try something different and it just worked out. I just took that leap of faith and it’s, I keep walking by faith.
[00:25:32] David Crabill: Has there been any point in the last three years where you questioned your decision to go full time with this?
[00:25:40] Alanna Ti’a: No, never. you know, Somebody asked me, you know, what are my failures? And I was like, I can’t fail. I mean, I’ve had little failures day to day here and there, you know, mistakes and stuff like that. But as far as like giant failures I refuse to fail. I need to move forward. I need to do this. And so that’s why I’m always trying to innovate and stay current.
But [00:26:00] it’s also, it takes a toll, you know, making this much is great, but it’s all I do. And, there’s many, many 16, 18 hour days, many weekends where I sleep four hours a night if that. so it’s, while it’s rewarding, it’s also, it’s also very tough.
[00:26:18] David Crabill: Do you have any help or outsource anything?
[00:26:22] Alanna Ti’a: I do when I need to. But for the most part, I do it myself. My husband will help my, I have friends that will come over and help. But for the day to day baking, you know, all of those things it’s me
[00:26:35] David Crabill: how many orders are you handling in a given week?
[00:26:39] Alanna Ti’a: anywhere, like a slow week is somewhere around 10. And a good week that I don’t feel crazy um, is like 20 and more than 25. I think it just depends on the cake and how efficient I am with my time. Then I start to sweat. but you know, I’ve got a 20 quart mixer. I’ve got two other mixers, I’ve, well, [00:27:00] three technically. it’s, And I do have a, a separate oven. I have a little tiny convection oven. We lovingly call it my uh, easy bake. But yeah, so that helps with production in addition to my regular oven.
[00:27:13] David Crabill: 10 to 20 plus. That’s a lot.
[00:27:16] Alanna Ti’a: 10 is actually really slow for me, and I am worried if I get a, a week like that, then I’m hoping for wedding deposits and things like that. and I do remember when, early days when I would get 10 and be freaking out, wondering how I was gonna get it done, and now I can do 10 and not break sweat.
Last week I had 23, which included two, three tier cakes. And I was good. and it’s just, I lived by this, quote I think it was from Waldo Emerson. The more you do things, the more power that you get. Not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that your power to do so is increased.
So while the nature of what we do isn’t [00:28:00] changed, the more we do it, the more we’re comfortable with it, the more power we get to do it. And then it just becomes easier, or it just seems easier.
[00:28:09] David Crabill: It definitely seems like you have systematized everything. you have certain options available, right? And people can select from those options. So do you feel like that’s part of the reason why you’re able to have so much production?
[00:28:24] Alanna Ti’a: Absolutely. You know, And I think it comes from the basis of where I started from with. it’s a business, not a hobby. So I had a CRM, and I don’t think most bakers use A-C-R-M-A client management relationship system. and that’s where, that’s my brain. So in that, I have every person that makes an order.
I have their name, I have their email, I have their address, I have their phone number the order form. And if it’s not in the order form, it’s in the invoice, which then I send to them and I can also send them a contract to sign so that it protects myself. But just getting it set up in that [00:29:00] way, very much I am able to just kind of breeze through things.
And then from the digital, I made my own order sheets. So I have, you know, their name, if this is pickup or delivery, the date. And a space for the delivery address, a space for the phone number, and then exactly what they’re ordering. So spaces for all of those things so that it keeps me in line with what I’m supposed to be doing.
And then from there, I color code. So if I know I need to do something allergen free, I grab that red pen and just be like, this is gluten free, this is egg free. You know, so I don’t, forget that. so yeah, I definitely, systems and processes I heard a quote, you know, that we, rise to the level of our systems.
So if you don’t have a good system in place, then it’s, it makes things really hard. It’s not as organized. And customer service is huge. I just found a new customer this weekend who said that she had a cake lady, but she was really hard to get ahold of. She was really bad with communication and then she would be hours late [00:30:00] for her order, which to me is just unacceptable.
And that’s where I think I just, I’m different, very different that I treat this like a business. And I ask for reviews. So I have a automated email that goes out as part of my CRM where I can set up workflows, which people may not know what that is, but look it up. It’s pretty awesome. I set up a workflow where the, an email goes out 24 hours after their order.
