Kitchen Notes: A Podcast by Bakery Business Academy
Episodes
The 30-Minute Financial Habit that Separates Profitable Bakeries from Struggling Ones
08 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:Most bakery owners either avoid their Profit & Loss statement entirely … or they open it up a few times a year, feel terrible...
Cash Is King for Small Bakery Businesses - Why Your Income Statement Shows a Profit, But Your Bank Account Is Empty
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:It’s the end of the month, and you’re sitting down to review your sales reports and Profit & Loss statement…You open up Q...
The Bakery PROFIT Framework: Your Complete System for Running a Financially Healthy Business
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right — the baking, the orders, the hustle — and the money still isn...
You've Nailed Your Recipe Costs — So Why Is Your Bank Account Still Empty?
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:You've done the work. You've costed your recipes, built a pricing system you trust, and you're not just guessing at ...
How Much Money Do Bakery Owners REALLY Make? (The Real, Honest Answer)
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:It's the question everyone's secretly Googling but rarely gets a straight answer to: how much money can you ACTUALLY make...
Busy Doesn't Mean Profitable: What to Watch When Your Bakery Starts Getting Traction
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:Getting your first orders is a huge deal — and you should feel genuinely proud of that. But early momentum is also one of the tri...
Stop Waiting Until It's Perfect — Start Selling Now!
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been spending more time on your logo than on actually selling your baked goods … this episode is for you. Today, we’re getting rea...
Why Your Bakery Feels Busy, But You're Still Broke: A Simple Bakery Profit Audit
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:Are you actually profitable in your bakery business — or just busy?In this episode, I’m walking you through a simple 15-minute ...
Want to Make More Money this Year? Don’t “Brick” Your Customers
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve dialed in your pricing.You’ve built your budget.You understand your labor and food costs.Now what?If you’re trying to grow your bakery th...
From Market Tents to Milwaukee’s Best Bakery: How Amy Gorski Built an Award-Winning, Community-Focused Shop From the Ground Up
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Description:In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with someone very near and dear to my heart — Amy Gorski, owner of Poppy Bakery in Milw...
Revenue Dip? Your 5-Step "No Panic" Plan to Rebound When Sales Are Down
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If your bakery is feeling the post-holiday sales slump right now—you’re not alone. In this episode of Kitchen Notes, Meg walks through a calm, str...
The #1 Bakery Profitability Tip You’re Probably Overlooking
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Description:In today’s episode, we’re answering a listener question that came up during one of our recent live workshops — and it’s on...
Beyond Resolutions - Real Talk About Setting Intentional Bakery Goals for a Stronger 2026
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Description:It’s that quiet, cozy week between the holidays and the New Year—a natural time to pause and reflect. In this episode, let&apo...
Black Friday Preview: Your 2025 “5 Days of Deals” Sneak Peek
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:This week on Kitchen Notes, we’re doing something a little different — and very exciting. For the first time in years, we’re ...
Big News About Our Bakery! [Part 2]
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Show Notes:In this follow-up episode, Molly and I are back to talk about what happened after we sold Spilt Milk. From the nitty-gritty of the ...
Big News About Our Bakery! [Part 1]
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Description:Big news—after more than a decade running Spilt Milk, we’ve sold the bakery. In this special two-part series, I’m joined by ...
6 Things Your Bakery Needs for a Profitable, Stress-Free Holiday Season
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays are coming (fast), and your Q4 revenue goals won’t hit themselves.So let me ask you this: 👉 Have you actually started planning? 👉...
The Holidays Are Coming: Is Your Bakery Ready?
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The holiday season may still feel far away, but if you run a bakery, now is the time to get your game plan in place.In this episode, Meg is giving you...
9 Things I'd Do Differently If I Started My Bakery TODAY
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starting or running a bakery can be thrilling—but it’s also easy to get lost in the daily grind and miss some of the big-picture moves that set yo...
No Lines Around the Block? You’re Still Doing It Right
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Description:It’s easy to look at the bakeries with long lines and viral reels and wonder if you're falling behind. But here’s the tru...
Sold Out in 60 Minutes – The Power of Email Marketing
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Slow sales week? We’ve all been there! In this episode, Meg shares the story of how one simple email helped sell out an entire weekend’s worth of...
From Solo to Staffed: Tips For Hiring Bakery Employees [Listener Question]
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Description:Thank you to Margaret for submitting a question for this week's episode!In today’s episode, Meg tackles one of the biggest ...
Trends + Truths: What 2025 Is Teaching Us in the Bakery Business
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're halfway through 2025—and wow, what a year it's been! In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the trends and patterns I...
The Tech Tools That Power Our 7-Figure Bakery Business
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder how a small bakery team can consistently generate over $1 million a year in revenue—without burning out? In this behind-the-scenes epis...
Leading Indicators - A Simple Weekly Scorecard to Keep Your Bakery Profitable and On Track
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever pulled your sales report and thought, "We did okay this week... I guess?" — this episode is for you.In today’s solo ...
