‘I WENT FROM REDUNDANCY TO MY OWN £150K BUSINESS!’

Beverly Power started her allergy-friendly bakes company, The Travelling Cupcake, after losing her job – eight years on, it’s a huge success! Here are her tips for starting over

Beverly says, “Eight years ago, I was made redundant from my sales job while pregnant with my third child. I was really down, then one day I picked up a book by a lady who baked to boost her mood. Having always loved baking, I thought I’d try it. Around the same time, one of my daughters was diagnosed with a dairy allergy. I wanted her to be able to enjoy treats, so I set about making a dairy-free chocolate cake. Seeing her enjoy it was such a pleasure.

“I started posting pictures of my cakes on Facebook for fun, then a friend suggested I try selling them. I booked myself into a table-top sale the next day, spending £20 on ingredients and baking all night. I sold 100 cupcakes and received orders daily after that, delivering locally. Customers loved having cakes delivered to their door, so I launched The Travelling Cupcake.

“I then developed recipes to accommodate allergies and diet choices and now make cakes dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and cakes for diabetics. Everyone should be able to enjoy cake!

“After a few months, I was offered the opportunity to try a pop-up shop, which was a huge success, and I now have two permanent stores in Hampshire and deliver too. My husband is my business partner and we employ five others, the company now turns over close to £150k. Many customers have become friends and I absolutely love what I do. I put my all into the business, but it is worth every second.”

HER TOP TIPS: GRAB OPPORTUNITIES

“Losing a job can feel terrible, but it’s also your chance to never work for someone else’s dream again! Explore working on something you love on your own terms – it’s empowering.”

START THE PROCESS

“Look on a domain site to see if your business name is available. Simple, catchy ones are best. Register as selfemployed, then register your business name and buy your website. For a food business, contact the local council – a food hygiene inspector will give you advice and ensure you meet safety standards.”

BE YOURSELF

“People buy from people, and showing them a genuine version of you means they’ll remember the personal service and come back for you as well as what you do.”

FIND FUNDS

“If you’re ready to grow, look beyond bank loans or overdrafts. I used a Business Finance scheme from Worldpay, which gave me lots of flexibility to pay the money back in a way that suited me. It’s worked out well.”

KEEP THE FAITH

“You’ll have financial peaks and troughs. I’ve learned not to obsess over bad days or weeks, but compare financial quarters, as they tend to balance out.”