Baking For Business Podcast
The Baking For Business podcast is dedicated to helping you start and grow your home bakery business and scale and expand with digital products. We believe bakers and treat makers can earn money in multiple ways by sharing their gifts and talents.
Learn more at https://stan.store/amandaschonberg
Baking For Business Podcast
#Ep 99: 1 On 1 With Sally's Baking Addiction
Sally McKenney is the baker and blogger behind one of the biggest dessert blogs, Sally's Baking Addiction. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America, People Magazine, Taste of Home, and more. Today, Sally joined us to share all about her newest book and the journey that launched her blogging brand.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Sally got started with her baking blog
• How she turned to baking as therapy when she felt stuck in her corporate career
• How she grew her blog audience organically as friends shared her recipes with others
• The details that went into her fourth cookbook, Sally's Baking 101, after a long development process—and so much more!
Sally's new book, Sally's Baking 101, is available at most major bookstores, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent retailers. Visit her website for more information about virtual events and book signings during publication week.
Click here to order the book and visit Sally's website.
Two ways I help my students earn $2-10k monthly👇?
1.) Grow your home bakery business inside The Entrepreneur Community by clicking here
2.) Learn to sell digital products inside Digital Product Community by clicking here
Hey, sweet friends, my name is Chef Schaumburg. I started my baking business with a bottle of DeSorono and one Bundt cake pan. Fast forward to today, from news to magazines, speaking on national stages and more. I can truly say that baking has changed my life. So now, as a bakery business coach, I get to help others have the same success. I've helped hundreds of my students across the world in my global membership program create six-figure businesses, mainly from home.
Speaker 1:The Baking for Business podcast is an extension of that, from actionable tips to valuable tools and resources that can impact you as a business owner. I truly believe y'all. We would never have been given a gift if we couldn't profit and prosper from it. So come on, darling. What are you waiting for? Hey, what's going on, sweet friends? And welcome back to another episode of the Baking for Business podcast. You know this podcast has been blessed to have some really amazing people, and today is no different because we have Sally here and I know you guys are all familiar with her and she's going to talk about her new book and her blog and everything that's going on with the book and what we can expect, because it's really amazing. So, without further ado, sally, welcome to the podcast. It's so nice to have you.
Speaker 2:Hi Amanda, I'm so happy to be here chatting with you. I've been listening to your podcast all week, getting excited.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it. It's so nice to have you, and if I said any bad words, please forgive me.
Speaker 2:You didn't don't worry.
Speaker 1:Okay, so for those who might be new to you, sally and pardon me, I didn't say your blog name because we all know it, honestly, is Sally's baking addiction, you guys? So how did the blog start off?
Speaker 2:So it started out with no plan whatsoever. So I don't know, I'm not very good when it comes to advice, that like starting a business because I started with no plan, but sometimes the best things happen in life when they're unplanned, yeah. So so I've always loved to bake. I grew up in the kitchen, like a lot of you know bakers and chefs kind of do, just growing up around food and from scratch baking. My grandmother was a baker and so was my mom, and after college I kind of I found myself in a in the corporate world. I was working a job in finance and really just no creativity whatsoever with what I was doing, and I really missed that piece of home, you know, when I could be in the kitchen with my family and I decided to turn to baking more and more.
Speaker 2:And the more I did it, the more I would bring my baked goods to my colleagues and they would begin asking me for the recipes and I would just email them the recipes. And it dawned on me one day, like what if I just kind of input these into a website? And you know, food blogs are this fun thing that people are doing more and more? This was over a decade ago, as you know, and I decided to. You know how to start a food blog and I started a free little account without much thought whatsoever and I would input my recipes that I made and I would send the link off to my friends and co workers, whoever wanted the recipe. And it just started snowballing from there and then they would send it to friends and then there were more and more people with eyes on my website strangers, people I didn't know and it was so thrilling and exciting and I soon began to learn that you could make money from a food blog.
Speaker 2:And it kind of just started, you know, going from there it was very exciting.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Did you have a knack for baking before then? What made you go with? Because your blog is majority baked goods. So did you have an inspiration growing up when you were little, or was baking just something that you enjoyed?
Speaker 2:So both. So I would say you know I was around it a lot growing up. My grandmother baked a lot from scratch. She was known for her pies and then she passed that down to my mom, who also loved, you know, baking from scratch and cooking from scratch, and I just was kind of always around it growing up and it just was kind of this like home base for me was baking in the kitchen and creating, and so I also then just loved it, and I love most is sharing it with others and the smiles that it brings and the joy that baked goods bring, and it just made me so happy. And so when I felt kind of stuck in a career in my mid twenties, it was kind of what I turned to and then from there it it just, you know, became my career after that and I'm sure we'll talk about that. But yes, so both.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and a beautiful career you've built. Did you ever think starting out that you will literally be one of the biggest baking bloggers?
