We got to hear from Megan about her pop-up patisserie, The Muffin Top, and what success looks like for her.
The Bakery: The Muffin Top
The Website: themuffintopwi.wordpress.com
The Location: Marshfield, Wisconsin
Megan’s business was borne out of a hobby. After several years of people wondering when she’d be opening a bakery, she decided to take the plunge and make an official business out of her passion. With three small homeschooled children, she needed something flexible and little to no overhead.
After countless hours of research and daydreaming, Megan came up with the idea of a pop-up patisserie: an old pop-up camper she renovated into a dessert trailer that she takes to festivals and events.
“Some baking I’m able to do in my home, while other types of desserts require the use of a locally rented licensed kitchen,” says Megan “It has allowed me to be as busy as I want with maximum flexibility and no overhead costs to maintain, which is the best possible combination for the stage of life our family is in!”
What does success look like for your bakery?
“Success is the look on people’s faces when they bite into a dessert and truly enjoy it! I literally set out—not to earn money, but to make people a little happier with a good dose of sugar and creativity. That dream being realized by someone savoring a dessert I’ve spent time planning and creating and then saying it was the best thing they’ve ever eaten is absolutely thrilling!
Ultimately, though, success is using my God-given gifts and talents to bless others. If I accomplish nothing else, I am certain that this is exactly what I need to be doing at this particular point in my life—and I love it!”
What advice do you have for running a successful bakery?
“Enjoy it! A life out of balance can easily cause burnout, tear relationships apart, and create more stress than it’s worth. You’ve got to have business sense, but if money is your primary goal, it ultimately won’t satisfy. You’ve got to market yourself and build clients, but if you work day and night to pump out orders and have a crazy busy bakery, you’ll miss out on a lot of life and realize down the road that the sacrifices you made weren’t worth the burnout in the long run.
Don’t get me wrong, it takes sacrifice and hard work to build a successful bakery, but it’s important to enjoy what you do and maintain balance in your life. The minute your bakery takes over and consumes your life, you’re in danger of hating the very thing you were once passionate about.”
How have you learned from past mistakes?
“I need to work on my business sense and truly see my desserts for what they’re worth. My tendency is to undercharge, and while I’m not out to build an empire, I should definitely get paid for my work.”
What motivates you?
“I absolutely love the unique desserts that come out of high-end restaurants. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten one, but I like to try to recreate them. I’m motivated to bake, create, and hone my skills through inspiration from watching baking shows, trolling Pinterest and Instagram for ideas, and perusing cookbooks and books about why baking works the way it does. I want to understand it.
I also am motivated by my kiddos, who watched me spend hours in our shed as I renovated The Muffin Top from a 1980s pop-up camper to a cute dessert trailer. My kids are my ultimate taste testers—they’re brutally honest and take their jobs very seriously!
Someday, when they’re old enough to not violate every health code out there, I hope to have them be an integral part of helping me make desserts and sell them. What better way to learn practical life skills than by seeing it in action?”
Anything else you’d like to share?
“Building a successful bakery takes a lot of support from family and friends! I would absolutely not be doing this today if it weren’t for the incredible love and support of my husband, kids, parents, godparents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends!”
Keep up with The Muffin Top on social media:
Instagram: @themuffintopwi
Facebook: facebook.com/themuffintopwi
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