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Week 13

What is working? Customer loyalty, steady revenue, and improved workflow management.

What is not working? Burnout risks, scaling struggles, and marketing budget constraints.

How do you feel the project is coming? Confident in progress but aware of sustainability concerns.

What are you learning about running a business? Long-term success requires workflow streamlining and investment in tools.

What are you learning about yourself? Self-care, delegation, and trusting instincts are crucial.

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Week 12

What is working? Process refinements, customer retention, seasonal promotions, and financial stability.

What is not working? Scaling, marketing expansion limitations, and physical exhaustion.

How do you feel the project is coming? Excited about growth but recognizing the need for better delegation.

What are you learning about running a business? Efficiency, small investments, and customer experience matter.

What are you learning about yourself? Balancing work and personal life is necessary for sustainability.

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Week 11 Sweet Bites Bakery Updates

What is working? Customer engagement, cost efficiency, and product appeal.

What is not working? Time management, competition, and marketing budget constraints.

How do you feel the project is coming? Proud of progress but aware of scaling and marketing challenges.

What are you learning about running a business? Adaptability, financial planning, and customer relationships are key.

What are you learning about yourself? Resilience, passion, and the need to improve time management.

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Sweet Bites Bakery: Progress Update & Reflections

Sweet Bites Bakery: Progress Update & Reflections

This week has been all about preparing for the Online Customer Showcase, and it’s been a great opportunity to reflect on how far Sweet Bites Bakery has come. There have been wins, challenges, and plenty of lessons along the way.

What’s Working?

One of the biggest successes so far has been the response to Sweet Bites Bakery. Social media marketing, especially through Instagram and WhatsApp, has been a great way to reach people. I’ve also noticed that customers really appreciate the customization options—it’s exciting to see how much demand there is for personalized treats for birthdays, events, and special occasions.

What’s Not Working?

Time management is something I’m still working on. Balancing baking, marketing, and running the business while keeping up with deadlines has been a challenge. Pricing has also been tricky—I want to keep everything affordable while making sure the business remains profitable. It’s a learning process, but I know I’ll figure it out with time and experience.

How Do I Feel About the Project?

Overall, I’m really proud of how far Sweet Bites Bakery has come. What started as a small idea with just $50 has grown into something real. At the same time, I know there’s still a lot to do, and that can feel overwhelming at times. The Online Showcase is a big step, and I’m excited to share my journey.

What Am I Learning About Running a Business?

There’s so much that goes into running a business beyond just making a great product. I’ve learned that marketing, budgeting, and time management are just as important as baking. I’ve also realized how important it is to stay flexible and adapt to new challenges as they come up.

What Am I Learning About Myself?

This journey has shown me that I enjoy building something from the ground up and that I’m willing to put in the work to make it happen. I’ve also realized that I need to be better at managing my time and setting clear priorities. Most of all, I’ve learned that running a business requires patience and persistence, and I’m ready to keep going.

This week has been all about growth and reflection. I’m looking forward to what’s next for Sweet Bites Bakery and seeing how it continues to evolve!

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Sweet Bites Bakery – Budget Reflection

✅ What is working?

Sales are increasing as more customers discover Sweet Bites Bakery.

Budgeting efforts are helping track expenses more closely.

Inventory management is improving with better forecasting.

Marketing strategies, especially social media promotions, are driving engagement and sales.

❌ What is not working?

Staying within budget is challenging due to fluctuating ingredient costs.

Unexpected expenses (equipment maintenance, packaging costs) are impacting profit margins.

Managing time between baking, selling, and financial tracking is overwhelming.

📊 How do you feel the project is coming?

Progress is steady, and revenue is growing, but fine-tuning expenses is necessary.

It’s exciting to see the bakery develop, but staying profitable while scaling up remains a challenge.

Learning to adapt and make strategic financial decisions is crucial at this stage.

💡 What are you learning about running a business?

Budgeting is not just about cutting costs—it’s about making smart investments.

Profitability requires balancing pricing, expenses, and customer demand.

Having a financial cushion for unexpected expenses is crucial.

Consistency in quality and service keeps customers returning.

🔍 What are you learning about yourself?

I am developing stronger financial awareness and decision-making skills.

Managing a business requires flexibility and problem-solving under pressure.

I am passionate about your bakery, but balancing workload and finances is key to long-term success.

[michaelselvaraj]

Igniting Sweet Bites Bakery's Innovation: How Grant and Microloan Help Expand My Business

Expanding Sweet Bites Bakery is best done using small business grants and microloans. While microloans offer low-interest money for temporary needs, grants give non-repayable money for marketing and equipment. Perfect for developing a home-based bakery, these choices are more accessible than conventional loans and enable consistent expansion free from financial constraint.

