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Gold Coast-based entrepreneur Lou Duggan (aka ‘Baker Girl Lou’) speaks to Get It Magazine about her 10th anniversary of Cake 2 The Rescue, and the magic that happens when she combines creativity, practicality, community and fun. 1. Tell us about Cake 2 The Rescue - where did it all start? When my kids were little, I was the “Martha Stewart” of my friends! I loved running parties but always found myself crying into a half finished cake at 2am - I knew there had to be a better way, so Cake 2 The Rescue was launched to make birthdays easier. We are an online DIY cake company, and our mission is to help busy families pour their love into a homemade cake, embrace imperfection and create memories for a lifetime.
2. Have you always worked within this industry? Most people are surprised to learn that I’m not actually an amazing cake baker or cook, I’m actually an engineer and interior designer. In fact, it’s my lack of professional cake skills which make Cake 2 The Rescue a success. I’ve created designs and templates that are ‘Lou proof’. If I can make them, so can you! It’s a killer combination of practical logic and creativity, and it’s what makes our kits so successful.
3. Do you find during a pandemic, families are even more likely to want to celebrate those special moments at home? We have more than doubled our sales during the pandemic and I think that’s a combination of a few things. With many cake decorators unable to operate, family budgets stretched and more time on our hands, families who wouldn’t usually bake are rolling up their sleeves to make a cake at home. Parents are looking for ways to make birthdays still feel special for their kids.
4. What does an average day in your business life look like? Mornings are often spent helping to dispatch orders, but the rest of my day is spent either creating new designs, filming live demos in our Facebook group, working on the future direction of the company or simply answering enquiries and supporting our community. I just love my job!
5. What’s next for your brand? 2021 has been our 10th anniversary year and so I took the opportunity to celebrate by trying so many new things - the most fun has been our kids’ lockdown and school holiday cupcake baking online classes. They’ve been a welcome relief for families looking to entertain their kids. I love that the joy of baking is being passed down to another generation and I want to nurture that.
6. What has surprised you most about your business journey? When I started this business I had no idea that I’d become a leader, mentor and friend to all those who buy our kits. I’ve come to realise that by showing up for my community as the truest version of myself, I’m giving everyone else the confidence to be themselves too. Having spent so much of my life not feeling good enough, at 46 years old, I now have a platform from which to raise the self-esteem of others.
7. Do you have a favourite quote that you honour in work and life? “The finish line is for the ego. The journey is for the soul,” Pattie Gonia.
Image credit: Jude Kalman
GET IT October 2021
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