Meet Taeya and Maya, co-founders of No Guilt Bakes
Taeya and Maya launched No Guilt Bakes when they couldn’t find any convenient keto treats that didn’t break the bank and would arrive quickly enough to satisfy cravings.
Taeya and I have always had an avid interest in food, with baked goods and desserts our specialist subjects. Prior to setting up No Guilt Bakes, I worked in PR and despite the long, stressful hours, I became designated office cake baker. Birthdays, Christmas, or insatiable random cake cravings, I became the go-to cake provider within the office.
Around this time my cousin and business partner Taeya decided to embrace a keto lifestyle as our pathway to losing weight. Having already witnessed her success, I decided that I’d also give a ketogenic lifestyle a go.
One of the main challenges we faced, as ‘sweet teeth’ enthusiasts was finding affordable and tasty alternatives that we didn’t take weeks to arrive. We realised that other people probably felt the same as us and so started baking.
What gives you confidence that you've struck upon a great opportunity?
Seeing our sales snowball month-on-month is not only a great feeling but also a telling indicator that we had struck upon a great untapped opportunity; especially when its repeat customers returning with ever-expanding orders.
Another barometer of our success was the constant stream of upbeat anecdotal that kept materialising in our inbox. Only a few weeks ago we received a fantastic email from a customer reaching out to let us know how happy she was that she found No Guilt Bakes because it means that she is now able to treat her Type 1 Diabetic son to cake without having to worry about the impact it will have on his blood sugars.
What were you doing pre NGB?
Pre-NGB I was working in PR. I had been in the industry for 10 years and had been fortunate enough to travel the world meeting captains of industry, politicians and high-brow dignitaries.
The year before starting NGB I had the feeling that it was time for a change, but didn’t quite know what I wanted to do, so decided to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a lawyer.
I am currently completing a Law conversion course, alongside running NGB, which is a lot of hard work but genuinely rewarding.
Worst moments of business anxiety?
The week after the first lockdown started. We had been growing slowly and steadily, and had a number of exciting plans lined up including food markets, exhibitions, local stores and coffee shops.
Once the Prime Minister made the announcement that the UK would be going into lockdown our plans changed overnight. We went from receiving a consistent number of daily sales to next to nothing orders. That was tough to deal with, and we genuinely had an ‘is this the end’ moment. However, a few weeks later sales picked back up again and we have been consistently hitting our targets month on month.
During lockdown we actually outgrew our home kitchen and had to move to a commercial premise to keep up with demand. We also broke further new ground with keto-friendly bread, pancake and waffle mixes.
Your next big move/step?
Now is an especially exciting time for No Guilt Bakes. We’re working on a number of exciting projects and product lines. Hopefully, 2021 will bring about some semblance of normality. If so, we have a few major exhibitions and food markets lined up. Most excitingly, our next major step involves talks with a number of headline food retailers.
It has always been our dream to bring tasty, low-carb treats to the masses, and we are on the cusp of making it happen. We want to transform the snack aisle, so that diabetics, low-carbers/ketoers, and even people who want to cut out sugar easily and conveniently can find low sugar alternatives.
Best advice you'd give to fellow founders?
We are lucky to be in a country that actively encourages entrepreneurship. No Guilt Bakes is our first foray into the world of business, and whilst it has been extremely daunting and a massive learning curve, the free resources that are available have been pivotal to our ‘early doors’ success.
Organisations such and Dek and LAFIC offer access to courses that will help you establish and grow your business. Even libraries offer business classes, to help you get your idea off the ground.
As well as picking up invaluable information, the courses are an incredible opportunity to network with other like-minded entrepreneurs, various different stages in their business lifecycle, who’re always more than happy to share contacts, tips, tricks and advice
For anyone starting out I would also highly recommend searching for and grants or loans that you might be entitled to. Even if you only use the money as a safety net, it will enable you to continue to grow your business without having to worry about financial restraints.