To secure funding, Project Viability and Financial Strength are key. A strong business plan must show how funding will drive revenue growth, highlighting customer demand and supplier management. Maintaining good personal credit and tracking finances will improve loan eligibility. By focusing on these factors, Sweet Bites Bakery can successfully secure grants and microloans for expansion.

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Sweet Bites Bakery Business Operations plan

Sweet Bites Bakery features cupcakes, cookies and muffins in a sweet store. The business will source small quantities of the ingredients to control costs and keep them fresh. This business anticipates revenue of $525.00 with an initial investment of $50 for 14 weeks, while estimated expenses are $205.00 and the projected profit is $145.00. Products will be sold using social media, local events as well as direct orders. Locally delivered or picked up. This six week product release timeline is allowed due to the available of resources. There are no specific permits needed for home based baking but food safety will still be observed. It will keep its focus on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp Business. The idea is to give quality nostalgia treats at low prices.

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Customer Persona for Sweet Bites Bakery

1. Personal Information

Name: Emily Thompson

Age: 32 years old

Gender: Female

Marital Status: Married with two children

Location: Niagara Falls, Canada

Occupation: Marketing Manager at a local firm

Income Level: Middle-class ($60,000–$80,000 per year)

2. Psychographics

Personality Traits: Organized, family-oriented, health-conscious, appreciates quality and convenience

Hobbies & Interests: Enjoys family gatherings, social events, and trying new foods

Values: Prefers homemade, fresh, and high-quality food over mass-produced products

Pain Points: Lacks time to bake treats for family and events, struggles to find affordable, fresh, and customizable desserts

3. Buying Behavior

Shopping Preferences: Prefers online ordering and social media recommendations over in-store shopping

Purchasing Frequency: Buys baked goods at least twice a month for family treats, birthdays, and office events

Decision-Making Factors: Quality, affordability, customization options, and convenient delivery or pickup

Influences: Word-of-mouth, online reviews, Instagram and Facebook ads, influencer recommendations

4. Goals & Challenges

Goals:

To provide her family with fresh, homemade-style desserts

To find high-quality, affordable baked goods for special occasions

To balance her busy schedule while still enjoying delicious treats

Challenges:

Struggles to find affordable, high-quality homemade desserts

Has limited time to bake for personal or event-related needs

Prefers customization but finds most bakery services expensive

5. Communication & Engagement Preferences

Preferred Communication Channels:

Social media (Instagram, Facebook)

Website with an easy ordering system

Email newsletters with promotions and seasonal offers

Preferred Content Types:

High-quality images of baked goods

Customer testimonials and reviews

Limited-time offers and seasonal specials

6. How Sweet Bites Bakery Meets Her Needs

Offers freshly baked cookies, cupcakes, and muffins at affordable prices.

Provides easy online ordering, local delivery, and pickup options.

Specializes in customized orders for birthdays, corporate events, and casual gatherings.

Engages customers through social media and personalized promotions.

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The local Competition

Competitors: Portage Bakery, Real Ganache and Beaver Tails

Portage Bakery: Has a user-friendly website, reasonable prices, and a strong local presence. The benefits include pleasant service; the weaknesses are uneven product quality and limited online ordering.

Real Ganache: A very beautiful website featuring high-quality handicrafts. Strengths include high-quality items and internet ordering. The disadvantages include higher prices, which may alienate budget-conscious buyers.

Beaver Tails: Inclusion of a website that attracts travelers with its distinctive pastries. Strengths include excellent brand familiarity and reasonable cost. The weaknesses include a limited product offering and a primary focus on tourism.

Positioning: The Sweet Bites bakery may stand out by supplying adaptive, nostalgic baked products at competitive pricing and catering to both locals and visitors.

[michaelselvaraj]

Sweet Bites Bakery: homemade treats, personalized for you, delivered with love.

[michaelselvaraj]

✔Recognizing Strengths and Dealing with Weakness❌

I believe that the journey of self-growth begins when you embrace your strengths and weaknesses. I am proud of some of my good attributes, such as being self-motivated, target-driven, and meticulous, that allow me to accomplish results and stay focused. However, I recognize that I need to develop in areas where I am poor, such as listening, patience, multitasking, confidence, and time management. I see these hardships as an opportunity to grow into a stronger version of myself. I am dedicated to fostering personal and professional growth by exploiting my strengths and overcoming the roadblocks.