#SBSO with Little Nuggets Bakery
As part of our Small Business Shoutout Campaign (#SBSO), E and Co. Clothing will be interviewing several local small business owners in the St. Cloud area and introduce you to their lives, companies, and ways in which we can help support them while still maintaining proper social distancing.
Whimsical, magical, and delicious are just a few words to describe the sweet creations at Little Nuggets Bakery! What began as a hobby during maternity leave quickly became a full-fledged business and a local favorite. For our first #SBSO, we caught up with creative powerhouse, Kimberly Holman, the mastermind behind all the amazing cakes (and other baked goods!) at Little Nuggets Bakery.
EAC: Hi Kimberly! Can you introduce yourself to our audience and tell them a little something about your small business, Little Nuggets Bakery?
Kimberly Holman: My name is Kimberly Holman (although most people know me as Little Nuggets Bakery) and I have been running this business since 2012! At Little Nuggets Bakery, I aspire to create cakes and desserts that go beyond expectations and can’t be found in your basic bakery. I’m particularly inspired by modern cake decorating and specialty boutique desserts.
As for myself, I hold an undergraduate degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in education. I taught at Sartell Middle School for eight years before leaving my position (7th grade pre-algebra) to be at home and raise my family. Amazingly enough, while I was at home on maternity leave with my second child, I started baking cupcakes for fun and it eventually led to Little Nuggets Bakery!
Oh, I also love being active. Marathons, cross-fit, running, etc. Just some good habits to balance out all the cake!
EAC: We’re curious - what inspired the name Little Nuggets?
Kimberly Holman: The name “Little Nuggets” is a nod to my four amazing little boys.
When I first started my business, I called it 2nuggets Bakery. As I kept adding more “nuggets”, it became Little Nuggets Bakery! I’m running a business and raising my boys simultaneously, so it was important to me that they were embedded into my brand.
EAC: Wow! Being a mom to four little boys and running a business is a lot of hard work. How do you balance your responsibilities?
Kimberly Holman: It’s very difficult to balance home life and work - especially when I never leave the home to go to work. There really isn’t a physical or mental separation and my kitchen sink is always full!
I try to balance my responsibilities by setting limits when taking orders. I have learned that taking on too much leads to stress and not a lot of enjoyment. In the baking world, it is almost impossible to not be busy Thursday-Saturday. That’s when the majority of orders are requested and need to be fulfilled. Most people live for the weekend, us bakers live for Mondays!
EAC: Speaking of baking, what’s your creative process when creating your cakes?
Kimberly Holman: Well, the first step in creating a specialty dessert is consulting with my customer! I want to know about their desired cake size, flavor, decor ideas, and other small details. Sometimes customers will share photos of cakes they like, and other times they’ll say, “do your thing!”. From there, I can offer some suggestions of my own and incorporate my style into these cakes.
With that being said, I’ve found that I definitely do my best when I’m given free rein over the entire cake-creating process. I also take inspiration from other local bakers and some amazingly talented bakers I follow on social media. I love trying new trends and putting my own spin on modern cake designing!
EAC: Since you make so many cakes, do you have any particular favorites (style, occasion, etc)?
Kimberly Holman: Wow, this is a tough question. I have so many favorites for many different reasons. I think the cakes I make for my own kids will always be my favorites because of my emotional attachment to them! However, the cake picture I have hanging in my kitchen at this very moment is actually the first birthday cake I made for Elicia (of EAC)! It was the first time I had made a sprinkle drip cake with a rope top border and I immediately fell in love with the style!
EAC: How do you feel about being so popular with the locals?
Kimberly Holman: In all sincerity, I am so thankful for my family, friends and amazing customers who have allowed my business to grow organically and truly be successful! In fact, I find myself blessed with so much business that I actually have to limit the amount of orders I book.
I am so thankful for the community I live in, especially for entrusting me to help make their parties and events special. I am grateful for the opportunity every day and I never take it for granted. My customers have become my friends and I couldn’t be more thankful for all the encouragement they have sent my way.
EAC: With so much demand, how do you manage everything as a one-woman show, wife and mother of four?
Kimberly Holman: I keep up with the demand by structuring my weeks and breaking down my busy weeks into smaller, more manageable tasks! Baking days, cake pop days, fondant prep days, cake assembly days, etc.
That said, I’ve definitely had to slow down at times. For example, when my 4th son was born with a cleft lip and palate and amniotic band syndrome, I had to take a break from the orders. My customers were all very understanding!
EAC: Wow, what an amazing community we live in! Speaking of orders, how would one go about placing an order with you?
Kimberly Holman: I take all my order requests through my Facebook business page, Instagram, or email! Once a request is made, I forward some basic menu lists and pricing info. I also offer tastings and in-person consultations for large events and weddings!
EAC: We know that business might be slow right now, how can people continue to support your small businesses during this time?
Kimberly Holman: For me especially, a simple “like” or “comment” on a Facebook or Instagram post is extremely helpful! All of my business is word of mouth and support from social media posts. It’s heartwarming to see people enjoying my cakes so much.
Although my business has been affected along with other small businesses in the service industry, my customers have still really supported me despite everything going on! I still receive orders from families who want a special cake to celebrate special occasions at home, and I am more than happy to fulfill them!
Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and more! Do you have a special occasion coming up and need it filled with delicious baked goods? Place an order with Kimberly Holman at Little Nuggets Bakery today!
You can find her on Instagram and Facebook at Little Nuggets Bakery, or email her at kholman77@gmail.com.
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As part of our #SBSO series, E and Co. Clothing will continue to highlight our favorite local small businesses the next few months.
Keep an eye out for our next feature and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date on new releases and join our #EACcommunity.