To ask how I did, and it’s scary. That doesn’t mean I’ve always done well or I’ve, you know, and it’s scary to ask for that feedback, but that’s how I have a 4.9 review score on Google with over 375 reviews. So I’ve had a, a couple stop by and they were just amazed that it was my house, they just kept looking at the review, being like, but you have so many reviews and you’re out of your house. And I’m like, yeah, I have a good product. I’m organized. I make sure customer service is good and I ask for the review. And people are very kind. I will say [00:31:00] this though too, people are extremely kind.
when I have messed up and I mess up, I, that’s just a part of life. People usually will email me or reach out to me, text me or something to see how they can rectify it. And very few times have they made that public So it’s been honestly the grace of God that’s gotten me through all of this.
[00:31:21] David Crabill: Well, I use Google Maps. And I can say 4.9 with hundreds of reviews is extremely hard to attain. That’s really rare.
[00:31:33] Alanna Ti’a: And that’s been from a buildup. And that’s also because I send out that automated email a day after and I ask, it’s like the whole, legislature thing, you know, sometimes you just gotta ask.
And some people are happy to do so. Some people don’t. Some people have ordered from me a few times and then finally leave a review. Some people hate leaving reviews and will just leave it anyway ’cause they found my, product so good. It just depends on the person.
[00:32:01] David Crabill: [00:32:00] So, which CRM do you use?
[00:32:04] Alanna Ti’a: I use one, it’s called Dubsado. And this is something that was introduced me back in my calligraphy days and I’ve been grandfathered in. And so now I pay very little for something that they charge a lot more for. but it’s kind of like 17 hats or HoneyBook. It’s along those same lines. And I know that there’s many different CRMs out there.
This is just the one that I know that works for me and that I don’t really have to pay a lot for anymore. So I’m happy to keep along with it. And they keep innovating and updating and so I I can change things so way I need to, and their order forms are great. and that’s, that’s what attracted me to them to begin with was that you had the form, then it takes you, you submit that, then it’ll take you to the contract page, which you submit.
They sign that and submit and it’ll take you right next to a payment page. And then they pay and they’re done. So simple, easy, effective. I get all the information I need. They don’t have to talk to me if they don’t want [00:33:00] to. And since my model isn’t based on how many cakes can I take in a day but more like a shop of.
Whatever you need then I can keep it open and, handle whatever needs to come my way. I have had to cut off sometimes, but that was from graduation week and I’d taken on 50 and I was like, oh no, I don’t know if I can finish what I need to finish. So I did cut it off that week.
[00:33:24] David Crabill: So with wedding tastings do you only offer those to go.
[00:33:30] Alanna Ti’a: I do. Yeah. So I didn’t start off that way. So I started off with a traditional way meeting someplace, having them choose and then sit there and watch ’em meet. And then after a few of those, it was just tough to find a place that was accessible that was not so too far away. And getting out for that time, spending that time to do it was a huge sacrifice for the payment that I was gonna get for the tasting.
So I was in the process of. [00:34:00] Transitioning in some way, and then COVID happened
So I ordered bags and deli containers, and I said, here you go. Take it home. And it solved so many problems. We weren’t sitting there looking awkwardly at each other as they ate, you know, if they didn’t like something, they didn’t have to pretend that they liked it.
it eliminated that so it wasn’t awkward. And then they could have as many people as they wanted to have a tasting night, you know, to have it all together. They can invite whoever they wanted just make a night of it and have it fun or just do it on their own.
for the most part, it’s really well received. It’s a fair price and they get a lot of food. It’s the equivalent of a whole cake, just disassembled with. A little less frosting and and a little more filling actually. But, you know, they get their choices and they get to pick three different flavors of cake, three different flavors of fillings, three different flavors of frosting, or a combination of six flavors of fillings and frostings.
I’ve had people come back and order a second one cause they can’t decide or just ’cause they think it’s fun. [00:35:00] So it’s just, it’s really just convenient for them and for me. it just makes things a lot easier.
[00:35:06] David Crabill: Yeah, this to go cake tasting option is a really compelling one for somebody who doesn’t want people coming into their home. Do you feel like you lost anything in losing the in-person meetings?
[00:35:20] Alanna Ti’a: cause we still talk. So we’ll talk on the phone if they wanna come to my house and we’ll talk outside. You know, That’s fine. People still do that. It’s educating them on the way that I do things about how I do tastings. ’cause a lot of times they feel that’s the way it has to be done. You know, That’s tradition and that’s the way it has to be done.
