Beyond Bundt Cakes: Kim Wright's Path to Owning Five Thriving Businesses

Kim Wright is a mom to four hockey-obsessed boys and an entrepreneur with five businesses and over 100 employees. In this episode of "Follow Our Lead with Alaina Kearney,"  we'll discuss how Kim juggles her personal and professional responsibilities while giving back to her community.    

Kim owns four successful Nothing Bundt Cake stores, with more on the horizon. In addition, she co-owns Wright Commissioning, a company that specializes in getting building systems to function more effectively. Kim has no formal baking or construction experience. She is a testament to the power of self-belief and hard work.

 During our conversation, Kim shared her insights into why the franchise model was the perfect fit for her, the challenging decisions she faced, and the lessons she learned as a leader. Kim firmly believes in investing in her staff, empowering them to succeed, and giving them opportunities to reach their full potential. She volunteers on professional boards and donates thousands of cakes to local nonprofits and business owners in the Greater Philadelphia area. 

Kim’s Nothing Bundt Cakes stores are in Springfield, Wayne/King of Prussia, Ardmore/Wynnewood, and Collegeville, Pennsylvania. To learn more about Nothing Bundt Cakes, visit https://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/our-story/.

 Wright Commissioning: https://wrightcx.com/

Evan Michael Marcus and Tom Burgoyne’s book Pheel the Love!: How the Most Powerful Force in the Universe Builds Great Companies – Phillie Phanatic Style!: https://www.amazon.com/Pheel-Love-Powerful-Universe-Companies/dp/0692884300/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2IIDS69TRV39F&keywords=pheel+the+love+book&qid=1685926690&sprefix=pheel+the+love+book%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-1

This episode is presented by Barsz Gowie Amon & Fultz, a certified public accounting firm with offices in Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania. Visit their website at  https://barszgowie.com/ to learn more about their services.

Watch the episode live on YouTube!

Transcript

This transcript was autogenerated.

Alaina Kearney (00:08):

Kim Wright is the owner of four Nothing Bundt Cakes franchises, with more than double that in the works. She also co-owns Wright Commissioning, a company that specializes in getting building systems to function effectively and is a mom to four hockey loving sons. Even with her heavy work schedule, Kim is always giving back to the community and serves on the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Board, the Marple Newtown Ice Hockey Club, and contributes thousands of dollars in cakes to various nonprofits and professional organizations across the greater Philadelphia area. Kim's story is one of resilience, ambition, and an unyielding spirit of philanthropy. In this episode, we'll delve into her journey, exploring the challenges she has overcome, the lesson she has learned and the impact she continues to make. Well, Kim, thank you so much for being here with me this morning. Did you know you always wanted to start a bakery?

Kim Wright (01:09):

Sure. So the short answer is no, definitely not. I never envisioned that I would own one bakery, much less multiple bakeries. I am not a baker by trade. I did enjoy baking when I was young with my father and my grandmother, and we did bake Bundt cakes, actually, which is interesting. But no, definitely, I did not ever envision this being kind of the perfect fit that it is for me. My husband has an entrepreneurial spirit, he always has. He worked for a lot of people and one day I said to him, "You know, you should really do something on your own because you're working really hard for other people." And I just felt like he was putting too much of himself and we were sacrificing so much of ourselves as a couple and as a family to benefit other people. So I encouraged him to do that and it was successful and eventually, I ended up partnering with him in that business, which I still do.

(02:08):

And one day, he came to me and said, "You know, Kim, we should diversify our income and think about doing something else." And I literally looked at him and I said, "Are you crazy? We have three kids right now..." At the time we only had three, we have four now. We have three kids. This business is going really well. We have a fairly nice balance because if the family needed attention and the business needed attention at the same time, we could divide and conquer and we had a lot of faith that they were both being taken care of the way that they should be. So I was like, "No, absolutely not. That sounds ludicrous. We're not doing that." And he really just kept on and he kept saying, "Well, you know, in case something happens." And I was like, "Well, what could happen?" And then, of course, COVID happened so that really taught us to not question that.

(03:02):

But ultimately, when he kept on and I realized if... Well, really, what happened was, he started looking at bars that were for sale locally in the Philadelphia area. Can you imagine? No, thank you. God bless all the people that...

Alaina Kearney (03:15):

Exactly.

Kim Wright (03:15):

On the personal note, we met in bartending school, so we bartended together for many years in many spaces and places, which is why that was kind of his first thought. And his other thought was that it would kind of compliment a day... If we had a day job and then a night job, which I thought that sounded horrific, but in his mind, it made sense. So I was like, "No, absolutely not." Then he started looking at restaurants and I was like, "Have you ever worked in a restaurant"? And he was like, "No, but you did." And I was like, "Right, and I don't want to do that again." So I said, "Listen, why don't you look at some franchises?" Because we already are small business owners, so we know how many hats we have to wear, we know how many fires we put out. It's just a lot. It's a big burden. You have to be passionate every day, but you also have to be a problem solver every day, and you have to bring your best every day and you know, you get tired and you get worn because of how many different things you're taking care of.

