Two Fat Cats Bakery has been delighting Portland, Maine with scratch-made sweets since 2005. Using premium ingredients like local eggs, wild Maine blueberries, and real butter, their fresh-baked treats quickly earned them a devoted following. What started as a single beloved bakery has grown to include locations in South Portland and a second Portland spot currently in development.

Photos from Two Fat Cats Bakery on Instagram. Q&A as told by Two Fat Cats owner Stacy Begin in her own words.

Describe your business in one sentence.

Two Fat Cats Bakery works to create a community of bakers, makers, neighbors, customers, and partners who enthusiastically embrace the craft of rustic American baking and love to eat great pastries together.

How does your business represent you and your lived experience?

The business is obviously an outgrowth of my love of baking. But more than that, it represents a reverence and affection for home bakers of the past, especially from my Franco-American heritage, as well as passion for Maine and New England food pathways.

What unique perspective/skills do you bring to your business?

My background is varied – I’ve worked in nonprofits, government and now business – and the skills I’ve gathered from those experiences strangely are applicable to the bakery. From the creativity of my theater experience, to marketing and fundraising for nonprofits, to necessary organizational and operational skills, they all have come to help the running of a small business. Also, as someone born and bred in Maine, I have a special affinity for our traditional foods and ingredients.

What has been the greatest challenge you’ve faced in starting or running your business? How did you overcome that challenge?

Ongoing challenges have been slim to no profit margins and staffing. I don’t think we ever “overcome” these challenges since they are continual. The best you can do is mitigate them. That means watching every penny when it comes to finances and staying on top of the details. For staffing, once you have developed a competitive compensation and benefits package, it helps if employees like the people they work with and for. We look for staff members who are team players and have pleasant temperaments. I pay close attention to our culture of trust and transparency. Making it a comfortable environment with good natured people makes a world of difference!

What has been your greatest business triumph so far?

Making it through Covid! I am so proud of how we handled the pandemic. The team gelled together and cared for each other. We made thoughtful and strategic decisions – not just for the moment but to position us for success when we moved beyond the pandemic. It was one of my proudest moments.

Where do you see your business in 3-5 years?

I’d like to foster closer and more dynamic relationships with local farms and small businesses. And, since we just opened a new location at 175 Spring Street in the West End, I’d like to grow that location to a vibrant third space for the community with events, music, and evening hours.

What advice would you give to aspiring business owners?

No matter how much you plan and how much you think you know, you will make mistakes and there will be circumstances out of your control. Just hold on! Don’t beat yourself up. Learn from everything and move forward. Owning a small business is a wild ride. There will be ups and downs!

Do you feel like you are serving a specific community or need?

I feel that, more and more, our locations are becoming a third space for each neighborhood. We’re a gathering place – whether it’s for students afterschool, business meetings, coffee with friends, or remote work. Creating an environment that is an invitation to comfort is critically important to making people feel welcomed and at home, that they are part of a community.

Are you taking any steps to reduce your business’s carbon footprint and/or make your business environmentally sustainable or climate-resilient?

We have focused mostly on waste and carbon reduction in our shipping program which can create a lot of waste that is not recyclable! We have finally found shipping and packing materials that are compostable or reusable. This saves waste on both ends – the shipper and the customer!

How did CEI become a part of your journey?

I reached out to CEI looking for help to weather our first quarter which is traditionally a terribly challenging time of year. Earning a net profit over the last few years has been impossible and I was interested in working with a counselor to help turn the page on the last couple of years.