Meet Lynette

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lynette a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lynette, thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences and acquired wisdom with us. Burnout is a huge topic these days and so we’d love to kick things off by discussing your thoughts on overcoming or avoiding burnout

Burnout and I are frenemies and we’ve been in a dance many times before. When I first started baking professionally, I was a stay-at-home mom to two toddler boys. I was on-the-go constantly, in every sense of the word. I honed in on both of my purposes, being a mom and baker. But I forgot myself. I worked as much as I could, often skipping sleep, which as a new mom was already hard to come by. I grew my business and achieved many goals in my career, but I continued to neglect myself. My health took a huge hit, the effects of overworking affected my body and mental health. It was a difficult decision to make, but I stopped taking orders and took a break from my business. I was “gone” for approximately eight months and refocused my purpose, making sure I, as a whole person, was also on my own list of priorities.

Being “forced” to take a break made me realize that by working myself so hard and demanding so much of myself I was hurting my business. Because here I was, putting it on hold for over half a year. It made me realize the importance of arranging my schedule in a way that allowed me to not only meet my clients’ and family’s needs, but also my own. I structured my schedule in a way that allowed me to complete a certain amount of orders per week without losing sleep or confining myself to being home all the time. I was strict with my availability and once my week was “full”, it was full, no exceptions. I also scheduled off-weeks every six weeks where I would take no orders and go enjoy my boys. I was scared that I would lose my client base by being “difficult” and “unavailable”, but that never happened. My clients have always been extremely understanding and supportive of my scheduling and availability.

Of course, it takes a conscious effort to maintain that balance between life and work. I have to remind myself often to stick to the “rules” and take time off. But once I get to that off-week, I am always grateful that I kept it and gave myself that time.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a Sugar Artist and Baker. I create edible pieces of art that taste as good as they look. My recipes have been perfected over the course of ten years, and I still feel the same joy about my carreer as I did in the early days.

I have many favorites about baking, but the stories behind the cookies, cakes or macarons are by far the most meaningful part. With every order I feel like I have a little glimpse into my client’s life. I get to know them and the things they like. I get to know about secrets and surprises before the family does. I get to be their accomplice and share in their joy. I “see” their kids grow up every year as their birthday themes go from Paw Patrol, to Fortnite, and before I know it, there’s a graduation looming in the air. The baking is so much fun, but the people behind the orders is what makes it so special and so worth it.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

In the course of the past ten years, I have had numerous opportunities for learning about baking, decorating, running a business and also about myself. Among the qualities, skills and general knowledge I have gained, there are three key points that stand out the most and that I would love every novice baker to always remember:

Firstly, “Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 10.” With social media ever so present in our lives, comparing your work to someone else’s is very easy to do, and very common. It is completely fine to love and admire another baker’s art, but do not belittle your progress. Take pictures of your work, all of it, and review it often. You will see your skills grow and appreciate how far you have come. You are your own and only competition.

Second, take the class! Take as many opportunities to learn as you can. Whether it’s free information on YouTube, reading a blog or a book on a particular technique, or taking an actual sit down class with an experienced baker, do it! This is your career and passion and you should dedicate time to expanding your skills and knowledge just as any other professional would do in their chosen line of work.

Last but not least, narrow down your options. Create your brand around a few products that you do well, and focus on being the best at those two or three things. Don’t get caught in the trap of offering every item under the sun. Specialize in a few items and do them like no one else. Not only does this make stocking ingredients and bulk-baking much easier and cost-effective, but you will become an expert at these few things and reach your full potential.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

As business owners, feeling overwhelmed comes with the job. We are faced with countless decisions every single day. And we only have ourselves to blame on the times when we don’t choose the best option. Managing time and keeping that balance between life and work is also incredibly difficult and takes constant effort. When I feel overwhelmed, I take a step back. It may sound counter intuitive when there’s so much to do, but my brain just needs a hard-reset so that I can see things clearly and make a plan of action that will allow me to complete all my responsibilities in time.

Recipe for a hard-reset, in no particular order:
1. Take a shower to help you relax.
2. Get off your phone so you can combat the urge to keep working. You can’t relax if you’re checking emails and replying to client’s messages.
3. Do what gives you comfort. Take a walk, read a book, watch a show. Bring those cortisol levels back down and allow yourself some feel-good hormones.
4. Make a list. Write down everything that needs doing and break it down into daily tasks. Once you see everything down on paper and have a “plan of attack” you will keep yourself focused on what needs to be done instead of panicking over a deadline.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/thesugarfulbarn
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesugarfulbarn
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