(04:12):

In a franchise system, which is what Nothing Bundt Cakes is, it allows some of that burden to be lifted from you. And I think there's a lot of positives to that. There can be some cons to that. But ultimately, I said to him, "Why don't you look at the franchise systems because at least some of the work is done for us?" And again, I'm hoping that he's going to scratch an itch and it will go away. So he started looking and he talked to a lot of different brands. So he talked to Edible Arrangements, Rita's Water Ice, New York Bagel and Company, I mean, I can go on and on. But again, I'm thinking that it's going to go away, we're going to continue down the path that we're on because we're on a good path. One day he came home and he said, "Kim, I have it. I know what we're going to do." And I was like, "Okay." And he said, "It's called Batteries Plus". And I thought, "I can't get excited about that. That is not sexy." I can't wake up every day excited. And if anybody has ever met me and they learn about Nothing Bundt Cakes, there's a lot of excitement happening.

(05:10):

I mean, I am truly like... I'm in love with this brand, I'm in love what I do and I think that there's no way you can't tell that. When I thought about Batteries Plus, even after I looked it up, I was like, "No." Ultimately, I said to him, so directly before we lived in Philadelphia for 14 year, directly before this, we lived in Texas, which is where I'm from. And I said, "What did we have in Texas that we loved that we could see here?" Because that way, if we loved it and it was successful, we could grow and we could build out more. And that's how we ended up with Nothing Bundt Cakes. I loved going into the bakeries. If you've ever been into one of our bakeries, they're really bright, they're very cheerful and joyful. We have a lot of retail in there, which, I love to shop so I always loved what I could buy for myself and for my friends, I loved the way that they smelled, I love the cake.

(06:11):

I mean, I have a sweet tooth so that, for me, was right up my alley and right in my lane. And more than that, being a Texas girl, the brand started in Las Vegas, but it's corporate office is in Texas and that's kind of where the brand is stemming from currently. And as a Texas girl, that southern hospitality and their values of giving and gifting into the community and community outreach really resonated with me, and that's ultimately how we ended up with Nothing Bundt Cakes. Because people do always ask me like, "Oh, were you a baker? Did you always want to open a bakery since you were a child?" And the answer is no. I mean, I do happen to love baking and I do know how to do every position in the bakery. If you would like to open a Nothing Bundt Cakes, after you've been approved, you go to Texas for 30 days and you work in an open bakery that serves to the public and you start in dishwashing.

(07:14):

So you start in dishwashing and you spend a period of time in every single position until you are proficient in the job itself. You take tests at night on your computer through a portal that makes sure you understand all the brand standards, the time standards, and what the expectations are. So it's an amazing experience and it's really valuable, but that's where my expertise comes in terms of baking, it's from that. That was my immersion training, and prior to that, I had a love of it. It was more of a nod to my childhood and those good times that I had with my grandmother and my father, who aren't with us anymore. But really, it was a business decision, purely.

Alaina Kearney (07:59):

Kim, that story's incredible. So many questions. I had no idea that Nothing Bundt Cakes puts you through that training. I mean, it makes sense, but what business do you know of where you are in every single position? I love that. It really gives you an appreciation for all the different areas of your business, and I think, ultimately, makes you a more effective leader. Once you realized, okay, you like Nothing Bundt Cakes, you like the idea, why not just start your own bakery?

Kim Wright (08:26):

I definitely wanted a lane to be in. I think that the franchise system has a lot of pluses, but if you want be creative about your business because you have a specific interest in baking or whatever it happens to be, marketing, for example, a franchise system probably isn't for you because at the end of the day, and I'm an active member in what we call the Brand Advisory Council. So we go to Dallas, I would say, quarterly, and we meet for about a week with the corporate team about big decisions that they're being made for the brand. So I definitely feel like my personal voice is heard and listened to, but that does not mean that the choices that are made, that I'm always going to agree with. And for people who really want that control and who can't let go of it during, I would say, the portions and the percentage of time, that the answer isn't going to be what they want to hear, then the franchise system is not for them.

Alaina Kearney (09:29):

One of the things that scares me about franchises is that I'm a control freak, and I'm sure the people that are listening to this podcast that know me are laughing and nodding their heads like, "Yes, she totally is a control freak," But for me, it's like not having a say in all of those little changes that might be made or not having control over when a new product drops or something like that. I didn't realize there was a committee so that makes me feel a little bit better. What do you think is the most challenging part for you of owning a franchise? For me, it would be that control piece.

Kim Wright (10:04):

That's a twofold thing. So I think while you think that that might be challenging for you, for a person... Typically, a person who wants a lot of control, likes everything just so. So they're a type A persona. Is that correct? Would you agree with that?

Alaina Kearney (10:18):

I would 100% agree with that.

