Member Spotlight: Short But Sweet Bakery

What started as a hobby and a handful of homemade bakes has grown into an award-winning bakery, built on passion, persistence and a willingness to simply give things a go. For Rachael, founder of Short But Sweet, there was never a grand plan to build a business. Instead, what began as a side-hustle more than a decade ago gradually became something much bigger and eventually led to her taking the leap from baking at home to running her own premises.

From those first £5 taster boxes to developing a much-loved range of vegan and free-from treats, Rachael’s journey is a reminder that you don’t necessarily need a perfect plan to get started. Along the way, she’s learned the importance of finding your niche, listening to your customers and knowing the value of your work – lessons that have helped Short But Sweet grow while still retaining the personal approach at its heart.

Here, Rachael talks about the beginnings of Short But Sweet, the moments that gave her confidence to take the next step and why sometimes starting small, trusting your instincts and taking the leap can be the best recipe for success.

 What gave you the confidence to take that first step and turn your baking into a business?

I never set out to have a business, Short But Sweet started as a hobby / side-hustle that slowly got out of control! I was initially inspired by Alana Spencer who won the 2016 series of The Apprentice with her bakery ‘Ridiculously Rich by Alana’. I have always had a big, sweet tooth and enjoyed baking when I was at school and at home with my mum.

Can you take us back to the very beginning – what did those first days of Short But Sweet look like?

I worked with a friend of mine who is a graphic designer to produce my logo and initial business cards and flyers. I still remember sitting in a Costa and her sketching out the ideas over 10 years ago. I put lots of effort into getting the look right, researching what boxes I would package in and printing labels. I launched the business with my first taster box of five bakes for £5, advertising them on Facebook and at the place I worked. I took three times as many orders as I was planning for!

Was there a particular moment when you thought, “I can actually make this work?”

After launching the vegan and free-from ranges during lockdown, I was waiting for normality to resume but it just didn’t. I got busier and busier, that’s when I started to entertain the idea I could make a go of it.

For someone sitting at home right now thinking about selling their baking, what would you say to them if fear or self-doubt is holding them back?

It’s a very saturated market, so you need to find your niche. As along as you’re passionate about it, then I’m a big believer in people buy from people. So take them on your journey.

How did you find your own style and identity as a baker, and how important do you think it is to find something that makes your business different?

Definitely listening to my customers and realising there’s a huge gap in the market for great tasting, handmade vegan and free from bakes that don’t cost the earth. I’m happy to give anything a go and try new recipes to suit my customers’ needs. I think they appreciate that the most and then I refine as I go taking on their feedback.

Your focus on vegan and free-from baking has become a big part of your identity. How did you turn something you cared about into a real business opportunity?

I love seeing the joy on my customers’ faces when they realise they can enjoy their favourite sweet treats that they may have been missing out on for some time.

Starting a business can involve a lot of learning as you go. What’s one mistake or setback that ultimately taught you something valuable?

I’m not saying I did it all perfectly, but I was lucky enough to not make any major mistakes on my journey. I took everything cautiously when it came to scaling, only quitting my job when I was sure I had the correct income to cover all the bills etc.

How did you go from those first customers to building a loyal customer base and getting your bakes into local stockists?

It’s amazing that all of my custom comes from word of mouth and recommendations, which is great as marketing is expensive! It all came after my first vegan bake, I gave some samples out to friends and one posted on a local vegan Facebook page. Six orders came in immediately!

What has running your own bakery taught you about the value of believing in your work and charging what it’s worth?

There is a customer out there for everyone and finding yours is important. I learned early that is better to increase prices and be less busy, than working overtime for less money.

There’s a lot more to running a baking business than baking. What have you learned about the parts of being your own boss that people don’t necessarily see?

It’s definitely a 24/7 job being self-employed. Although I’m only in the bakery perhaps 8 hours a day, in the evening I’m replying to enquiries, ordering stock online and planning the next week’s schedule. You’re just always thinking about the business. But I do love it, and I think you have to to be in this position.

You’ve gone on to win awards, including Best Bakery in Lancashire in 2025. When you look back at where you started, how does that feel?

It’s incredible to have all those affirmations of the hard work I put in to the business. I’ve met a lot of amazing business owners during the awards process and it’s brilliant to have them as friends and peers.

What has been the proudest or most emotional moment of your journey so far?

I think getting the keys to my premises and moving the bakery out of home has been the proudest moment. The initial days of moving everything across, the deliveries of new equipment and sorting utilities was much more stressful than I imagined! It paid off in the end and I’m so pleased I took that leap.

What would you say to someone who thinks they need a perfect kitchen, a huge social media following or lots of money before they can start?

It’s definitely better to start small and with what you have. Don’t put all the pressure on yourself at the beginning, enjoy the process of building and learning as you go.

If you could give your younger self – on the very first day of Short But Sweet – one piece of advice, what would it be?

I wish I’d taken the leap sooner!

Finally, what’s the dream? Where do you hope Short But Sweet will take you next?

I’m often asked “what’s next” and I do have a plan B, but honestly plan A is just to carry on what I’m doing. I’m really happy with where the business is currently. I enjoy keeping it relatively small and manageable. Getting bigger often means more problems!

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