Baylee Bakes

By Griffin Nelson | Photos by Evermore Photo Co.

It has often been said that “Necessity is the mother of invention.” That saying certainly rings true for Baylee Marsh. As a struggling college student, Marsh was able to convert her love of baking into a successful business.

“I honestly started this business by accident,” Marsh confesses. “In 2018 I was a super, super, super broke college student at UGA and couldn’t afford to buy presents for my friends, so I baked for them instead.”

Three months later, Baylee Bakes was born when a lady discovered her goods on Instagram. Within six months, she had 300 plus orders for her delicious cookies. “It’s crazy how fast the business took off. I still can’t believe it,” the Macon native admits.

And while her business is now a booming success, she recalls the moment that reality hit.

“I was working on an order for several hundred cookies and my hand mixer died,” she says. “I called my parents in a panic and they told me they had bought me a stand mixer at Target and to go pick it up. They really saved me.”

Marsh now has two full-time employees, a baker and a social media director, helping her fulfill orders and promote her business. Not only does she make and decorate the cookies, but she also teaches decorating classes. Most recently, Marsh was awarded UGA’s Entrepreneurship’s 2020 Student Startup Award.

As for the future, Marsh has been working hard with UGA’s Small Business Development Center to define areas for expansion. “I know exactly how I want to expand this business and a timeline for growth,” she says.

If Marsh could offer one piece of advice for those wanting to start their own business: “Say yes to everything and remember to always keep an open mind.”