And then when I tell ’em it’s to go and enjoy it at home, most people absolutely love that. They’re free to not be encumbered by a lady sitting over them staring at them, seeing if they like what I have to offer. it was actually more freeing than I think losing people, once they hear that it can be to go, then they’re very happy to do that.
[00:35:59] David Crabill: I also saw [00:36:00] that you offer a complimentary mini cake with every wedding cake order, correct.
[00:36:05] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah.
[00:36:06] David Crabill: Which I, I hadn’t heard that one before. can you walk me through how you came up with that and why you do it?
[00:36:13] Alanna Ti’a: Well, There’s this tradition of saving the top tier of your wedding cake for your first anniversary. So instead of them having to do that and order a separate cake or try and figure that out in any kind of way, I offer a free mini cake. It’s just, I mean, it’s like the size of a can of soup.
Basically. It’s, it’s tiny, that this comes pre frozen. They just throw it in the freezer for a year, you know, and enjoy it whenever they want. Actually, I don’t even know if they wait for a year.
And I, I don’t offer all the flavors. It’s chocolate and vanilla only. So there is criteria for it, but it’s just for those who wanna be traditional or just want another little free cake.
Since. An old archaic tradition was if you order a tasting, then you don’t have to pay for that, or we’ll take it off of your order for your wedding cake or, you [00:37:00] know, something like that.
but if I’m making an order, then how am I gonna get paid for that? You know, it’s just, that’s an income loss. It’s not a perk in any kind of way. So to kinda sweeten the deal, I offer that. I mean, The cost of that is probably like five bucks if that. it’s just a nice little feature that I like to offer.
just kinda making it fun and being kind so that they don’t have to sacrifice and skimp on something else.
[00:37:26] David Crabill: Do you know what percentage of your wedding customers order from you Again?
[00:37:34] Alanna Ti’a: I don’t, that’s not a metric that I have. I know that I have, oh, probably about 40% of repeat customers that I have, unless they’re inputting their source wrong. But no, I have had several that come back, for first anniversary. Oh, I just had one actually that came back for their second anniversary.
They come back for baby showers. Then first, birthday, second birthday. That is amazing. I love that. I love when I [00:38:00] do the wedding shower or engagements, party, then the wedding, then like a baby. Gender reveal and then, you know, just going through like half their life with them, it’s, that’s been super fun.
[00:38:14] David Crabill: Is there a cake that you’ve made that was particularly memorable?
[00:38:20] Alanna Ti’a: There actually was one, she was dying She had some disease or some syndrome or something, and she was on her way out, but they still wanted to have the wedding. And it was a Halloween theme.
So I did this, it was dark purple with this black drip and it was three tears. And I mean, it was really fun, but it, that was, oh, that was just gut wrenching. It was just so sad. And everybody was so happy and lively. They had it at, at someone’s large home. it was just so bittersweet to be a part of that. you know, Here was this gorgeous cake, kind of funky for a wedding, but just really [00:39:00] fun. And then here’s the, bride. Who knows how long she has to live. So that was actually really memorable. Not in a good way necessarily, but it was definitely memorable. I like doing non-traditional things for weddings too.
So put color on the cake. That is fun. Those are the ones that I remember more is when they break from tradition. Maybe not crazily, but just some, and do something kind of fun.
[00:39:25] David Crabill: So what have you learned about wedding contracts, retainers, protecting yourself, et cetera?
[00:39:33] Alanna Ti’a: So it’s mostly just to put that out there for people. To respect me respect what I do and to take me seriously really. just because I work outta my home.
I am no less professional than the event planner that you’re hiring, the photographer, the venue even, you know? so don’t think that just because I work out of my home that I’m, somebody be stepped on or, treated wrong. you know, And then for that I have business hours.
I have a, [00:40:00] dedicated business line phone. It’s an app, but I work between 10 and six and I will not answer your calls after those times. You need to respect my time as a professional business owner. the contract is mostly for that.
Just to respect me, to respect my time, just to make sure, you know, if anybody tries to come back with, oh, this wasn’t the way you said it was gonna be or something, you know, I’ve got it covered under that contract. you know, I suppose the deposit, you know, I don’t want people to pay 50% and me knowing that it’s not refundable, but them thinking they still can get away with it.
But no, in the contract you sign it said that I will give you credit for that, but it is not refundable. So it’s just, yeah, protect myself and to be respected as a professional.