Kim Wright (10:20):

This part about the best franchises, and I would say this is where the challenging part comes in, because not every franchise is an A plus franchise, but the best franchises, which I believe that Nothing Bundt Cakes is one of them, their systems are meant to enable profitability and success. It's not meant to control or to limit. It's, in fact, made for the exact opposite purpose. Now, the nitty gritty things that I think that Type A personalities can really appreciate within a brand that's organized and specific is that if you come into our bakery and if you come into the back of the house, which most people don't because you have to sign an NDA in order to do that, but there is a space and a place for everything.

(11:07):

There are about three label makers in every bakery location. We label everything, and there's really nothing out of place because the brand gives you a roadmap and from day one, they set you up with that process. So as long as you follow the format, then it's a beautiful system. And for type A personalities, like knowing what I should be doing, when I should be doing it, how I should be doing it, makes us feel successful in a lot of ways. So other than the creative piece, a lot of Type A personalities can really succeed in a plus franchise system. Does that help you kind of...

Alaina Kearney (11:47):

Yes, it does and it makes me feel a lot better.

Kim Wright (11:49):

It's not [inaudible 00:11:50] to control us, it's really meant... And when the changes are made, to your point, for example, you mentioned when a flavor drops, right? There's a lot of research that's going behind that. So they're surveying people like you and asking general questions like, "Hey, when you hear cookies and cream, does that make you want to come in? What about blueberry bliss? Would you buy it during the fall? Would you buy it during the spring?" There is a lot of numbers and actual factual research that is behind it. It's not an arbitrary or an objective like, "Oh, this is what we think will work." There is a lot of information behind it.

Alaina Kearney (12:28):

You have all these locations, I'm sure there's probably going to be more in your future. How do you ensure that these stores are profitable?

Kim Wright (12:36):

We have to make good decisions about where the locations are individually, but also where are they in proximity to one another to avoid as much cannibalization as possible. We look at foot traffic. We have partners that are helping us and they're really drilling down all the locations, the ones that work for us based on other anchor stores that are in proximity. They're looking at mean income, average income, driving traffic at the intersection, so many different pieces of information. And those don't guarantee success, but they certainly can help us mitigate success or project an amount of success. And then, again, at that front end of everything, you're looking at the costs that you can control, which are your rent and things like that, that are big pieces that are not going to change. And if you go in at a price per square foot that's really elevated, then, I mean, you could be putting yourself in a dangerous position, but if you can get a great building and a great space that has good numbers to it and has an average end or low price per square foot, then it's up to you on the secondary end.

(13:42):

Once the door is open, I think that a lot of the... Sometimes people can think that when you come into a franchise system, that it's a passive income, but it's just like any other small business. You have to hustle every day, you have to work every day, you have to figure out what works and what doesn't, and even though all four locations do the same things, every community is different. So fundraising might have helped to boost sales in one location, but that might not be true in another one. So it's really interesting. That's one thing that I have definitely learned is, it's not a one size fits all success pattern and path to success.

Alaina Kearney (14:22):

You have different stores in different areas and you have, across all of your stores, about a hundred employees. That's a lot of employees and that's a lot of different people and personalities. And something unique about, I think, you as a leader is you are very good at motivating your staff. You have that personality where you walk in a room and everybody's like, "Oh my gosh, it's Kim." You're so warm and inviting, and I'm sure your staff feel the same way. You and I have even talked about this too, about the culture and the environment that you're able to create in all of your bakeries. And right now, business owners, especially, are struggling with trying to retain really good talent. And there's so many things that go into why that is right now in particular, but your bakery's environment is, and all of your bakery's environments, are ones that I'm sure many other businesses would want to emulate no matter what industry they're in. So how do you think you've kind of been able to build this type of environment across all of your bakeries in so many different areas?

Kim Wright (15:25):

Well, I love that you... I also am with you. I think that when I come in, people are like, "Kim, high five. Yeah, good to see you." And that is true for a lot of my employees. Now, when I had one bakery and even two, that was very, very true, and it's still true to this day. But what I have learned recently as I've grown and I've had to spread myself between the locations and I'm there more irregularly in one location and then in another is, people are actually afraid when I come in because they're like, "Ooh, it's Kim. We don't want her to see anything that we're doing wrong and we don't want to be in trouble." Because I do have a very high standard and I do hold people accountable, that's part of my role. So I still do love to think that when I come in, people do love to see me and I think that they do, but I think for those that don't know me as well or they're new to my team, there is definitely some concern, I would say.

(16:18):

But I also think that's healthy and fine too. I just think it's funny and I wanted to share that with you because of what you said, because it's so true. That's how I look at myself like, "Oh, I'm here to help you and to see what you're doing great and to move us forward." But it's funny because they know that that is also what I'm there for, but on the flip side, they look at it as, "Oh, she's going to tell us what we're doing wrong," Where I'm saying, "Oh, these are our areas of opportunity and this is what I want you to focus on now." And that's okay, that's normal, but for them, it's a little bit fearful.

