Can you imagine being bred to be an engineer, but decide to be an entrepreneur by opening a pop-up shop because baking cakes brings you joy?    

Today’s guest is Rachel Martindale, founder of Milk and Honey. It’s a custom bakery based out of Ann Arbor. Besides making delicious treats and cakes, a portion of profits are donated to the Ozone House, which supports homeless youth in the community. 

Episode Highlights

  • 2:05 Education and Employment: Bred to be an engineer, but decided to open a bakery.
  • 4:04 Joy of Baking: Do what you love, and quit your day job.
  • 4:40 Word of Mouth: Milk and Honey started and spread by baking creative cakes. 
  • 6:14 Food Science: Make savory foods and understand the science behind recipes. 
  • 8:16 Story Behind Name: Milk and Honey evokes comfort, joy, and celebration.
  • 12:05 Purpose-driven Pop-Ups: Why, how, and which local nonprofits to support?
  • 15:59 Networking Tips: Reach out, connect with, and ask other businesses to partner up.
  • 20:22 Side Hustle: What you do in the evenings after getting home from your day job.
  • 21:52 Full-time Switch: Can’t sustain always working without enough sleep or time off. 
  • 23:09 Life/Work Balance: Make time to spend together, but stay busy. 
  • 29:55 Pop-up vs. Storefront: Why choose one over the other? Space and money. 
  • 34:00 Pop-up Pro Tips: Food entrepreneurs, it’s a great low-risk opportunity to do. 
  • 35:29 Company Culture: Seek supportive boss for flexible schedule and freedom. 
  • 39:58 Milk and Honey: Metrics/milestones focused on breaking even, don’t lose money.
  • 43:16 Definition of Success: Do what you love and do it well.
  • 44:45 Perfectionist Tendencies: Be proud of yourself and accept positive feedback. 
  • 46:53 Moments of Doubt: Nothing to fall back on financially by switching to full-time. 
  • 49:22 Failures: Learn how to interact with people/customers and communicate clearly. 
  • 53:05 Easy and Hard Parts: Marketing is easier than expected, but the administrative backend of running a business is tougher.   

Links and Resources:

Milk and Honey

Milk and Honey Blog

Milk and Honey on Facebook

Milk and Honey on Instagram

Rachel Martindale’s Email

Rachel Martindale on LinkedIn

Ozone House

SpellBound

Bloom

Serious Eats Blog

Huck Finch

Life On Brand Webpage

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