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29-year-old Sarah from Hamilton turned to baking as a way to manage her emotions after being diagnosed with depression, anxiety and OCD in her teens. With help from The Prince’s Trust, Sarah was able to transform this passion into a thriving business, Cake N Bake.
“I have always loved baking and found it therapeutic and a way to escape from my anxiety. After a colleague bet me that I couldn’t make a cake for them I decided to give it a go and they were blown away by what I produced.”
Sarah began to receive more baking requests from her colleagues and their friends and family, inspiring her to explore the possibility of starting a cake business by taking part in the Enterprise programme.
“The course covered practical things such as marketing and pricing, and I was also given one-to-one support with my business plan and funding application which I found really valuable as I was worried about doing this on my own.”
After advertising her cakes on social media and gaining customers, Sarah realised that she would need to acquire more equipment and a baking premises of her own. With a grant from The Prince’s Trust, Sarah secured a unit in Hamilton which she now opens up twice a week to sell baked goods and coffee. Sarah has since been diagnosed with ADHD, enabling her to understand and cope with the pressures of running a business better. Now, she is feeling positive about the future.
“My diagnosis has been so liberating and I’m keen to use my experience to raise awareness of ADHD and show that it doesn’t define or limit you – you can still do amazing things.”
In recognition of her achievements, Sarah was presented with the NatWest Enterprise Award at the Scotland Final of The Prince’s Trust Awards 2023.
