Meet Kelly Mabee | Home Bakery Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Mabee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My college degree and work history up until 2018 was in the automotive industry. I loved aspects of my job but definitely felt a pull to pursue something more life-giving and joyful. After our little family started growing, I was a stay-at-home mom and I knew I wanted to continue to be home with the littles. My husband is in full time ministry which is more of a lifestyle than a job, so I sought something flexible, fun and friendly to our family’s needs. Baking had always been therapeutic, joyful, creative and fun, so I began teaching myself how to set-up a lovely home bakery that could allow me to be home while also creating another stream of income. I was surprised how social my job was from the start, and I’m so grateful. Being a stay-at-home mom can, at times, be lonely. But through SHC, I created many connections, friendships and memories. I’m so thankful I get to do this as my job.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
SHC is known for fine home-made cakes, cupcakes, cake pops and French macarons. I operate efficiently but time doesn’t dictate how I produce my bakes. The process can’t be rushed, that’s the secret to all beautiful bakes.

My specialties are buttercream frosting that even people who “don’t like frosting” can enjoy, clean designs, from-scratch flavors, dietary restriction friendly, weddings and of course, my four kids running to the door when clients pick up.

I love to add extra touches because, well, I can. The best part of having your own business is if you want to be generous, do it. You want to add some extra cake pops into the order, go for it. You get a text from a client-become-friend and it sounds like they could use a surprise cake, terrific. At the end of the day, it’s about the love of the craft and the clients.

Adding flowers, toppers, setting up dessert tables, pre-cut wedding cake first slice and first anniversary boxes and some of the ways I add my own small-business care at no additional cost. I truly enjoy what I do and love the joy that it brings!

As far as challenges, when Covid hit, SHC was only about 6 months old and had been growing so well. We pivoted to serve smaller gatherings, changed the way we did pick-ups and wedding consultations, and the job truly was such a blessing and sense of normalcy during such a strange and scary time. I do much of my processing, thinking, praying, problem solving while I work. It was joyful and such a gift to still be able to bake for people during the pandemic.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, this is an awesome question. We would immediately go for coffee and breakfast at Porchlight Coffee Co. in Akron. Porchlight is a rare gem, owned by darling people and filled with expertly curated drinks and food. Bright atmosphere, wonderful company, everything you want in a coffee shop.

Downtown Cuyahoga Falls is so nostalgic and lovely to me. Especially during holidays, it’s all lit up and decorated beautifully. It’s packed with places to go for lunch and dinner, and to take a stroll up and down the streets lined with shops.

The metroparks within and around Stow have the best hiking trails, we do the Summit Hiking Spree yearly and are never disappointed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My top shoutout has to go to my husband, Sean. Guys, he does a lot of grunt work and is perfectly happy getting paid in cake, what a gem. But seriously, from the beginning Sean was incredibly excited for me to begin what- to me – seemed like a risky endeavor. He didn’t seem at all concerned that I couldn’t do it, he simply zeroed in on the HOW we could do it and do it well. From building my website, to marketing, doing dishes at midnight to stocking supplies and making room in our little kitchen, to going out for more eggs at 11pm so I can finish an order, comforting me when I make a mistake and reminding me that what I do doesn’t define me- but instead my work is to serve others, provide for my family, and glorify God with the manner of which I do business. He samples everything I make and gives me feedback, completes pick-ups if I’m not home and even gives my clients instructions on how to store/present their desserts. He’s the best team-mate, taste-tester, encourager and prayer warrior a home-baking girl could ask for.

Another shoutout would have to go to Amy and Nate Mucha. Back in 2017, I worked for Amy’s now booming business, Daisy Pops, back when it was just catching fire. I loved working with her and observing how she navigated all the ins and outs of a home business. Nate, her husband, owns an amazing marketing company and- when I started SHC – volunteered my business as project for one of his incredibly talented marketing interns, Leah Day. That’s right. My logo, marketing assets, the name Sweet Home Cakery (originally Home Sweet Home), my business cards, all of those beautiful pieces were gifts from the Mucha’s business and created by Leah while she was still in college.

It’s really amazing to me how SHC has the fingerprints of so many wonderful people. I 100% would not be successful if it weren’t for the people I mentioned in this shoutout feature and many, many more.

Website: www.sweethomecakery.com

Instagram: @sweethomecakery

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesweethomecakery/

Image Credits
The coastal wedding photo: LAMB Photography @lamb_photo