The Building of A Buttery Biscuit Base Empire: Talking To The Cheesecake Lady of The North East
In recent years, the increased use of social media in our everyday lives has paved the way for a new type of culinary experience: insta foodies. For me, photos of delicious food, videos of people icing cakes and inspiration for exciting new recipes to try are the highlights of our online lives. Why else is it called an Instagram feed if not to provide us with delicious images that would satisfy the hungry caterpillar himself?
One of my favourite desserts is cheesecake, which is why this month I was particularly excited to interview the lovely Cheesecake Lady NE; my favourite Instagram foodie account and all-round amazing girl-boss. The Cheesecake Lady is known for her delicious made to order cheesecakes and mini cheesecake selection boxes which showcase a range of her tasty designs. I asked to be let it on a piece of the action to find out how the Cheesecake Lady NE became such a success, her advice for anyone else considering starting their own business and what ideas she is cooking up for the future.
Tell us how you started The Cheesecake Lady NE and what your inspiration was for the business.
It just happened by fluke. My partner Cal is a professional MMA fighter, so he diets most of the time. However, Cal’s all-time favourite treat is cheesecake, so I used to make them for him after a fight. Word got around and his mates and other people from his gym began asking me to make cheesecakes for them too. So, after a while I decided to make a page on Facebook and made cheesecakes alongside my regular job. Fast forward to now, 3.5 years later, where I’m self employed and it’s my full-time job.
What role has social media played in your business?
My business literally would not exist without social media. From advertising to taking orders, it’s all done via Facebook and Instagram. Social media eliminates the cost of expensive overheads businesses previously paid for such as marketing, advertising and even research. It’s all there for free on our phones which, is amazing for small business owners like me.
Which cheesecake is your favourite to make?
One cheesecake that sticks in my head is my Battenburg cheesecake. A friend ordered one from me a few years ago and at the time I thought ‘URGH! Surely that won’t be good?!’. But I gave it a go and she absolutely loved it. Now, 2 years later it is one of my most popular orders. I make so many of them and a post of my Battenburg Cheesecake even went viral. I’ve also loved doing quirky themed designs which you wouldn’t expect to see on a cheesecake such as Mermaids, Unicorns and even Monsters Inc. themed cheesecakes.
How does running your own business differ from other jobs you have had in the past?
I absolutely love having my own business and being my own boss. The biggest positive is the flexibility of it and not having to ask for anyone’s permission to take a day off or being restricted from going on trips and holidays. I have two small children, so as hard as it can be sometimes to juggle both a business and my home life, I am glad I’m not out at work all week and missing out on seeing them growing up. Of course, being your own boss has cons too, for example no sick pay or holiday pay, and as I’m currently a one-man band it’s very time consuming doing it all alone. It’s not just making cheesecakes, there’s also a lot behind the scenes in terms of admin and planning. But I love it and I feel extremely lucky to do something which started as a fun hobby and has become my livelihood.
What would be your advice for anyone wanting to start their own business?
My biggest piece of advice for anyone wanting to start their own business is be original and don’t copy from others in anything that you do. I know I didn’t invent the cheesecake, but I’ve always come up with my own designs, ideas and branding. Another piece of advice is to be consistent. When you first start something new it’s exciting and all go, but after a while it can be hard to maintain that same energy. Of course it’s hard work starting your own business and there are always bumps in the road, but if you want it enough just keep going. Keep creating, keep uploading, keep learning and keep growing.
Have you got any plans for the future of the business?
I do have exciting plans in the pipeline. After closing for a few months due to the COVID lockdown, I’m more motivated than ever. I have had time to step back and realise where I want to take the business in the long term. I am currently in the process of testing a new product which I’m hoping to advertise and launch within a few weeks. Other plans include expanding the business next year, which is scary but so exciting.
Thankyou to The Cheesecake Lady NE for her fabulous advice! You can find her work at ‘The Cheesecake Lady NE’ on Facebook and ‘@thecheesecakeladyne’ on Instagram.
Written by Sam Turnbull
Sam has just graduated from Newcastle University where she studied English Literature and French. Sam has recently moved back home with her parents and enjoys long walks with her dog George, pints of Desperados on draft, karaoke, pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.