Alaina Kearney (16:51):

Yeah, a little bit of healthy intimidation, I think, is good.

Kim Wright (16:53):

Absolutely. But going to the point about the culture, I would say one of my biggest lessons learned as I've grown from one to four is, you're right, I do, on a personal level, have a natural talent to infuse some leadership skills and to try to mentor that and to inspire that in others. What I have found as we've been very deliberate about building out our org chart in order to succeed from one to four locations, and as you mentioned, we will be doing more, so everything we do today, it's very intentional. Like, can we continue this? Is this sustainable over twice the amount of bakeries that we currently have? And if it isn't, let's start to build that now and do that now. And part of that is the leadership and the mentoring. So you're right, I have a natural knack for that, and I have an upper management team that is very talented and operationally amazing, and they are still learning how to lead leaders, how to build leaders.

(18:00):

And so, to that point, I can't always be the point person. And certainly, in each bakery location that has it's in bakery leadership, I can't always be that person, and my upper management team may or may not be able to be the mentor in that circumstance. So one of the things that I've done, because as you're saying, it's difficult to retain great talent. One of the things that I'm doing currently is, I've partnered with a local executive coach who I think is going to be great for my team and she's coaching them. So she's having regular meetings with them. We are discussing things that may be relevant in our bakeries, whether it's sensitivity training or how to have tough conversations. And some of it is really basic because some of my leadership is in their early twenties and they may be in college, they may be directly out of high school and then all the way upwards from that, but we're talking about a really young group.

(18:57):

So their professional experience, their life experience, it is what it is. So we're really trying to give them a skillset and skills that they can take with them for life. But my hope is that they see the value of the investment I'm making in them today so that they're still with me for the next, minimum, three to five years.

Alaina Kearney (19:19):

I love that. And I will tell you, I had an executive coach for two years and I wasn't sure what to expect with it, I had no idea, and it was probably one of the best things I ever did. And I'm grateful to Barsz Gowie for allowing me to do that. But not only did it give me confidence, but I feel like it gave me so many other skills and showed me how to navigate hard conversations and, what's the best way to handle this? And I've learned this, the way that I had initially looked at a problem, she had said, "Well, what happens if you looked at it this way? Or from this lens?" And I was like, "Wow, you know what? I never thought about it like that." Or maybe she might say, "This is the perspective of this person." Never thought about it like that. And so, for me, it was so eyeopening, it was just the best investment, so I absolutely love that you're doing that because I am sure that it will pay off tenfold.

(20:20):

But I want to back up a little bit. So the transition from working with your husband, having three little kids at the time, now you're at four, but three little kids at the time, you go on this business venture to start this franchise, you're a mom. Obviously, you know, you were still working with your husband, it's not like you were a stay at home, but it's definitely not the same responsibilities you have right now. So I'm sure that decision was really difficult for you, not just financially, because it's a risk, but also emotionally because you have these little ones, your family was still growing. What was that like for you and what ultimately led you to say, "Okay, yes, we are going to diversify our income and we're going to dive into this venture."?

Kim Wright (21:06):

So, again, I'm going to go back to just the beauty that Nothing Bundt Cakes is. So the validation process for Nothing Bundt Cakes was a lot different. And I had gone through some of the validation through some of the other brands that my husband had been interested in and they were very cursory, is a good way to put it for me. Nothing Bundt cakes, you're on regular calls weekly for about four to six weeks minimum, and it's on a portal, there's homework that you do in between. But more than that, once you get to a certain point, they give you the phone numbers of every single Nothing Bundt Cakes franchisee across the nation. It's not like, "These are our top performers," Or, "These are our cheerleaders." They say, "Call anybody you want." So I asked the person that was in the validation system with me, I said, "Who is a pioneer bakery?"

(21:49):

Meaning, I knew that this was going to be new to the Philly area, it was going to be a concept that nobody recognized, and I wanted to know from them, what was that like? How long did it take you to be profitable? What was that hustle like? I asked who were working moms? Who had young children? Who had young families at the time that they started? And you're required to call 20 people, at a minimum. You can call as many as you want, but in the two weeks that they give you, you are required to call 20 people and ask questions, which is an interesting homework assignment, I feel like. But I did it and what I learned from those calls was... I had my 'aha' moment during those times. I really connected with some individuals that I felt either had the heart that I had, had the work ethic that I did, along with the family that I had, or again, pioneering a new area and they had come through it.

(22:51):

So that gave me the confidence that I could do it. But really what they told me, the best ones, that I actually still talk to you today, in fact, I just saw one of them yesterday and we spent some time together in Dallas and I really said to her... She told me a story where... She said, "It was Christmas Eve, I was giving away cake and I am so spent that guests are literally coming in to hand me their cake and saying, 'Do you want me to come back and help you?'" She's like, "I was just overwhelmed." And I feel like you, Alaina, would do that. If you had seen me, and even though we were strangers, you might be like, "Can I help you? Do you want me to go do something?" And she said people were just so kind to her. She got home, she had, I would say, pre-teens at the time, I think. She said she had Amazon boxes just shoved in her closet and she was so tired because she had spent probably 24 hours in the bakery like baking and frosting and giving away the cake.