[00:40:45] David Crabill: Yeah, I noticed you have a very strict cancellation policy. It’s like, month. Right. You know, if, it’s within a month, there’s no refunds, but I guess you give this credit for a future order.
[00:40:56] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah. Which I think is fair. I had a lady call, so I was supposed to do a [00:41:00] cake, it was like a big cake and cupcakes or something, and then she went into the hospital and they’re like, well, we’re canceling. And I was like, I’m so sorry that money is gone. You know, it’s just how the finances work for these things it’s not just like sitting in the bank waiting for you to spend it on that order.
But they still paid that money. So I still feel that I. Owe them something that I’m not just gonna collect on them just for greediness sake, but if they paid for it, then I will honor that. So this one was canceled and then she just called and she is, she’s better now and she wants to have her, party now in October, you know, so then I was able to, because of my CRMI was able to pull up a contract, pull up her order, set a new date, and now we’re good to go.
[00:41:45] David Crabill: Have you had any? Customers or potenTi’al clients try to take advantage of you or abuse those policies.
[00:41:53] Alanna Ti’a: Very rarely. Sometimes I have and sometimes to keep the piece, I’ll offer a [00:42:00] credit or some kind of a small discount. depends on if I really messed it up, if it really was my fault or if they’re just unsatisfied. you know, Sometimes they get, I use Swiss meringue buttercream, which around these parts gets confused.
A lot of times for whipped icing, unfortunately. Or even Cool Whip I’ve heard it called, which really is aggravating. so sometimes they are expecting one thing, they get another, but then they get irate and that’s when my customer service comes out where it’s okay, let’s calm me down.
You didn’t like it, that’s fine. One of my daughters doesn’t like it either, so I get it. let’s offer you some kind of restitution for that. But it’s really not very often. It’s the weird ones. One was too salty one time. I was like, okay, that’s weird. But she didn’t even wanna refund.
She was just upset. You know? So it’s just sometimes it’s just people have different palettes different senses, and so it just rubs ’em wrong. And then it’s like, well, I don’t know what to do about that.
I put [00:43:00] it on there that this is what I’m making. And it’s amazing what people don’t pay attention to. So, yeah. It takes all kinds.
[00:43:10] David Crabill: So what, what I’m hearing is it’s, you know, you use the Swiss meringue buttercream and you get those. Clients who are expecting American buttercream, that’s gonna have a lot more sweetness to it.
[00:43:19] Alanna Ti’a: And they’re just surprised. I think most people love it, and that’s what sets me apart around here. But then you just get the others who are just, that’s what they’re used to, that’s what they want. And then they choose not to like it.
[00:43:31] David Crabill: And do you offer American buttercream.
[00:43:35] Alanna Ti’a: if they ask for it, I will. And sometimes I offer knowing it’s a, a cultural thing or a, traditional thing. I just have to be sensitive about who the customer is uh, that I might offer it to begin with and say, you know, this is what we do, but we can offer you American buttercream. There’s also times where I remake cakes and I do the Swiss meringue and they absolutely hate it, but they still want [00:44:00] something.
So then I go back and make it with American buttercream and I’m fine to do that as long as I don’t have to deliver it, as long as I come pick it up. I’m fine with remaking a cake with that just so that they have the experience that they were expecting.
[00:44:15] David Crabill: And why do you choose to focus on Swiss meringue buttercream?
[00:44:19] Alanna Ti’a: I dunno. I like it. Actually I can’t eat it anymore, too much of a good thing. But I don’t know. It’s light, it’s creamy, it’s not too sweet. I have a lot of Asian community out here who don’t like sweet and I don’t like super sweet either. And actually my American buttercream is now a one to one ratio instead of one to two ratio.
So instead of two pounds of sugar to a pound of butter, I do a pound of sugar to a pound of butter just to cut that sweetness. And I don’t know. It’s just, it’s my preference. It’s also what most people absolutely love once they try
[00:44:53] David Crabill: It’s expensive though, right? You got all those eggs.
[00:44:57] Alanna Ti’a: It is. And I think I’ve [00:45:00] cost analyzed it and it’s compared to powdered sugar, which is actually very expensive with the butter, it’s about the same. It’s very similar anyway. Cause the cost of sugar isn’t nearly as bad as the cost of powdered sugar. Seven pounds of powdered sugar out here costs $7, whereas 25 pounds cost 16.
and then it just depends on the cost of eggs. Like a cost of eggs finally have gone down. So it’s comparable. It’s something reasonable that I’m willing to offer. ‘Cause I just think it’s worth it. And it sets me apart.
