Six Months of JustineMade: I’m Officially Profitable
Six months ago, I decided to start a small cake business. At the time, I had absolutely no idea what the next six months were going to look like. I just knew I loved making cakes, I wanted to see if I could turn it into a real business and I was willing to figure it out as I went.
Five months ago, my website went live after I passed inspection and received my Pennsylvania limited food establishment license. This process took some time and my application got lost at the Dept of Agriculture in the process!
Four months ago, my calendar started filling up with custom cake orders from people who trusted me with their celebrations. I jumped up and down with my kids when I got my first custom order!
Three months ago, I had four wedding cakes on my calendar. My first wedding client reached out to my best friend after she shared one of my early posts, just a week after going live. I told my best friend to let her know that I have never made a wedding cake before! Despite this, she trusted me and booked with me immediately and I am currently working on her wedding cake this week.
Two months ago, I delivered my first three-tier wedding cake with cascading buttercream florals. This was insane. This required the investment of a $600 Cake Safe which was So. Worth. It. Delivering this cake with my husband’s help and my kids being taken care of by my best friend in the parking lot is a core memory for me.
One month ago, I became booked through the end of 2026. It is so unsettling to have to say no to custom orders when you are trying to grow your business. But in addition to JustineMade, I have three young kids, I am a PA in the Emergency Department part-time and guest lecturer at a local PA program. It’s important to me to find a healthy balance!
Yesterday, I was $97 away from being net positive. It happened pretty quickly over the past month after I was steadily sitting at -$2,000 for months. I kept thinking it would happen by the end of the year. I was NOT prepared to see that positive number in September.
Today, JustineMade is officially profitable! One thing this process has really taught me is that being booked out and being profitable are two completely different things. It’s not just about the ingredients, supplies, packaging, equipment and business expenses. It is about the TIME spent taking my customer’s ideas and my own artistic interpretation to create something so genuine and personal. Time is the most precious thing I have and I want to make sure the time I spend building JustineMade is actually building a business that is sustainable and worth it.
My husband, Kang, has been incredibly supportive. He came home from work one day to me informing him that I have an LLC! My parents and my village have taken care of my kids for countless hours so I could work. My friends have listened to all of my crazy ideas and never discouraged me from going for it. And then there are my customers. Every person who has trusted me to make something for their birthday, wedding or special occasion has helped get JustineMade here. Every order, referral, social media share and kind word has meant more than you probably realize.
So, six months in, I'm officially profitable, booked through the end of 2026 and very excited to see what happens next. Thank you for being here and supporting my little cake business!
