Shownotes:

In this episode of the Social Lights Podcast, podcast host and Social Mediology founder Kate vanderVoort chats with Lou Duggan, founder of Cake 2 The Rescue, an award-winning DIY cake kit company which has helped more than 40,000 Australian families pour their love into a homemade cake.

With a background in engineering and design, Lou has spent the last ten years building Cake 2 The Rescue into a thriving e-commerce business, with more than 250 cake kit designs, and a loyal online audience of 60,000+ cake fans.

About Lou

As a talented creative entrepreneur, Lou is a big believer in the power of vulnerability in business, and loves empowering other women to ditch perfectionism and embrace entrepreneurship.

Originally from Scotland, Lou is mum to three gorgeous teenage girls, and lives on the Gold Coast with her hubby Craig. She confesses an addiction to human connection, homewares and her dog George.

BIG IDEA 1

“Community is the essence of everything that we are and everything that we do.” (07:25)

Lou talks about how the Cake 2 The Rescue community has given her a purpose in life--something that validates and reminds her on a daily basis that she has a place to stand in the world.

She teaches the women (and some men) in her community to love themselves and in the process, she learned to love herself too. She said that in a way, the community saved her and she saved them. Overall, her community is where Cake 2 The Rescue starts and finishes and everything in between is just cake.

BIG IDEA 2

“They get a safe space in which to dare to be themselves in which to show up and only have to be exactly who they are.” (13:02)

Lou talked about how important it is to have the community as a safe space. She said that it has a carry-on effect into everything else they do in their life. That when they come into the community, they might not bake a cake for six months, but it reminds them every day because they sit within that space of people who only raise each other up.

She added that the comfort and a safe space is essential to building a community. You can't arrive at a space and immediately feel like everything's okay, but if you wander through the timeline of Cake 2 The Rescue, it'll happen pretty quickly.

BIG IDEA 3

“You must be who you say you are. If your brand voice is not you, it can't be you that does it.” (47:25)

Lou shared two things on starting a community. She said that first, you have to know what it is you actually stand for; because you're going to be doing it for a long time. Second, be fearless in what you believe and be fearless in your policing of what you believe.

She emphasized how it is a lot easier to show up as yourself than pretend to be something you're not every single day for the rest of your life. The face of your brand is your brand.

You can find Lou Duggan at:

Cake 2 The Rescue:  https://www.cake2therescue.com.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1020725931335983

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cake2therescue/

We’d love you to join us for future episodes of the Social Lights podcast, produced by Social Mediology.

You can connect with us on Facebook at @SocialLightsPodcast and find future episodes at socialmediology.com.au/sociallights.

Thanks for your time and stay inspired,

Kate vanderVoort