[00:45:30] David Crabill: I’m sure there are some times with the avian flu that you were really feeling it with the egg pricing.
[00:45:35] Alanna Ti’a: Oh my gosh. Oh, When they got up to almost $40 for 90 eggs. You just have a heart attack and then you put it in the cart anyway, and then you, there’s, you know, there’s just not much else you can do. So yeah, it was tough there for a little bit. Now I’m really shrewd and cost differentiate between Walmart and Sam’s Club.
Who’s got the better price, [00:46:00]
[00:46:01] David Crabill: So what does your pricing look like and how has it changed?
[00:46:05] Alanna Ti’a: And this is something I’ve actually needed to do for a little while, is go back in there and, Check on prices again. And especially checking out some of the other people in town, how much they charge. I need to bump up my prices a little bit, but it’s pretty fair. To me, I mean, other people may not think so but for the quality of product that they’re getting for the turnaround time that they’re able to get.
’cause I can give you a cake the next day if you ask before a certain time. So you call before six, I can get you a cake by five the next day and nobody does that. and it’s because I’ve streamlined my systems and it’s semi-custom, so I’m able to just pretty much make something very similar, and simple and then just get it out there.
but I need to go over my pricing again. Double check that and raise my prices so that I’m make a little more profit.
[00:46:52] David Crabill: Do you ever get pushback on pricing?
[00:46:56] Alanna Ti’a: Oh yeah. But then I’m just like I can give you some other people who are much [00:47:00] cheaper, but I don’t, can’t guarantee what they’ll taste like. Go to the grocery store if you really want a cheap cake. And I’m not, I’m not a bashed, I’m not ashamed, I’m not feel guilty. This is who I am, this is what I charge.
Either you like it or don’t.
[00:47:14] David Crabill: You know, We talked about all these custom orders you do, and you, you do a lot like over a dozen a week, sometimes over two dozen a week. But then I, I saw you do markets too sometimes.
[00:47:24] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, so I’ll do the summer market here in town. They’ve got, a couple different markets. They’ve got a really big one and I’ve asked to be a part of that a couple different times and they rejected me, but I think it was for a wise purpose, like God was looking out for me. ‘Cause I wouldn’t have been able to handle it all.
So I do, there’s a Thursday market, it’s much smaller, but it’s on the south side of town. I have a newsletter with over 700 subscribers, so I sent out a newsletter. And that’s a part of my CRM or I ask for their email and if I can include them a part of a newsletter, they would be willing to subscribe.
It’s got a 50% open rate, [00:48:00] So I’ll do the market, especially in the summer when it gets slower, school’s out. There’s not as many people around. People are on vacation, so things slow down. And then I get to try new things and be out with the public, be out in the community.
So that is nice. But it just depends on my load for the week. Last week I had to cancel because I suddenly got inundated with orders on Wednesday and I would not have been able to get it all done in time or at least in time plus sleep. So I chose sleep over my market and there’s a couple people that disappointed, but otherwise It’s just mostly fun. Make a few extra a hundred bucks especially when it’s slow and it gets me out and outta my kitchen in front of people.
[00:48:41] David Crabill: you say you primarily do the markets for A, the boost in sales, B, the getting in front of new customers or potenTi’al clients or C just ’cause you like it and it’s fun for you.
[00:48:55] Alanna Ti’a: Out of all of those probably be just getting out there and finding new people. [00:49:00] There’s always somebody new that I find at the market, which is fun because then I can give them a taste of something right there and then they see immediately, that I have a good product.
And then they can refer back to my website to see what else I offer. So that has been primarily the best. And then the others just are bonus, I think more than anything else. The extra money is really good and then. Just being around people is nice. I’m actually a people person, so it’s nice to be friendly and not talk to myself all day.
[00:49:32] David Crabill: I noticed that you have done giveaways at markets.
Have you found those to be successful or.
[00:49:40] Alanna Ti’a: depends, like in my newsletter, I’ll say, okay, you mentioned the newsletter and I’ll give you a free cookie. And I’ve had people who are just happy to be there saying, oh, I read your newsletter, you know, and I’ll be like, oh, great, here’s your cookie. And I’ve had some women come up and just be like well, I’ve read your newsletter, which cookie do I get to choose?
