Sisters Mallory Vredeveld and Maddison Husted grew up in a home where baking cakes for gatherings was a tradition – including the annual birthday cake for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. When they both suddenly became stay-at-home moms for different reasons during COVID, they decided to join forces and put their confectionary skills to good use and launch a cake baking business: Five Forks LLC. The name? With five kids between them, it refers to their five little taste testers, who take their jobs “very seriously.”

Although they knew how to bake, Mallory and Maddison wanted business advice and sought out the Jackson Lean Rocket Lab program. There they met Michigan SBDC Associate Regional Director Shawn Preissle. “We absolutely love her,” said Mallory. “Shawn helped us prepare our business plan and financial performa; she counseled us on how to secure a business loan, manage cash flow and market and sell our products; and she coached us on how to hire and manage employees.”

After incredibly positive feedback and exploding revenues, the pair has transformed their home-based business into a brick and mortar bakery. But according to Mallory, the measure of success is more than sales and profits – it’s the positive impact they are having on the community and the lessons they are teaching their children. “Hard work, challenges and obstacles are so worth it when you’re in business for yourself. Anything is possible, and it’s okay to do something different – just make it count.”