How I Started Brockley Hill Bakery: From Stay-at-Home Mum to Running a Successful Online Bakery and Gift Store
Starting a business is always an adventure, but when you’ve been a stay-at-home mum for many years, it’s a challenging yet rewarding journey.
I’m proud to share my story of how Brockley Hill Bakery began and how I turned my passion of baking into a thriving online bakery and gift store.
A Passion for Baking That Turned Into Something More
For more years than I could count, I would bake Honey Cakes and Florentines for my family and friends. It became a standing joke that I wasn’t welcome to dinner parties unless I came with a batch of my Florentines. Every year, I felt so proud of the reaction to the honey cakes and honey cake muffins I would send out as gifts.
The more I baked, the more I realized that it wasn’t just a hobby—it was something I could turn into a business. The idea of turning my love for baking into something others could enjoy sparked something inside me. I wanted to share that joy with a wider audience.
From Home Kitchen to Online Business
In the summer of 2013 whilst my children were on holiday, I decided to take a leap of faith and invest time and money into creating a little business of my own. First came the name. We lived on Brockley Hill at that time and the name Brockley Hill Bakery just seemed perfect to me. Then came the branding - I still remember sitting at my printers offices with one of their designers. He had the patience of a saint with me as I wanted every details perfect. It was worth it as the logo we created was fabulous.
I didn’t have any big business plans, but the response from friends, family, and even strangers through social media was overwhelming. People were excited about the idea of fresh, homemade goods available for collection or delivered straight to their doors. The compliments I received on not just the taste of my products but also on the branding filled me with a huge amount of emotion.
Building a Brand: Brockley Hill Bakery
One of the key things I’ve learned over the years is that creating a business is about much more than just selling products. It's about building a brand that resonates with people. At Brockley Hill Bakery, I wanted the experience to be personal, comforting, and joyful—just like the feeling you get when you enjoy a delicious homemade treat.
What’s Next for Brockley Hill Bakery?
While I’m incredibly proud of how far Brockley Hill Bakery has come, I’m not stopping here. There are always new recipes to try, new ideas to explore, and new ways to make my customers’ experiences even better. I’m excited about the future and what’s next for this little gift bakery that started in my kitchen with just a few ingredients and a lot of heart.
Thank you for being part of the journey, and I look forward to continuing to bring delicious food and thoughtful gifts to people everywhere.
XOXO