And I’m like no. That’s not how this works. Here is your free cookie. That is [00:50:00] not these giant cookies, you know? there you go. So it’s been a mix. I haven’t had the energy lately to offer that again. But it’s always a treat when somebody says, I’ve seen your social, I’ve seen your, or read your email, and, you know, that’s why I’m here.
It’s like, oh good. It’s working. Even if it’s just two people. It’s nice to know that people are, are paying attention.
[00:50:23] David Crabill: What do you feel like you’ve learned about social media?
[00:50:27] Alanna Ti’a: Well, I’ve learned that you can have as many followers in the world as you want, but unless they’re local and they wanna actually buy from you, then it doesn’t matter. through my CRMI have, collect sources of where people find me and
it’s mostly Google. People find me through Google than anything else. there’s 1700 people that find me through Google as opposed to like 120 on social media, on Facebook, and 90 on Instagram.
But it’s astounding how much social media doesn’t really matter. [00:51:00] It matters. Some, I have had people like brides who are looking around for something local. They’ll see something I’ve made and then contact me through there. Facebook occasionally, but for the most part, it’s my Google search that people find me from.
So that’s where I, don’t put as much effort into social media because I know that it’s not gonna get me the business that I’m looking for.
[00:51:26] David Crabill: Why do you put any effort into social media at all? It sounds like you don’t need it.
[00:51:31] Alanna Ti’a: Well, You do need it to a point. ’cause that’s where people, they will look, for a professional, well established business, you need your website for sure. But you also need social media to have that presence to show that you are. Professional and that you do care somewhat what the people think or what the public, you know, to try and draw the public in.
So I think it’s more of a tool of the trade, you know, and just how business goes [00:52:00] nowadays than anything else.
[00:52:03] David Crabill: I saw that you were on TV once.
Tell me a little bit about that experience and, and how did that come about?
[00:52:11] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, so it was uh, a local reporter. She does the morning show and it was gonna be National Cake Decorating Day, and she just thought it would be fun to call in someone. because I, I rank really well on Google. I was probably one of the few that came up pretty quick.
And I do have a good website so. so she just called me and asked me to be a part of it, and I was able to complete and decorate a cake within five minutes on air time. It was just more fun than anything else.
[00:52:41] David Crabill: And I did want to ask about your business name. You know it, you just lay it out there, right? Sugar, butter, and flour. Like how did you come up with the business name and decide to have it be so literal?
[00:52:52] Alanna Ti’a: I think it’s part of my personality. I am a literal, practical person. And also there’s a few factors I think as I toyed with [00:53:00] Alanna’s Cakery, but everyone and their mom has their bakery named after themselves. And then I’ve heard, you know, if you wanna transfer your business at some point and. It’s Mel’s Diner well, where’s Mel? Why isn’t he here? Why isn’t he making the food? it’s like, well, that Was just a name once upon a time. he did own it. So ownership to be able to transfer if I ever wanted to. And then for the simple ridiculousness that I really wanted an ampersand in my, in my logo name, in my business name the bakery in San Francisco that I fell in love with is called butter.
And that’s it. It’s just butter. And, And I just loved that. And especially they’re kind of, my bakery hero people. They’re doing the same thing that I wanted, that I had already set out to do and then found them. And it was just amazing. And so I just looked through different names and that’s what I found.
Unfortunately, there is a well established bakery in Sunnyvale, California who is sugar but flour that I get confused [00:54:00] for because I didn’t do my due diligence and complete homework. Which is fine, which I’ve come to figure out throughout the years. But I don’t know. Sweet, simple. And to the point was, my little tagline.
[00:54:13] David Crabill: Yeah, I know you’re trying to expand into sourdough and I was thinking you’re gonna have to change your business name, just flour and.
[00:54:19] Alanna Ti’a: Well, Sugar, butter and, or well, and then you get the people I’ve heard of caterers who say they’ve had my things and they’re like, wow, this is only sugar, butter, and flour. And it’s like, no, no. Whatcha thinking. You know? And then there’s people, can you make it sugar free? And I’m like, that, I’ve tried and it just doesn’t work out well.
So unfortunately not. But if you know, if it has either butter or sugar or flour, I figure it fits.
[00:54:42] David Crabill: Well You’ve been at this six years now.