(23:48):

And it's Christmas morning and her kids are ready and she's in tears and she literally puts the Amazon boxes in laundry baskets [inaudible 00:23:57] and she hands it to them. She's like, "I'm so sorry, Merry Christmas." And, I mean, that set a real reality for me. She told that story, that was her year one, and at that point, she'd probably been doing it for five years, maybe a little bit longer. She was well past that point, but she wanted me to know. She's successful, would she do it again? Had she done it again? Absolutely. But those moments are real and as a mom, they're really, really hard. So for me, in year one and even past that, when I had some really hard moments where I'm literally baking cake...

(24:34):

I remember one day I was washing dishes and, I mean, it was probably midnight and all I wanted to do was go home. I was tired and it's hot in there and I'm scrubbing away and the tears are flowing because my youngest son was home and he had croup. And I knew my husband was taking care of him and he was fine but as a mom, it's just really, really hard. But I also knew, from those stories I heard during that validation process, that I wasn't alone, it wasn't just me and I was going to be okay and my kids were going to be okay. So again, I just feel like my brand allows these great moments of opportunity that help me to learn, that the struggle is real but you still have to do the work to create the success and sometimes, you have to sacrifice one part for another and those are really hard moments and it's not for everybody too, but we still have those moments all the time. I mean, that's the nature of it.

Alaina Kearney (25:35):

No matter how stressed out you may be, you never show that on the outside, at least around me, at least in my presence. I've never seen it. I'm like, "Wow, I don't know how she does it all." In fact, before this, Kim came on here, I knew she was in Texas last night and she is on this podcast this morning and I'm like, "I don't know how you do all of this."

Kim Wright (25:53):

Like, dry shampoo is happening and there's spandex going on bottom half, I'm just letting you know. But the other part, Alaina, is, I'm always good to pick up the phone. I mean, you helped me out when I did that speaking event at NABO, I think it was last year, and I remember texting you because I knew you were coming, and I was like, "Alaina, can you please bring me a coffee?" And you're like, "Yeah, I got you." But you have to be okay with knowing that... Listen, we weren't even that friendly. I mean, we were friends, I felt like we knew each other, but now I know I can call you and ask you random questions, but at the time, it was like, "Oh, should I text her? Should I not?" And I was like, "You need this coffee girl, you need this. You know she's coming and you have to put yourself out there and ask for help, because if not, you can't do it all." You just can't.

Alaina Kearney (26:46):

Absolutely. And I love that you asked me that because of course I was on my way anyway because I was going to get one for me, so it was perfect. But you know, you and I have talked too about the need for outsourcing because I'm always amazed by you because I'm like, I can barely take care of myself. I have just me and my husband and two dogs and that's like enough for me. I'm like, oh my gosh, I have laundry piled up my walls. It is bad. And I'm like, "How does she manage a house, four kids, four franchises, a husband a business?" How do you do it? And I'm always so amazed and I'm always like, "Kim, tell me your secrets." And you always go back to this thing about not feeling bad about outsourcing. Talk to us a little bit about what you mean by that.

Kim Wright (27:29):

So I think outsourcing is important, but I'm going to start with the org chart. So again, like I said, we've been really, really intentional about building out our org chart too. Where are we currently? Where do we want to be? What are immediate needs that would help us lift any of the loads? And then what's our dream positions that we could build into the organization and what does that look like? So if those people come into our lives, we can grab them and be like, "Hey, come on in." But one of the things that we've started to do, that I love sharing with people, is we're bringing in what I'm calling honorary team members to our org chart. So for example, it might be adding a Shields or Brinks to doing our regular deposits or our regular change out so that we're not having to go to the bank and spend that time.

(28:19):

We brought on a facilities maintenance group that ultimately helps us when we have a plumbing issue or an electric issue. Yes, my bakeries can call me and I can call them, but you guys know, as homeowners and other things, hustling to get these people to show up when they say or even answer the phone or respond to a text or a voicemail, it's exhausting. So to have somebody who has a Rolodex of people, the weight was so lifted from us after that. We've really started to see where are those spaces and places. But I would say one of the most important things in my org chart is not on my official Nothing Bundt Cakes org chart, and that's what I call... Other people will call her a nanny, but I call her my house manager. Her name is Cece. She's literally an angel on earth and she's with me three days a week and she helps me with my kids and my household.

(29:11):

And in addition to that, I'm also looking for an executive assistant. So some of those things will overlap, but some of them won't. But I think, again, having the capacity, whether it's one person that's doing a lot of those things, or two people that are dividing and conquering in whatever capacity you can, I think recognizing where are those things, either you don't enjoy, you don't have an expertise in, or are just kind of a time suck. What is sucking all of your time, that is valuable, that you can spend doing something else? And the answer isn't the same for everybody. But again, it can be as simple as getting a Shield or Brinks to be doing those deposits and the cash changing or answering some of my emails or doing my scheduling, or it could be bigger things too. It could be creating a marketing department for us that's dedicated to our bakeries.