Break-Even or Bust: The #1 Number Every Bakery Owner Needs to Know
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary:In this episode, we’re breaking down one of the most important—yet overlooked—numbers in bakery business success: your break-eve...
We’re Back! Kitchen Notes Returns with an update on Summer Plans, Bakery Growth & What’s Next
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary:Meg returns to the Kitchen Notes podcast after a six-month break to share what’s been happening behind the scenes at Spilt Milk Past...
From Home Bakery to Heart of the Community: How The Evergreen Has Found a Recipe For Success in Rural Kentucky
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary: Join us on this inspiring episode of Kitchen Notes as we sit down with Amy Smith, the dynamic owner of The Evergreen Southern Kitchen...
Introducing: Bakery Finance Essentials Live!
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, I'm excited to announce a new program we are running starting the week of August 5, 2024 - Bakery Finance Essentials LIV...
Reducing Friction In Your Ordering Process to Grow Your Bakery Sales
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Order Up! On today's episode of Kitchen Notes, we're diving deep into your bakery’s ordering process - with a specific focus on reducing f...
Mid-Year Recap (Part 2): Finance Deep Dive from Our Bakery to Yours
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, we dive into a detailed financial review of the first half of 2024. We'll discusses investments, revenue growth, budget ...
Mid-Year Recap: Hits, Misses, Trends, & Triumphs from Our Bakery to Yours (Part 1)
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode, we're digging into "Part 1" of a new two-episode series where we look back at the first six months of 2024 - s...
The Marketing Myth: When More Sales Don't Equal More Money
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary:In this episode of Kitchen Notes, Meg dives into a crucial topic for bakery owners struggling with profitability: the myth that more s...
Mixing It Up: Creative Collaborations to Boost Your Bottom Line
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary:In this episode of Kitchen Notes, join us as we explore the power of business collaborations to boost bakery sales, expand customer re...
Bake Smarter, Not Harder: Low-Effort Strategies for Boosting Your Bakery’s Revenue
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary:In today's episode of Kitchen Notes, we're diving deep into effective strategies for increasing your bakery's revenue, ...
Bake, Sell, Repeat - Let’s Crunch The Numbers in a Post-Holiday Debrief for Bakery Owners
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary:In this episode, we're diving into a detailed post-Mother's Day debrief that reveals how to leverage holiday sales to sustai...
The Dough Must Go On: Life, Baking, and Business Resilience
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary: In this comeback episode of Kitchen Notes, we delve deep into the personal and professional challenges of running a bakery amidst lif...
Capping Off Our Most Profitable Year EVER - 2023 "Year In Review"
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join me as I look back & reflect on an eventful 2023! It's been a year of profound changes and learning for me, both on a personal level and...
The January Juggle: Let's Talk Inventory Management Strategies
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, we're diving deep into the nitty-gritty of managing inventory, and practical strategies for deciding how much product yo...
Identifying Revenue vs. Pricing Issues in Your Bakery Business
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive deep into a common challenge faced by bakery owners: distinguishing between a revenue problem and a pricing problem. Often, b...
Listener Question: Money Matters, & Mastering Your Bakery's Bottom Line
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Kitchen Notes, we're taking a listener question & diving deep into an essential business finance topic: raising your price...
Rising to Success: How Moira Walker Built Her Thriving Bakery Business
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Moira Walker is a former deli owner who turned her passion for pie baking into a successful cottage bakery business. Moira began her business baking p...
Navigating Challenges and Celebrating Milestones: A Mid-Year Bakery Update
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're back!It's been a minute since we've posted a new Kitchen Notes episode, and I'm excited to be back at it. Last time I spoke ...
2022 Wrap Up Part 3: Looking Ahead To A Fresh Start in 2023!
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year!In this 3-part series, we’ll be sitting down to “hit the reset button” as we start a new year. We’ll take a look back at 2022 t...
2022 Wrap Up Part 2: Lessons Learned
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year!In this 3-part series, we'll be sitting down to "hit the reset button" as we start a new year. We'll take a look ba...
2022 Wrap Up Part 1: The Good!
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year!Over the next 3 episodes, we'll be sitting down to "hit the reset button" as we start a new year. We'll take a look...
Revenue Tips for a Profitable Holiday Season
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you run a bakery, you know that the fourth quarter can be incredibly hectic. Everybody wants their pastries and treats and goodies for the holiday ...
Using Data to Quantify Your Instincts
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While blindly running on instinct probably isn’t going to be the best path to a successful business, there IS something to be said about listening t...
How to Prep For Your Monthly Financial Review
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Of all the things we do in our business each month, there’s one thing in particular we find is always worth the time we spend on it — the month en...
It’s Spilt Milk’s Anniversary - Celebrate Six Years In Business With Us!
30 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time to celebrate! Spilt Milk has been in business for six years and we’ve got plenty of reasons to jump for joy. We opened our retail shop i...