[00:54:44] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah.
[00:54:45] David Crabill: What are your next steps? Where do you want this business to go?
[00:54:50] Alanna Ti’a: I dunno, that’s, uh, actually a, I’m in a pivot point right now trying to figure that out. Definitely digital products taking advantage of that especially with all [00:55:00] the advances in ai. And I have a good product that I can sell, but also just more passive because I realized I can grow still in my home, but that just means more work and I work enough and I wanna be free.
My daughter came to visit and it was, it was rough ’cause I was working and so I was split with my time and my focus and I just hated it. I wanna be off, I wanna spend time with my family and not have to worry about the bakery. So, So now it’s looking at a passive, more passive income and digital products offering those.
[00:55:35] David Crabill: So if you think about a new cottage food entrepreneur, what advice would you give them?
[00:55:41] Alanna Ti’a: I would say think about it long and hard. Is this a hobby or is this a business? Is this something that you just wanna try because you’re bored? Or because people have cheered you on because they like your cookies. you know, Just go into it with wide open eyes and not be. [00:56:00] I don’t know, glamored into the romance of it, you know?
’cause a pe a lot of people romanticize these things like, it’s gonna be so great and it’s gonna, you’re gonna love it. And, And then they get hit with it when they’re, it’s two o’clock in the morning and they’re finishing a cake and they’re tired and they’re like, wait a minute, what did I sign up for? So I would say, just think really long and hard about the why of what you’re doing.
I did this to start a business and it’s not like I didn’t enjoy it. But, you know, I do love baking and I do love refining my craft. And I’ve been blessed with a great skill to be able to do this. But My why is to support my family. So it just depends on the time and the effort, the energy that you’re willing to do.
If I had small children, there’s no way that I would wanna do this. No way. ‘ cause it takes all of my effort, all of my energy, and I couldn’t divide it and be successful. I’d run myself crazy. So I’d say, you know, look at your family situation. If you wanna make [00:57:00] a few bucks on the side, absolutely you can do that.
Just be careful not to get sucked into not being enough. If you get the extra a hundred bucks for that week that could pay for groceries, well that’s a win. you know, So it really just depends on your goal. It depends on why you wanna start. And. I mean that, I think that’s the big basis is what’s your why?
Why do you wanna start? Is it to get a little extra money or do you wanna become an empire , you know, your own mini empire? are you doing for the notoriety to say you have one or do you really wanna make a good product? It’s a little more nuanced, I think, than what most people think. But in the end, regardless of why you wanna do it please get your backend set up first.
if you really wanna do this well and right and professionally get a website. Get some kind of a client management system some kind of way to get your ordering together and a good profit calculator. figure out what your pricing is. Don’t [00:58:00] go online on Facebook and ask, how much should I charge for this? Because that is not a legitimate question. The question is, how much do I wanna pay myself? How much of the ingredients, how much of the supplies, how much is my overhead?
Really dig into it’s an actual business, so treat it like one you know, gets set up with your LLC or your S corp gets certified by your state, your licensing, whatever your local licensing is. Check out the cottage food laws and see what you’re able to bake and what you’re not able to bake.
So. Yeah, ultimately find your why, and once you found your why, figure out your backend and then start selling legitimately
[00:58:38] David Crabill: Thank you so much, Alanna. Now, if people would like to learn more about you, where could they find you or how can they reach out?
[00:58:45] Alanna Ti’a: Yeah, my website always available sugarbutterandflour.com. You can find me on social media, Sugar, Butter, and Flour. I’m listed, find me on Google. if anybody ever wants to reach out and ask questions, I’m happy to answer any kind of [00:59:00] questions and talk about baking and home baking.
And so, just lemme know, gimme a call.
[00:59:05] David Crabill: Well, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing with us today.
[00:59:10] Alanna Ti’a: And you’re so welcome, David. And, it’s been fun to be here.
[00:59:15] David Crabill: That wraps up another episode of the Forrager Podcast.
For more information about this episode, go to forrager.com/podcast/149.
and if you feel like you’ve gotten a lot of value from this podcast, I have a favor to ask you could you take a quick moment right now and leave me either a view on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify. It’s truly the best way to support this show and help others like you find this podcast.
And finally, if you think about selling your own homemade food, check out my free mini course where I walk you through the steps you need to take to get a cottage food business off the ground to get the course, go to cottagefoodcourse.com.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