Speaker 2:one of the biggest baking bloggers. No, and I still can't believe it. It is so crazy to me. I mean, there are so many amazing food bloggers and bakers and famous you know influencers and stuff out there and just knowing that I have a name that people recognize is so surreal to me. And I certainly didn't think that this would ever happen. You know way back when, and I remember when I started my food blog my boyfriend at the time, who's now my husband I was even embarrassed to tell him. I was like, oh, he's going to think I'm so weird, I have this blog, I can't tell him and anyway. So that's just something funny I like to think about now. But I know I had no idea it would ever get to this.
Speaker 1:That is so amazing, and so now fast forward. Hundreds of thousands of people have tried your recipes. You have thousands of, you know, top rated recipes, and now you have this new book. So congratulations on your new book.
Speaker 2:Thank you, I actually have it here.
Speaker 1:Yes, let us see a cop. I keep it nearby. I love that. So, for those of you guys listening on YouTube, I need you to look at the screen, because that's what you need to go to the store and buy. And so can you tell us what inspired this one and how is it different from your previous books?
Speaker 2:Sure, yeah. So the book is called Sally's Baking 101. And it is. It's the fourth book I wrote, and I wrote a series of three books back in 2014, then 2015, and then 2017. So it's been and then 2017. So it's been.
Speaker 2:It's been eight years since I wrote a book and I I wanted to kind of take a break from writing books and kind of work on my kitchen skills and my baking knowledge, and I also, you know, personally, I started a family and I just kind of needed that time to sort of reset and I wanted to.
Speaker 2:I knew that I wanted to write this book a few years ago when I wrote my proposal, because I wanted it to really tell the story of where I am today in my baking knowledge and how I've grown as a baking teacher and how my knowledge in the kitchen has grown, from making more mistakes and learning more lessons and testing new recipes. And so I also I just I knew this was the right time, because my website has grown so much in the past eight years and I just really wanted to deliver something that stands the test of time and is really reflective of where I am today as a baker and, you know, recipe instructor. So and this is this book is even bigger than my previous three, so I'm also excited about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh, wow. So we love big books around here, and so were there any recipes in the book that were especially challenging for you? Or, on the opposite end, were there any that were extremely fun to create?
Speaker 2:Yes. So the book has 101 recipes and about 70 of them are new. So there were, and then the rest of them are fan favorites from the website. So of the new recipes, I actually was just talking about this with my recipe co-writer, beth. We were reminiscing about some interesting and fun challenges that we had when we were developing these recipes. There's always a.
Speaker 2:So this delicious flaky crusty pie crust, you know, folded over a delicious sour cherry filling like great delicious flavor In the oven, it ended up looking like a crime scene. It was very red and very leaky all over the baking sheet. And I kept trying and I could not get this right. And at a certain point you just kind of have to move on. You just kind of have to, you know, throw in the towel and just say this is not going to work. And so I ended up turning it into a delicious sour cherry crumb pie and that's a recipe that ended up in the book.
Speaker 2:So it it. It looks much better than the galette did. Let's just say that. And it's quite delicious. And yes, I have one, I have one more, and one of them was I will never forget this it was when we were kind of baking some recipes to photograph. So it was one of my photography days and I hired a stylist to come help me with the photos for the book. And the day before my oven broke and so I couldn't cancel the shoot because I was facing a deadline. So we had to bake the pies at my neighbor's house and carry them through the yard to my house to photograph them. It was quite the scene.
Speaker 1:Oh, my gosh, oh wow. Well, that's crazy, and I love the first one, though, because a lot of times, some of the best things happen like that, like when we mess up on something like with the cherry galette and then we just turn it into something else. So that sounds really delicious, although I eat both, but oh, yes, yes, the pie.
Speaker 2:It ended up all all good. It was a silver lining, I'd say.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, and so we know that sounds like a definite challenge. What is one that's actually your favorite? What is one that's actually your favorite, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:So I change my mind every day, but I feel like every time I open the book I change my mind. But there are two that always stand out to me and I've said this since I developed each of the recipes. There's a recipe for maple walnut pull apart bread in the book and I love maple and walnut together and it's a delicious yeasted dough and you make this delicious like buttery maple spread and you spread it on sections of the dough and you add some walnuts and you kind of fold it up like a taco and you layer them in a loaf pan to sort of make this delicious pull apart style bread and then after baking you make a warm maple glaze icing that goes on top and the icing sets. So it's this like delicious texture on the soft, yummy bread. It is so good and perfect. Perfect for really any season, but I love it and like the fall and winter when you want something cozy, that's definitely one of my favorites.