Alaina Kearney (30:11):

I love that. I want to go back a little bit. So we talked about this idea of reinventing yourself. You were a mom, like I said before, you had a business, but it wasn't like what you have now and the people who were in your circle probably didn't see you as this cake boss that you are now. So how did you get people to change their perception of the way that they viewed you and kind of take you seriously in a different arena?

Kim Wright (30:43):

Well, number one, I think you're right. When I moved to Philly 14 years ago, I was on these mom meetups and all these different things and I've remained friends with a lot of those people, and Facebook helps with that, and it's funny how sometimes your lives recross and some of them are like, "That is not..." We did play dates and our kids were in the sand together and now, you're right, now I'm this boss and they're like, "Who is that lady? That is not the Kim that we knew." I think that the first thing you have to do is you have to believe in yourself and you have to identify as that person. And for me, personally, I knew that that person was always there. She was just dormant at the time because I was focusing on other things. It doesn't mean that that boss isn't there, she's just not active. That's not what I'm showing people.

(31:39):

So the number one thing is, you have to identify as that person yourself, number one, and then you have to find a small tribe that believes in you, and for me, that was my husband because we had already worked together in business. He knew once we found this brand and we started through the process, that it was a perfect fit for me and it almost wasn't going to take any effort for me to... Other than the operational pieces, everything else was going to be a fit. So you have to have people that are close to you that support you. And sometimes that's hard because I will tell you that my family did not understand what I was doing. They were like, "Wait, you're going to do what? You already have a successful business. Please don't put that in jeopardy. We're worried about you." And I understand where that comes from. It comes from a very good place, a place of protectiveness and love, but you can't let that stifle you because sometimes you do have great ideas that are meant for you. So I don't know if that answers, completely, your question.

Alaina Kearney (32:41):

It does, it does. I guess, too, how do you weed out the naysayers from what you actually feel like you should do? I know for me, I do value people close to me's feedback. So I feel like if somebody said to me, "Alaina, ooh, this doesn't really sound like a good idea," I would probably, really thoroughly, rethink what I was... Doesn't necessarily mean I wouldn't do it, but I would really rethink it.

Kim Wright (33:06):

No, I hear what you're saying. I think those are really good questions and I think it goes to a couple of things. Number one, it is important that you get insight from those who know you because they might say to you, "Alaina, you are too Type A for that. It's sticky and it's messy and since you were a child, you don't like being sticky and messy." That's valid input, right? Aside from that, I think you have to go to people who are successful and find those resources for people who have been successful in businesses. And kind of going back to that validation process that I did internally with Nothing Bundt Cakes, you could do that externally. Who started something that was new or different or similar to that and either failed or had success and find out why. What are some of those answers? How does that line up for you? How does that resonate with you?

(33:57):

And then, of course, there's the dollars and cents of everything. That has to work. The business plan about it, dollars and cents, it has to be... There's going to be risk, of course. You're putting your money and your life savings into something, but what does that proforma look like to determine that you're going to eventually have success? And if there are real numbers behind that, then you're basically investing in something that, of course, has risk, but there's a lot of chance for success in it as well.

Alaina Kearney (34:35):

See, that's why I'm going to call, if I ever start my own business, that's why I'm going to call Bill Galley to do all the numbers for me.

Kim Wright (34:39):

Exactly.

Alaina Kearney (34:41):

I can just do the thing. So Kim, this is more of a general question, but what do you think was the best piece of advice you ever got in your life?

Kim Wright (34:53):

I have been super blessed to have so many mentors in my life, and I still do to this day. I think they're so valuable and I've been given a lot of great advice. But one of the best pieces of advice that I still hold onto today is about HR, and they said to me, "Unfortunately, nobody is irreplaceable. And you are going to have people that you get close to, that you value and that value you, and one day, you might have to make a change, and that's really hard." And I think to your point, when you have a executive coach, tough conversations and HR conversations, that's always part of that umbrella of discussion and development, and it's because it's a personal thing, especially as small business owners. We don't have a corporate mindset and... It's like a family. You're trying to build this family culture and then when you have to make a tough decision, you feel bad. But I think it gave me permission to...

(36:02):

It's not that I don't feel bad, but to understand that it's not a bad choice. I can feel bad about it, but it doesn't make it a bad choice. And that's one that I almost constantly have to, when I know I'm going to have to have a tough conversation, I have to remind myself of that piece of advice.

Alaina Kearney (36:19):

The decisions that you're making are for the betterment of the brand and of your business so I'm sure those hard conversations are tough and I'm glad that you've gotten to that point and hopefully we can all aspire to get to that point alongside you there.

