GRADUATE FUTURES futures❵
HEAVEN IS A CUPCAKE: CASE STUDY
“I make cupcakes and I like to eat them, sometimes I even like to share” - Lucy Clark – University of Hertfordshire graduate and creator of ‘Heaven is a Cupcake’ Lucy has been selling her cupcake creations (and other treats) since early August 2010.
I tweeted a photo and soon it had been seen by over 3,000 people
Her little works of art were recognised early on. Just two months after trading had begun she was awarded winner of the 2010 ‘Local Gem’ in the St Albans Food and Drink Festival Awards. Graduate Futures caught up with the Hertfordshire entrepreneur at the May Summer Jobs and Careers Fair where over 100 of her cupcakes were devoured within an astonishing ten minutes! “It sounds clichéd but ever since I was a little girl I would spend time baking with my mum and my Oma (my Austrian grandma). It was a big part of my upbringing and I always loved spending an afternoon making rock cakes or fairy cakes. I always admired my mum for her skills as a cake maker and she would make our birthday cakes every year, yet it never occurred to me to do it for myself. I always thought of it as a hobby rather than a career. Then during a break in America I was submerged in the world of cupcakes. On my return to England I celebrated my Masters results by having a party and I tried my hand at making cupcakes decorated with books… they put a smile on everybody’s faces. I tweeted a photo and soon after that it had been seen by over 3,000 people and shared by one of my favourite authors, Margaret Atwood. This encouraged me to do it as a business. The JobCentre pointed me in the right direction for support and I went on a Business Link Startup course. It really made me realise that it was possible and that I was onto something quite special. The most valuable skills I honed during my time at university and which have proved most important in my business are my organisational and time management skills – there are no extensions in real life! Recently the University has been very supportive with my business and it was really exhilarating to join enthusiastic students and staff at the Summer Jobs and Careers Fair in May.”
Check out some of Lucy’s bespoke creations and find out how to order your own on her website and Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/ heavenisacupcake www.
heavenisacupcake.net
‘TOP TIPS’ FOR NEW ENTREPRENEURS
Do the research and make sure you have something that will work and that other people want. Look at what is available and what you can do that is different.
Know your competition and stay ahead of the game. Keep developing your ideas and offer something different. Always be on the lookout for new trends and marketing strategies.
Get yourself on facebook, twitter and get blogging! These tools have been invaluable to me and in the age of the internet they are one of the best ways of getting yourself known.
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