Speaker 1:Oh, that sounds delicious. I'm drooling. That definitely sounds like a cozy bake. And so, with all of these delicious recipes you said there's 100?- there's 101.
Speaker 2:Yes, 101.
Speaker 1:Awesome. So what does that look like? Process wise, how long have you been working on this amazing book? Can you walk us through your process when you were developing the book?
Speaker 2:Sure, absolutely. So, from start to finish, it was three years. But I actually started writing the proposal for my book. It was back in 2021. I kind of started getting inspiration and ideas for what I wanted this book to be, and the proposal took me a very long time to write because I, you know, just you know how it is, you're busy, and so it was just kind of this extra thing I was doing. And after I got my proposal done and I, you know, got a deal with my book publisher and my literary agent helped with all of that, I really didn't start sitting down to write the book until the later half of um, it was no, like mid 2022. So, and then by the time I finished it, it was, yes, fall 2024. So, from start to finish with the proposal and then writing the whole book, uh, the manuscript, all of the photos testing all the recipes and the recipe flops and the oven breaking and all the drama, it was, it was a good three years, a solid three years.
Speaker 1:Wow, that that is a that is amazing and that that's a crazy long time to me, I think, because I know like when I'm craving something, like I go I write it and then I just put it out there, but I can't imagine all the hard work that you put in all these amazing books you make, and so that really does sound like a long process. And generally, when you're writing about how many people from your team help you, do you have help, or is this like?
Speaker 2:I definitely have help, but I could not do this by myself. My first three books I wrote by myself, but I was at a much different stage in my career and I have so many wonderful readers and I put the pressure on myself to keep creating up to my high standards and making sure my recipes are perfect, and I could not do that without a team. So I have a recipe co-writer, her name's Beth. She helped me develop all of the recipes in the book and she also I'm trying to if we could picture it me and Beth recipes in the book and she also. You know, I'm trying to. You know, if we could picture it's.
Speaker 2:You know me and Beth were in the kitchen and we've got recipe ideas and I'm, you know, throwing things into a bowl trying to figure out what works, and she's taking notes, and you know she would write down everything that I was sort of doing in the kitchen.
Speaker 2:Then she would help, she would offer like a changer, what have you? We would taste test and then Beth would kind of formulate all of the commentary and things that I kind of spewed out while I was in the kitchen and put it into like a readable recipe. And then you know, it was definitely a joint project and I couldn't have done this without her. And then I have a team who helps me run my website too, because I didn't want my website to stop, you know, the past three years when I was writing the book, and so I had. I have a wonderful team who helped me, you know, keep running my business while I worked on the book with Beth, and then I had a great stylist team to help with my photos. It was a group effort and I couldn't have done it without everyone.
Speaker 1:That's amazing and you mentioned, you know, going to the kitchen with your ideas. How do you balance, because so many new trends, you know pop up, so whenever you do get an idea, how do you balance the trends with, like, some of the more timeless classics that are on your blog?
Speaker 2:That's such a good question. I love watching, you know, those videos on social media, those posts of the viral. You know, foods and recipes and these trending desserts and they're so much fun and entertaining. And recipes and these trending desserts, and they're so much fun and entertaining. What I focus on more is you know the classics, like the timeless classics that everyone is familiar with and keep, you know, coming back to. Maybe it, you know, spikes a sense of nostalgia in you. It's, you know, these recipes that have been around for a while and those are kind of my go-to, my base, and then I kind of build off of those. But I do love to watch the viral videos and also I have to work so far in advance, like on my content, that I feel like by the time I get around to what's viral right now, it's going to be too late by the time I get to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think I'm probably the only person who has not tried. I see everybody with the either the Dubai bar, or now they made it into a Dubai cupcake, and I honestly still have not tried that combination yet with the like pistachio. I'm like I'm so late.
Speaker 2:It does look so good.
Speaker 1:It does those look amazing. And so now you have the book and it's coming up and with all the content creation, how has content creation changed for you now versus back then when you first started? I know you mentioned now you have a team and help, but do you have a process or do you still batch your work?
Speaker 2:So I do still batch my work. I would say, you know, in the beginning, when I started, I didn't have a team and I didn't really have a huge following or any of that and it was, you know, just much smaller scale. And you know, as the years went by and my business has grown, I've had to scale up a little bit and I've had to expand my team to make sure that the work I'm producing lives up to, is still quality and perfect for my readers, because I always want to deliver the best that I possibly can. But I would say the biggest change has really been the way that people online kind of consume content. So when I started my website over a decade ago, people would get their information more on a computer than a phone and so people had more time.