Kim Wright (36:35):

It's hard. I would say one of the ways that we have tried to help ourselves in it is to make sure that we're doing it in the most positive way possible and in the kindest way possible, as long as the situation allows that, which isn't always true, but for the most part, as long as we're doing it professionally and pleasantly, then that's okay. That's what we can do to make the situation the best out of what it is.

Alaina Kearney (37:06):

I remember when I first met you. We were at a Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals event. We met that day. I had no idea who you were, you didn't know who I was. If I knew who you were prior to talking to you, I probably would've been terrified and I probably would've went the other way and been like, "I'm not important enough to talk to her. I'm going over here." What happened during that conversation was, you didn't make me feel like I shouldn't have been talking to you. You have this ability to make people feel comfortable, and you don't come from a place of feeling better then. I wasn't scared or intimidated in any way. And I think that this warmth that you have is just really contagious and I think it shares a lot about you as a leader, because if I felt that way as somebody who wasn't an employee, just some random person that you happen to meet at an event, I can't imagine how your staff and the people close to you feel.

(38:03):

So I feel like it's important for me to share that story with the people listening because it's not every day that leaders like you treat other people who aren't at their level the way that they would treat their families. So I just want to thank you for that.

Kim Wright (38:16):

Well, thank you so much. I love that. It really touches my heart. I will tell you why that happens. It's because I still see myself, every day I wake up, so grateful for everything that I have, and I feel like I still have so much more to accomplish and learn every day. And that's actually something that, I feel like, is another thing that, as I've grown the businesses and the spaces on the locations is, with that, I actually try to be more self critical and introspective about what I can do better and how I can grow because if I'm not doing that, then I always feel like I'm going to set everybody else up for failure. As I'm growing location to location, I have to do better. So I think that's part of maybe why I am who I am. It could also be that I have an Asian mother, so it was, "Why not A plus?" If I got an A.

Alaina Kearney (39:16):

Listen, I think that's a lot of nationalities.

Kim Wright (39:21):

But that's where that comes from, I think. And I will tell you, in all honesty, and especially where I'm at with the brand and where I know that I'm going, and there will be, again, twice as many locations and then we have, now, probably a little more, I literally went to my lender and I was like, "Hey, it's me again. You know how we've done one and then one? So now, my brand is asking me to do this many and it seems like a multitude. Can I have that money?" And they were like, "Well, yeah, Kim." And I'm like, "But what do you mean? It's just me. I'm just me." But they're like, "But you're you, but have four businesses, your PnLs are healthy." So I'm just still seeing myself like I'm you, Alaina, and that's part of it. But I think that keeps us hungry every day.

Alaina Kearney (40:19):

Kim, you're killing it. You're doing amazing. You have all these businesses. Why more? Why more businesses?

Kim Wright (40:25):

That's a great question. So I think you know, but a lot of people may not know, my family has a place in Wildwood, which I love. It's my happy place. But everybody knows here, locally, one of my favorite things about this brand and about what I get to do is the collaborations that I get to do with people locally, whether they're other businesses, but schools and sports teams and the gifting and the in-kind giving and the fundraising. That fills my bucket and I want to be able to do it more. So we live, for part of the year, in Wildwood, or I'd like to live there more, but as I learn about that community and meet those people, I want to be able to impact that community the same way that I do here in Springfield, where I live. It's just such a part of, now, what I do every day. It almost hurts me to not be able to do that.

(41:19):

So that's really the why. The why is, because of that, because it's that community piece, but the other why is because... Going back to feeling responsible to the employees and to their families and why those exits are hard sometimes is that, I have all of these amazing people that work for me and I would love to provide opportunity for them for growth because I think that in today's world, especially in this post COVID world where the employment, it's easy to find a job, and that's not true too. I think that there's a lot of people that are putting their resumes out, like 20 a day, and they're not getting callbacks.

(41:58):

So I won't say it's easy to find a job, but I think that it's hard to find a job that fits you, but more than that, has a healthy culture and it will mentor you and grow you as a person, not just as an employee for what you can do for the business, and I would love to provide more upward mobility for those that are with me now and for those that are going to be joining my team that deserve it and that want it because people did that for me.

Alaina Kearney (42:25):

I love that. Is there anything else you want to share with us or maybe talk about that we didn't touch on?

Kim Wright (42:32):

Of course, as always, I just want to kind of reiterate what I've already said, which is, I love to collaborate with local businesses so if you're out there and you have a need, let's figure out what works for both of us. If you know people that are in sports teams or groups, nonprofits, whatever it happens to be, whether we can do a raffle prize, a silent auction item, an in-kind donation, an employee appreciation where we come and everybody gets what they want and then the company foots the bill, we're delivering to clients, whatever it happens to be. I think that what we're known for is birthday celebrations and holiday celebrations, which are incredible and we love that. I always say I feel like a news person because we get to come into your home and we're at your dinner tables where you're having these special moments that kind of get ingrained in your mind and they become a core memory certain times, and when we get to be there, I feel just really appreciative that we get to be a part of that moment.

