2020. WHAT A YEAR. Honestly, there have been times when I didn’t even think I would be here writing this. It’s been such a monumental effort to keep the business going there have been dark times when I am tired and stressed where I could have just closed it all up. That’s not why I have worked so hard though so I have thought long and hard about where I want the business to go. I am not going to do some long and winding reflection of how 2020 went, I think we all know. It was a blur. What I am going to say is I am SO THANKFUL to every single person who supported me. It was fast, furious and I pivoted so many times the room was spinning more than I could handle.
So, lets move forward! I am a BIG FAN of new and a BIG FAN of shaking things up.
RECIPE SHOP
The highlight of 2020 for me was bringing my book to fruition. I loved every second of it. I don’t think it has sunk in yet! Christmas 2020 : Recipes & Nostalgia lit a spark in me I had not felt for some time. I have always loved recipe development so I want to move that on into 2021 and the business going forward. I don’t think I have ever SHOUTED loud enough about how ruddy good a lot of my recipes are, so I am going to continue with that! I have opened up a recipe shop on the website with a collection of my best recipes, including my blondie recipe and salted caramel recipe. They are downloadable PDFS and a link will be emailed directly with you to instantly get the recipe. Exciting huh? Throughout 2021 I will continue to add more and will also be adding some free recipes throughout the year too.
CHOCOLATE BAR MADNESS
The biggest investment I made in 2020 was for a chocolate tempering machine. I instantly regretted it .. the buyers remorse was real. I’m not known for chocolate bars! More and more though I had been becoming obsessed with chocolate, it was a new skill and I am so into the science and the crystallisation and the temperature monitoring. It’s also a medium I can have FUN with so throughout 2021 I will be building up a range of FUN chocolate bars, all with the usual Lil’s Parlour twist. Most excitingly I will be asking a bunch of highly talented illustrators to design the bars. Each wrapper will be a little piece of collectable art .. I am SO EXCITED! The Wham Bar and Cliff Bar were received so well I hope I can do the same with these.,
MORE FUN STUFF
I will continue to open the website on Fridays with a restock. I am really excited about trying new things though. I felt like the world was saturated with brownies and blondies in 2020, although I love making them I always strive to try and be different so I will be expanding on Browniecorndogs and Wagonish wheels and Cookie Pies and more weird and wonderful stuff you can’t get anywhere else.
SPREADING THE WORD
One of the hardest parts about having your own business is having to do everything, yourself, all of the time. This year I want to step back from being so present all the time. Some times putting your life on social media day in and day out becomes really exhausting. You become paranoid you are upsetting people when the followers go down, you can’t help but feel it is a personal reflection on you. My google analytics tell me nearly all my traffic comes from Instagram - which is amazing, but that also corresponds with me putting myself out there all of the time. I will be working on a You Tube Channel Baking Course where there will be a big dose of Lucy but it will be shelved on You Tube .. hopefully it will bring some new inspiration to me and to folks yet to discover the business.
Eeek so I think in a nutshell that’s what’s happening in 2021 … I mean I think I need to add some terms and conditions stating this probably will change, 2020 has taught me you really never know what is around the corner … but I am going to try my best! I hope you will join me for the ride!