Speaker 2:I feel like to kind of sit down and read a blog and learn about a recipe, and now I feel like food blogs are more like just strictly a recipe website and those backstories and learning about the creator is more saved for social media and I think that's wonderful for social media and you know, I think that's wonderful. I feel like people are discovering their content now as they're scrolling through their phones rather than, you know, their computer as the starting point, and so how that's changed for me is I have to make sure that the content I'm putting out on social media grabs attention within the first, you know, few seconds, because people are can consume so much media so quickly, and so I find that a lot of people come to my website through social media or through, like, my email newsletters, rather than starting at my website. So it's just kind of been like a little switch in how people get to the website, and I know that's true for a lot of creators.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you really made me think about something. You're right. I remember when I first started and it was on Periscope and Periscope is no longer around, but you're right, people would go to the site and now it's more so. Mini chat, like I have so many trigger words, like everything is just social media, you know, it's like they just drop a word and then get the information. So you're right, it's so awesome how content in itself has evolved over time. What's been the most rewarding part of building Sally's Baking Addiction into what it is today part of building Sally's Baking Addiction into what it is today.
Speaker 2:I would say the relationship with my readers, and you know my I think, of my blog and my social media is kind of as like a two way street. I like to teach and show people how to do something, sort of take the intimidation out of baking for them. Hold their hand. You know I write in a very like colloquial style, exactly how you would think. You know a friend was talking to you in the kitchen and so, and I in return, I love getting feedback from my readers like hey, this recipe didn't work for me, and we take that very seriously.
Speaker 2:I have, you know, a handful of people who help me respond to questions and comments, and so making these connections online with real people, real home bakers, has been so rewarding. And not only that the stories and the emails and the messages I get about how my recipes have impacted lives, and the messages I get about how my recipes have impacted lives, like how my recipe brought joy to someone grieving because it reminded them of someone they lost, or how a recipe of mine helped them get through chemotherapy. It was a sense of joy for them. Or how my muffins are what they make with their children every Saturday morning. Those stories are just the fuel that makes me want to keep doing what I'm doing, and I'm so blessed to have an audience who love to share that with me. So I would say that's definitely the most rewarding are those connections that I've made over the past decade plus.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. That's such a beautiful feeling, and I can imagine that, because baking is therapy for so many people and at least you get to hear about it directly from your readers, sally so many people fall in love with the recipe that look to use that passion to then take the recipe and earn an income, which is what a lot of our bakers do. And so what advice would you have to a baker who's looking to either become a blogger themselves or to just start a baking business?
Speaker 2:I would say have a better plan than I did, which is when you is when I had no plan. So I would say now I think what's most important is to define your niche, first and foremost. What type of baker are you, what type of baking will you do, what will you make? And kind of stay consistent with that. Sure, you can change and evolve as time goes on and trends change and that type of thing. But to stay consistent, because the creator space, social media, the blogging, food blogging space, it's very crowded and if you can stay as consistent as possible and that's just gonna help keep an audience to stay and yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that. Thank you for those nuggets and do you have any plans with your book coming up? Where can readers find your new book and connect with it?
Speaker 2:online book and connect with it online? Sure, yeah. So Sally's Baking 101 is available, you know, at most bookstores. I have a page on my website that lists out different retailers. There's indie bookstores, of course. It's available on Amazon, barnes and Noble, and you can always request it at a local bookstore if they don't carry it. And I have lots of fun events planned for the week of publication. I'm doing a couple of virtual events and a couple of book signings and we're trying to make it just one big celebration to finally get this book out into the world, and I'm so excited for readers to have it and find their new favorite recipe there's. There's so much and I'm just I'm so happy that it's almost here. It's been a very long time.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and we're so excited for you and for those who get the book. What would be one of the first recipes, or maybe two, that you would recommend that you want to see people bake first?
Speaker 2:Oh, that's a good question. Okay, I would say well, if you're a beginner baker, what's going to be wonderful is that the recipes are all categorized, whether they're advanced, intermediate or beginner. So if you're a beginner baker, definitely look for the ones that are labeled beginner. There's a little tab on the side and I would say, if you're just going to start, I have a If you're going to open the book.