(43:43):

And I truly, personally, feel like I am part of that moment, and I think it's because I get to meet so many people who say, "Oh my gosh, we had the lemon cake on my husband's birthday and it was so great." And I'm so grateful that people feel that way about us and that they share that with me.

Alaina Kearney (43:59):

I love that. And also, I know for us at Barsz Gowie, we love getting Bundt cakes in our office, and we usually do it around tax season where we'll bring in Bundt cakes, we'll put a little...

Kim Wright (44:08):

Well, you deserve it then, for sure. You deserve it all the time...

Alaina Kearney (44:11):

Oh my god.

Kim Wright (44:11):

But that time, for sure.

Alaina Kearney (44:13):

Kim, we don't have one Bundt cake leftover. In fact, for Employee Appreciation Day, which just passed, I had ordered, and I didn't even tell you about this, I had ordered Bundt cakes from the Springfield location and I just wanted to see what it was like. And I didn't want tell you, I just wanted to know. I wanted to experience it on my own without you, so I went. Everything was amazing. The staff was so nice, they helped me to my car, were just so kind. The order was perfect. I think you should know that, but I also think you should know that there was not one cake left over, and we did not tell people they could take seconds. They could, but we did not tell them that. And we walked in that back room and there was none left. There was not even one. I wanted to take one home for my husband, gone by the time I went back here.

Kim Wright (44:55):

You have to hoard it first.

Alaina Kearney (44:56):

I'm telling you. I know. I was trying to be a good person and I'm like, "I'm just giving it to the staff here. Go ahead guys." And gone. I want to end on one thing. I want you to tell us the best book or podcast or something that you've listened to, magazine, article, whatever it is, that changed the way that you lead or changed your perception.

Kim Wright (45:16):

So one of my favorite books that I've read is called Feel the Love. Have you heard of it?

Alaina Kearney (45:21):

I haven't.

Kim Wright (45:22):

It's P H E E L. It's from the Philly Fanatic.

Alaina Kearney (45:26):

Okay.

Kim Wright (45:26):

I can't remember his actual name, but like the OG Philly Fanatic because I think that there was some controversy recently, but I think that might have been just the costume. But it's called Feel the Love, and what I love about it is that it's really a book about... So he writes about how, as a fanatic, he has no voice and he really doesn't have facial features. So to reach people... His purpose, and any kind of mascot's purpose in any sporting venue, is to create excitement and fun and to reciprocate. When people see... We see gritty, we see the fanatic, we're like, "Oh my God," And we're trying to rush over and be the one that gets the selfie, right? They're beloved, but his point is, he wants people to know that he has as much love for them and appreciation for them and their hard earned money and their time that they're bringing their family, and we're paying $19 for a beer.

(46:27):

He wants them to know that they are loved because they're there supporting the team and that he wants to reciprocate that love that they have for him, and he can't do that with facial expressions and his voice because those are not things, so how does he do that? So he's reaching out, he's hugging, he's high fiving. He's creating emotion through a costume. But in his book, he really shares that in a business environment, in a corporate environment, we can create that and it doesn't have to be detrimental. And for somebody who sells cake and who innately... You know, I came from the construction industry. I went from buildings to bundts, is what I always say. And there, I had to be really buttoned up and very professional and on my game all the time.

(47:20):

I kind of had to edit myself, wouldn't necessarily wear pink or pink lipstick, my hair might have been in a ponytail or a bun, there was no exclamation points in my emails, I had to make sure I was very direct, where, now, I get to kind of be my authentic self and really show all of that. And while in the business world, sometimes being empathetic and sympathetic and showing that love is considered a negative, he kind of challenges that. And he says, we can have this in our culture and it can actually be a strength and a positive thing. And I just love that. And I feel like for me, my brand and my brand as a person, that really helped me to not stifle that and to kind of harness it.

Alaina Kearney (48:02):

Okay, I'm getting that book. So that's going to be on my Amazon wishlist because I have not heard of that and I love that perspective. Thank you so much for coming on today. I know your schedule is packed. I hope you get some sleep because you probably need it after coming back from Texas.

(48:16):

We will post a link in the description to all of Kim's bakeries, more about Nothing Bundt Cakes and everything else you could possibly want to know, including that book. So thanks, Kim. All righty, have a good one. Bye.

Kim Wright (48:29):

Okay, bye.

Alaina Kearney (48:31):

Kim truly does it all, but not without asking for help. She leans on outsourced home assistance, professional staff and other Nothing Bundt Cakes owners for support. She invests in her staff so they can succeed wherever life takes them. She is dedicated to giving back to the communities where she lives, works, and even vacations and uplifts business owners as others have done for her. She could have stayed as mom and co-owner of Wright Commissioning, but she knew she was made for more, despite what anyone told her. Kim's story is a testament to the limitless potential within each of us. Until next time.