Client Name: Sarah Wright
Business Name: Desserts by Sarah
Business Website: DessertsbySarah.com
Industry: Desserts
Location: Merrimack, NH
SBDC Advisor's Name: Amy Bard
Sarah Wright of Desserts by Sarah, LLC in Merrimack, NH has always loved baking. Even as a little girl, at just nine years old, her mom was kind enough to let Sarah have some fun in the kitchen. Sarah just had to be responsible for the cleanup! Sarah reminisces, “my mom was like, ‘sure, you want to make an apple pie? Go ahead.” So, she did, making her first apple pies at just nine years old and selling them to neighbors. “I loved being in the kitchen,” says Sarah.
That love continued as she grew up, perusing her mother’s cookbooks for new recipes as a teen, and at 20, venturing into making cakes. Friends, family, people from church, and so on loved her cakes so much, they would turn to her for the cakes to celebrate their special occasions. But that soon took a backburner to her profession of being a preschool teacher and raising a family. After having her youngest, the now mother of four left her teaching career to start an in-home daycare; something she still runs today. Still, her love of baking continues and it was through a painful loss that Sarah found the opportunity to turn her love into a thriving business.
Sarah’s father passed away suddenly just three years ago. It was a difficult time for her. But the blessing to come from it was the small amount of money he left behind for her and her sisters that gave her the financial ability, courage and confidence to invest in becoming a licensed homestead baker. She launched Desserts by Sarah, LLC in September 2022. Sarah says, “It's something I love, something I can do, something I can do from home, and still continue to have the luxury of having my own schedule and putting my family first.”
Desserts by Sarah specializes in baked cookies, muffins, sweet breads, cupcakes, cakes, and more. “I love baking and bringing joy through yummy treats,” Sarah shares.
“I knew nothing about business,” laughs Sarah when sharing why she connected with NH SBDC. She knew baking, but nothing about starting a business, or the details and laws surrounding it. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” says Sarah. But, under the guidance of her NH SBDC Business Advisor Amy Bard, Sarah was in good hands.
Amy advised Sarah first to make Desserts by Sarah an LLC. Sarah also learned from Amy that she’d have to have a few of her recipes tested and approved by the state. “She plugged me in with the right links to where I needed to connect with the Concord lab to get my recipes tested,” says Sarah. ‘It wasn't me just researching aimlessly, a shot in the dark to try to gather all the information. She kind of just gave me all the right connections.”
Sarah also appreciated that Amy too was a baker and knew the ins and outs of the baking business. She loved that in working with Amy, the information was straightforward and without confusion. She states, “It was just like, ‘here, here's what you need, here's the info, here's the link.” But, even with the things Sarah hadn’t thought about, like how she should package her baked goods, Amy was helpful.
For Sarah, working with Amy and NH SBDC has meant peace of mind. She knows Amy is there if and when she needs her. Sarah reflects, “SBDC helped connect all the dots and launch me into a spot to grow and know the basics of getting started as a licensed homestead baker.”
Sarah urges other business owners to understand that taking advantage of information and tips from others who have knowledge is beneficial, stating, “connecting with others who know small business is like a lifeline in the huge pool of uncertainty out there. Definitely worth utilizing!”
Today, Desserts by Sarah is growing! What started as a hobby-turned-side-business is now demanding Sarah’s full-time attention. She notes, “In less than two years, I’ve built a business that keeps me busy and keeps me baking!”
Sarah concludes,
“I would have nothing but positive and grateful words for the NH SBDC, because they're there literally with open arms, just to say, if you have a goal, if you if you need help, you don't have to know all of what needs to go into starting up a small business. We're here to help you with that.”