Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Smith.
Hi Bethany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Bethany Smith. I have been baking for 27 years. I made my first batch of cookies when I was 13 years old. My mother and I made them as Christmas gifts for her siblings. The next year they wanted cookies again, and the year after and the year after. That is when my passion for baking began. I became the family baker, making treats for all of our gatherings. And you already know, I loved that positive feedback, I want to hear all about it. Family and friends always said I should sell my baked goods but I never really believed that I could. It was just for fun. I have worked in the banking industry for the past 18 years and really thought that would be the career I held until I retired. But everything changed after the birth of my second child. After going through 8 years of fertility struggles, miscarriage, the emotional roller coaster of trying and waiting and hoping, we finally had our second child, a sweet little boy. The joy I felt was immeasurable. But then it was time to go back to work and send the little one to daycare. Man you talk about heartbroken! The long days at my job were becoming unbearable. I was missing so much time with the baby, getting home maybe an hour before his bedtime. But you know the bills don’t care about that so I just had to carry on. Then, despite all odds I got pregnant with my third child just 6 months after my son was born. Truly a miracle. We were over the moon, and scared. I loved every minute of my maternity leave, then I was right back to being miserable when I returned to work. I was getting home late, missing bathtime, missing dinner. Sometimes the little baby would already be asleep before I even got home. I had no clue how to get out of that situation but desperately wanted to. I knew something had to change. I was on maternity leave over the holidays and I did a lot of baking. For New Year’s Eve at 2023 I made cookies just for fun and sent pictures to a couple of friends and family. To my surprise everyone I sent the pictures to told me I should sell my cookies. For whatever reason this time I believed them. In February, I started a Facebook page for my bakery, Bee’s Bakehouse, and took orders for Valentine’s Day cookies. They were mostly decorated sugar cookies, very time-consuming, but it was fun. Orders started coming in fast and I was so excited. That summer I signed up for the Arlington Farmers Market and introduced my deep-dish cookies. It started slow, but week after week, I gained loyal customers, repeat orders, and more opportunities. I was working full-time at the bank by day, then baking through the night, sometimes getting only a couple of hours of sleep, sometimes getting none. But I was really loving it. It really felt like this was something I was always meant to do and it was so fulfilling. But man was I tired! I was burning the candle at both ends, exhausted, I knew I was being stretched too thin. It came to a point where I knew I could not keep doing both my banking job and making cookies and I was going to have to choose one or I was probably going to end up in the hospital. So at the end of September 2024, with a lot of faith and a little fear, I quit my job and started giving 100% to Bee’s Bakehouse. Since then, the growth has been unbelievable. In March, we purchased a food truck to expand our cookie sales even further, started going to festivals and markets. My husband became my right-hand man and my best salesman. He still works full-time in his job, but his excitement and support have really been key to growing this business. We set up in Arlington, Memphis, Cordova, Collierville, all over Shelby County. I’ve had customers drive from other states just to get our cookies. Our community has wrapped its arms around us in the most beautiful way and I am loving it! Our success has been surprising and we get amazing feedback from our customers about how much they love our cookies. My specialty is deep-dish cookies that are thick, soft, chewy and unlike anything you’ve had before. These aren’t your average cookies. I have very high standards for what I sell. If it’s not top quality and absolutely delicious, it doesn’t go out the door. Our most popular flavors include Milk Chocolate Chip (most popular flavor, it’s a classic for a reason) and our signature Banana Pudding Cookie, that one went viral and is now a fan favorite. We also have S’mores, Biscoff stuffed with Cookie Butter, and rotating seasonal flavors like Caramel Apple and Peppermint Mocha. My cookies are truly a one-of-a-kind experience. The flavor and quality are unmatched. Now I say that with a humble heart, but it’s what my customers tell me over and over again. My husband always ask people if they are ready to try the best cookie they’ve ever had. I laugh when he says that, but I do work really hard to make that true, to really make the best cookie you’ve ever had. And honestly there’s nothing particularly “special” about me. I was raised by hard-working parents, and if I’m anything, I’m consistent. I made a decision early on that every single day, I’d do something for my business. Big or small, even when I was tired I did at least one thing every day for my business. Whether that was testing a new recipe, printing labels, posting on my social medias during my lunch break, or mixing dough after bedtime, I showed up day after day with a positive mindset, a willingness to work hard and faith. Now, I get to do what I love while being present for the three little ones who mean the most to me. I work longer hours than I ever did at the bank, but the freedom, the fulfillment, and the joy make every bit of it worth it. If I’ve learned anything through this bakery journey, it’s that the scariest part was just starting. I’m so glad I had courage to start because the most beautiful and unexpected blessings were waiting on me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been mostly a smooth road. That’s not to say it’s been easy. Being a business owner is hard work. You have to show up for yourself every day, even when you’re sick, even if the kids are sick, the work still has to get done, or you don’t get paid. It’s been a blessing to get busier and busier each month. However, it’s coming to a point where I’m going to end up needing help. At this time, I don’t have any employees, I do all of the baking. I can guarantee you if you have ever had a cookie from Bee’s Bakehouse, I made that cookie. It can be overwhelming but I’m getting through.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I own a cookie bakery. I specialize in “deep dish cookies”. My cookies aren’t what you’ll find in a typical bakery case. They’re big, thick, and made with quality ingredients. Best known for our classic milk chocolate chip, and our signature banana pudding cookies. What I’m most proud of is the consistent quality of my cookies. I hold my cookies to very high standards. They have to not only look good, but also taste amazing. I want every bite to be memorable. It means so much to me when customers tell me things like, “This is the best cookie I’ve ever had,” or when they come back week after week and bring friends and family with them. That tells me I’m doing something right.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, in the Raleigh area. I was a pretty shy and quiet when I was a kid. I was the youngest of three girls, so I was usually just tagging along and staying out of trouble. I loved reading and playing outside with friends, as all of us kids did in the 90’s. I was always pretty well-behaved, and studious. Since I was the baby of the family, I never really had to cook or learn much in the kitchen. That’s probably why baking felt so special to me. It was something I discovered on my own, and I was actually good at it. I loved the positive feedback I’d get when people tried what I made, especially as a kid who was usually more reserved. Baking gave me an outlet to express myself and make people smile, which is still my favorite part about it today. Even as an adult I am still shy by nature, but I open up when standing behind my cookies. They give me confidence. Plus, years and years of customer service experience help me kind of fake it when I have to.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beesbakehouse_?igsh=cHBvOGZ4azJoYjls&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15USbcK99C/?mibextid=wwXIfr
