Well known for being the Owner and Master Baker at A Little Something Cake Studio, Beth Bolton is retiring from baking, closing the shop, and opening the door to new opportunities. She’s taking her years of entrepreneurial experience and launching a new consulting business, where she will focus on coaching and mentoring early-stage entrepreneurs.
In a 2017 interview about her entrepreneurial journey, Beth shared, “I learned so much about myself and about business during this time. I could have closed my doors so many times and I could do it now—but something keeps me here. An internal voice tells me I’m not done with this journey yet.”
A LITTLE SOMETHING…DIFFERENT
Listening to that internal voice helped Beth accept the timing and gracefully step away from baking and into a new role as a consultant. Via social media, she acknowledged the joy she’s received from serving customers throughout the community and announced her retirement:
“I’m not done yet—there is more work for me to do,” Beth wrote. “I’ll be pivoting my focus to helping and mentoring early entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the process, and coaching them to learn how to have a successful small business.”
With her new consulting business, Beth will provide the experience she has gained building a successful business and deep client relationships with entrepreneurs looking to launch their own ventures. Her expertise ranges from motivation and mentorship to business management and client relations.
“For me, opening a small business wasn’t about the money, it was about a feeling and providing a warm and inviting experience,” says Beth. “That feeling is what drives me and, with the pivot of my work toward personal and business coaching, I can provide that same feeling to my clientele in a different but equally meaningful way.”
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Beth’s consulting business will be the third layer in her successful career path. She spent 25 years in management at Filene’s (now Macy’s) overseeing staffing and budgets before opening A Little Something Cake Studio in 2009.
Beth also learned a lot from the University of Hartford Entrepreneurial Center and Women’s Business Center. In 2017, she acknowledged the help and guidance she received from taking classes and becoming more involved in the business community, noting, “I learned how to do small things that would better me as a businesswoman and better position my business to stay competitive. I learned not only who I was, but where I wanted my business to go.”
ICING ON THE CAKE
“I’m very excited about where I am going and what I’ll be doing,” emphasizes Beth. “I look forward to helping some of you with your own dream.”