Dana Cree: From Pastry Chef to Ice Cream Entrepreneur
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re making mind-blowingly gorgeous pastries or out-of-the-world ice cream, many of the principles of running a small business are the sam...
Add It Up: Patching Your Budget Leaks
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Knowing your numbers is a critical piece of bakery business success, but how do you take action to stay on top of things when you notice some gaps in ...
Sarah Becker Gets Real About Your Dollars and Cents
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to money management, sometimes you just want to bury your head in the sand and avoid it — but friends, it’s time to take a deep brea...
Planning for Profitability: Budgeting & The Profitable Pricing Formula
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a time where the cost of ingredients is steadily climbing, can you run a bakery AND still make a profit? In this episode, we’re tackling this que...
Connie Brown: Build Your Team to Build Your Business
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you run a bakery business, you can always expect the unexpected. In this episode, we sit down with Connie Brown, owner of The Brown Cow Ice Cream...
Community Question: How Do You Stand Out in a Saturated Market?
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Competition is a reality when you run a bakery business. But should you really be worrying & wondering what your competition is up to?In this epi...
Nailing Your Pre-Order Process
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As many of us head into the holiday season, we’re ramping up for a high volume of pre-orders. So how do you make sure you’re ready for the onslaug...
Listener Question: Do You Really Need a Business Plan?
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Running a bakery business can be a profitable venture, but before you start whipping up your favorite treats, you need to have a plan.In this episode,...
Balancing Parenthood and Bakery Ownership
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Being a parent and running a bakery business can sometimes feel like your very own three-ring circus. In this episode, we’re serving up some real t...
Waste, Discounts, Refunds and More: Dealing with “Lost” Money
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you run a bakery, there are various places where money that you may have planned as part of your profits ends up going out the door. In this epi...
Prepping For The Holidays: The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays can be a fun and joyful time to be a bakery owner — as long as you keep your wits about yourself and do some planning in advance. We’...
Listener Question: How Do You Work with Family and Not Kill Each Other?
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As sisters who run a bakery business together, we often get questions about what it’s like to work together. Do we always get along? How do we make ...
From Idea to Empire: How The Dick and Jane Baking Company Leveraged Simplicity to Find Sweet Bakery Success
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Dick and Jane met over a cookie years ago, they had no idea that years later an idea to put education on an animal cracker would change their ent...
Breaking Out of Your Motivation Slump - How To Reset & Show Up To Lead, Even When Things Get HARD
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Running a bakery business isn’t all sugar, spice, and everything nice. But whether the business is in a slow period, you’ve got personal issues go...
The Magic of Branding with Tina Harle from Tina Harle Photography
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Branding is one of those things that’s necessary for your bakery business, but if marketing isn’t in your wheelhouse, you may have no clue where t...
Listener Question: How Do You Decide What Goes On Your Menu?
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a bakery business owner, you’re a creative soul and probably have lots of ideas about what you’d like to offer your customers. So … how do yo...
Business Lessons with Cindy Summers - Chicago’s Premier Wedding Cake Designer
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Running a successful bakery requires more than just making fabulous baked goods. Timing, location, marketing, vendor sourcing, staffing and SO much mo...
Listener Question: How Do You Get Comfortable Delegating Important Tasks to Your Employees?
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Getting help in your bakery business is really exciting, but it can also be fraught with anxiety. With the right processes in place, you can ensure yo...
Increasing Your Revenue Without Increasing Your Overwhelm (Here’s How)
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you chasing that next big sales goal? Do you want to achieve that next level of success with your financial goals in your business? If so, this is...
Listener Question - How Do I Raise My Prices?
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the price of goods rising, and supply chain issues bogging us all down … profit margins are getting smaller (if not disappearing altogether). ...
Finding Your Financial Footing with Daliah Fritz
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do bookkeeping and handling the finances for your bakery business feel like a huge chore? Do you feel intimidated trying to make all the numbers work ...
Listener Question - Let’s Talk About Menu Pricing!
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“What should I charge for these chocolate chip cookies?""What you would pay for a 6" custom cake?" "Can I price these crois...
Trust The Data: What Numbers We Track To Run A Profitable Bakery Business
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered what KPIs are — or why they matter for a bakery business? Let's talk about Key Performance Indicators!During this episode, Molly ...
Farmer’s Market To Thriving Retail Shop: Bootstrapping Our Bakery Dream
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we take a trip down memory lane to reflect on Molly & Meg started Spilt Milk. We had a milestone month recently – our first mon...
How Chickadee Bakeshop Built A Sustainable & Profitable Subscription-Based Bakery Business
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when two friends passionate about baking make the leap from a subscription-based bakery to having a retail storefront?In this episode, we...
Episode 1: Welcome to Kitchen Notes!
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Kitchen Notes!In this episode, we’re setting our intentions for the podcast & talking about why we decided to start having these conv...