When best friends Laura Bennett and Rachel Foster waved their youngest children off to secondary school, they were at a crossroads. Both in their early 40s and with decades of recruitment experience between them, neither felt inspired to return to the corporate grind.

“We’d spent so long juggling kids, work, and everything in between,” says Rachel. “When the house got quieter, we realised it was our time to do something for ourselves—for the first time in a long time.”

What started as a casual conversation over coffee quickly turned into a business plan. Both had always loved baking for school fêtes, birthdays, and family get-togethers. So, they thought—why not turn that passion into something real?

That’s how Sugar & Bloom, their bespoke bakery brand, was born—run entirely from Laura’s country-style kitchen in Kent.

From Whisks to Weddings

The duo began by perfecting a small range of custom cupcakes, biscuits, and chocolates. Laura had a flair for intricate decorating, while Rachel had a knack for flavour pairing and logistics. They combined their skills to create show-stopping cakes for birthdays and baby showers—and soon, word began to spread.

“We started by making treats for friends and family,” says Laura. “Then people started asking, ‘Can you do my daughter’s wedding?’ or ‘Can I order 100 cupcakes for my office party?’ That’s when we knew we had something.”

They began promoting their creations through Instagram and Facebook, posting behind-the-scenes clips, decorating videos, and customer testimonials. The visual nature of their products—pastel macarons, floral cupcakes, hand-painted wedding biscuits—made them perfect for social media sharing.

They also set up stalls at local trade fairs and community events, where their friendly personalities and beautifully packaged treats stood out.

Tools and Teamwork

Working from home kept costs low and allowed them to stay flexible. They used:

• Canva for designing menus and social media posts

• Square for taking payments at events

• Google Drive to manage orders and ingredient tracking

• Instagram Reels to build a loyal, local following

• Calendly to manage consultations with clients planning weddings or events

Their success, they say, is a testament to teamwork.

“Two minds are definitely better than one,” says Rachel. “We bounce ideas off each other, support each other when one of us is having an off day, and laugh through the chaos when we’ve got six trays of biscuits and a wedding cake to finish!”

It’s Never Too Late

Now, Sugar & Bloom brings in a steady stream of custom orders, with plans to expand into DIY baking kits and themed seasonal treat boxes. But more than anything, Laura and Rachel say the biggest win has been building something on their own terms.

“It’s easy to think that once you hit a certain age, your career is set in stone,” says Laura. “But starting this business proved to us—and our kids—that it’s never too late to chase a dream.”

Their message? Whether you’re 25 or 45, if you’ve got passion, purpose, and a pinch of courage, anything is possible—especially with a good friend by your side and a whisk in hand.