Speaker 2:When you open the book for the first time, I have a recipe for birthday brookies which are a homemade brownie base and then you combine it with a birthday cake, blondie cookie, bar type base, and it's this mixture of two different textures and flavors together and also looks very beautiful. So if you're baking for a bake sale or a potluck or a tailgate or something like that, this is a great recipe. It's very fun and it travels very easily too. So I always look for bar and brownies if I'm bringing a dessert somewhere. And then I would say the second one is fall focused. It's an apple cider spice bread and this is such a delicious bread to try. It has reduced apple cider in the bread batter itself, which really adds a concentrated flavor.
Speaker 2:So the first step is to reduce the apple cider on the stove and then it has delicious spices. There's a bit of orange in there to add like a pop of freshness to bring out that apple cider flavor fresh apples and it's topped with apple cider glaze that you use more of the reduced apple cider and the glaze topping, so that's always very fun and it, you know, has has that little extra. With the glaze topping on top, it's a good one.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. So I'm literally that sounds amazing, cause I'm like a big apple cider fan, so I can't wait to give that one a try for the fall. And I know you stated that you had some bonuses and things coming up. Have you, while you're doing the promotion, have you thought about a book tour?
Speaker 2:I'm not going to do a book tour this time, so I'm just going to do the few events the week of publication. But I have a lot of fun things for readers or anyone interested in getting the book there's going to be. There might even be like a cooking or baking challenge, like it's centered around the book, and lots of fun little things. So stay tuned. As I confirm them, I'll definitely let all of my readers know on social media.
Speaker 1:I love that. That, to me, is better, because even when some people do offer a tour, it may only be limited to the US, but when you have virtual events, I think that it really does open it up and no one feels left behind. So that's really awesome.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's important, I wanted to. I want to make sure as many people as possible can come join in and celebrate this book, so I'm very excited.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's such a testament to your, your sweetness and all the passion that you put in the blog, as well as the book. And from the bottom of my little Southern heart, sally, thank you so much today for coming on and sharing your journey, your amazing story and telling us all about your new book. I really do appreciate it. But before I let you go, we have to play a game of lightning round Are you ready?
Speaker 2:We have to play a game of lightning round. Are you ready? I guess I am Okay, Amanda.
Speaker 1:Let's do it. What is your favorite color? Pink, oh, like that. What is one dessert you cannot live without?
Speaker 2:Apple pie hands down, no question.
Speaker 1:All right, what is your favorite kitchen utensil?
Speaker 2:My pastry cutter because it's so much fun. Okay, cool. Who is your celebrity crush? Oh, I really love Kendrick Lamar. Oh, I wasn't expecting that. I am telling telling the truth.
Speaker 1:I really love his music yeah, he's short and adorable, very cute. I thought you were gonna say like Jason Momoa or Tom Cruise, it's okay, look, we'll take Kendrick Lamar, he is, he is awesome. I do love that is it that?
Speaker 2:Is it okay? That's, I love him. Yeah, I think I loved his Superbowl halftime show.
Speaker 1:Heck, yeah, absolutely no, your. Your answer just surprised me. I love that. I thought you were going to say like, uh, I don't know. Like, I see the guy in my head and now I can't even think. Um, who's the guy from pretty woman? Oh, richard Greer, or someone. Who's the guy from pretty woman? Oh, richard greer, or someone. Oh, no, she's like nah, nah, okay, we'll take it, and the last question that we normally ask we will pass for you, but if you can do me a favor, hold your book up one more time, please, sally absolutely happy to all right.
Speaker 1:So the last question that we always ask as you guys guys know who listens is what is one book that Sally would recommend? And we're going to ask her to skip this question, because we recommend that all of you guys go out and get Sally's book, Sally's Baking 101. And again, from the bottom of my heart, Sally, thank you so much for coming on today. It was such a pleasure to chat with you.
Speaker 2:Thanks, amanda, this was awesome. It's so much fun chat with you.
Speaker 1:Thanks, Amanda, this was awesome. It's so much fun. Wow, you guys, what an incredible conversation with Sally. I know you all enjoyed hearing not only about her brand new book but also the inspiring journey behind her brand Sally's Baking Addiction. From recipes that bring comfort to tips that really spark creativity in the kitchen, Sally continues to be such a guiding light to bakers everywhere, and especially with her new book that's coming out, Sally's Baking 101.
Speaker 1:So if you love today's episode, make sure to grab a copy of her new book. Trust me you'll want to add it to your collection and, of course, head on over to Sally's Bacon Addiction for even more recipes and inspiration. I hope that hearing her podcast episode really got you excited about the book, but more than anything, made you fall in love with the baker behind the blog and behind the brand as well. Thanks so much for tuning in you guys and, of course, special thanks to Sally for coming on and just sharing her story and journey with us. I appreciate you all. To the moon and back. Take care and bye for now. Thank you.