{"id":45254,"date":"2026-01-20T10:45:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T10:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?post_type=knowledge&p=45254"},"modified":"2026-04-10T13:46:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:46:39","slug":"sugar-sparrow-business-journey","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/sugar-sparrow-business-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Side hustle secret: how I used spreadsheets to bake my way to success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sometimes the most valuable business lessons emerge from the times when life forces a change of direction. In this blog, Jess Lawson shares her story of navigating an unexpected redundancy \u2013 leading her to baking, and eventually, coaching women business owners.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how Jess used what she learnt in the corporate world to carve a flexible career path that suited her needs as a working mother of two under two.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life has a funny way of throwing out your perfectly planned timetable. Mine certainly did when an unexpected redundancy kicked off a journey that took me from the customer engagement team straight into the kitchen, and eventually, into business coaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I spent years climbing the ladder in a big corporation, feeling like I was doing all the right things, only to realise that the traditional path wasn’t built for the life I actually wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From customer engagement to an unexpected baker<\/a>, and finally, to a coach who helps women build structured, flexible businesses. This is a story of forced detours, two tiny humans, and learning that sometimes the end of one chapter is the perfect beginning for the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Here\u2019s everything I learned to turn an unexpected redundancy into a business I truly love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Build on what you\u2019ve already learned \u2013 skills are transferable<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Start with structure \u2013 organisation is your greatest asset<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Look out for what resonates with others<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Redefine success (it isn’t always linear)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Invest in yourself (even a small investment counts)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Tip 1: Build on what you\u2019ve already learned \u2013 skills are transferable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Before all the baking and coaching, I worked in a large corporate environment, focused on customer engagement and internal training. But in 2019, I was made redundant. It was a massive shock, especially with two children under the age of two at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Suddenly, I wasn’t just searching for a job, I was searching for a life that could align with the unpredictable demands of childcare and offer true flexibility. It felt impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That corporate job had ended, but the skills I learnt hadn’t disappeared: the planning, the structure, the ability to break down complex tasks into understandable steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So when I decided to turn my love of baking into self-employment, I built the business using the same project management principles I’d used before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Practical takeaway: <\/strong>Look back at your past experiences \u2013 you don\u2019t need to start from zero. The ability to organise a training program became the ability to organise my supply chain. Your past success is training for your future one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Tip 2: Start with structure \u2013 organisation is your greatest asset<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    My baking business took off quickly. But I knew what caused burnout in big companies, and I was determined not to replicate it in my kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is the single most important practical advice I can give you: start with structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even if you only have one order, you need a system. A spreadsheet may sound boring, but trust me, it\u2019s the key to making everything else feel easier. I immediately set up a simple tracking system, using my corporate mindset to handle the chaos of a kitchen table startup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s the structure I used then \u2013 and still use today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A spreadsheet with tabs for different areas of the business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n