Meet Kim Henderson | Bakery Owner, Writer & Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kim Henderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kim, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had been working in publishing for more than 15 years, and one more time, the publisher I was working for was struggling to stay afloat. At the same time, I was having trouble with my back from years of sitting at a computer. I had already realized many of the dreams I had for myself in the publishing world, including writing a book. My daughter was finishing high school and would soon be off to college. I wanted to try something new and totally different. I kept thinking about a work life that was less about stress and deadlines and more about bringing light, fun, and joy to the world – and that didn’t require me to be behind a computer all day!

Baking muffins came to mind.

The muffin idea had been floating around in my head for a while. I’m a muffin lover, but I don’t eat white sugar. I noticed that there were few choices of healthy muffins made without refined sugar in Los Angeles, and they didn’t taste very good.

I found myself telling a friend, “Somebody should start a bakery and make healthy muffins made without refined sugar that taste really good.” I had even imagined the name, Unicorn Bake Co. I liked that it was playful, and conveyed the rarity of a good, healthy muffin. I also liked that it would be the perfect bakery name if I wanted to expand into healthy desserts for kids. She asked me, “Why don’t you do it?” I found myself saying, “Well, um, I’m not exactly a baker.”

But the seed had been planted.

My friend’s question stayed with me. As I continued working in my job as a business magazine editor, interviewing and featuring entrepreneurs and business owners, the muffin bakery idea seemed more plausible. I had previously worked for years in the natural health world, where a dear pal of mine had cofounded the Odwalla juice company with the same type of simple idea. It inspired me. Adding to this, my mom, at 88, was on hospice care. I’ve learned that where there are deaths, there are always births. It’s a truth in life. And it was for the Unicorn Bake Company. I just happened to bake my first batch of test muffins the morning that my mom passed away. In her passing, I gave birth to this new idea, this new business. I like to think she’s helping me from the other side. I light a candle every time I bake, in part for her, and also because I think it’s a sacred act to bake for others. That’s how it all got started.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Unicorn Bake Company is uniquely a home bakery. Customers place their order online, and we deliver our fresh-baked muffins direct to their homes and/or businesses. Every batch is baked out of our double oven here in Topanga Canyon. And every muffin fulfills the wish I had to create a delicious muffin, made with healthy, whole ingredients and no refined sugar. A lot of personal care goes into every batch and our standards are high in terms of quality, consistency, and appealing packaging. I love that our playful unicorn branding exudes the fun, joyful energy I was wanting to create. I feel proud to deliver (literally!) a product that provides healthy nourishment, delight, comfort, and care.

The biggest hurdle I had was developing our initial offerings, playing with the ingredients, and believing in myself as a good baker. My experience as a natural health magazine editor and reporter helped a lot. I know a lot about health, alternative ingredients, and sweeteners. All of this came into play. I tested muffins for a long time to be sure I had truly exceptional recipes. It took about two years of baking with different flours, spices, and ingredients. I had lots of happy “tasters” to give me feedback, which was invaluable.

Once I confidently had three solid recipes, I ran the numbers with my brother who is a CPA. It became clear that selling direct to consumers was the way to start. He helped me form my corporation and then it was a matter of getting licensed and operational. When it came to developing the logo, marketing, and packaging, I applied what I’ve learned as a writer and editor: Get it done now and polish later. I can get stuck if I try to make things too perfect.

There has been a certain ease to it. To me, that’s a good indication that I should keep going. My first goal was to get up and running, find my “sea legs,” and see if customers responded. I wasn’t even sure if I’d like baking commercially. It changes things when you turn something you enjoy doing into a business. If all went well, then I would consider my next steps.

Well, it’s going swimmingly and customers love the muffins. So now I’m planning the next phase. We will expand our offerings, delivery area, and distribution so that we can do more volume. We will eventually move into a commercial kitchen. There will be an element of giving back, too. I wrote a book about saving rainforests, and we will have a rainforest muffin made with sustainable coffee, cocoa, and Brazil nuts – as supporting those commodities helps local rainforest communities. And we’ll give a portion back. We already have an organization ready to partner with us. I’m looking forward to that! But for now, I’m going to enjoy this phase of baking out of my home and serving the local area. It’s immensely satisfying to know that in some small way we are making a difference in people’s lives.

I want people to know that taking time out to relax with a healthy treat, as you would with one of our muffins, perhaps sipping on some coffee or tea, is really important. Especially during these times, it’s important to have time to just be, daydream, and have no agenda. The Unicorn ethos is all about that!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, that’s a tough one to answer. Our city is one big playground.

I would try to give my friend a taste of L.A.’s natural beauty and culture. Here are a few ideas…

We’d have an adventure day in Malibu. We’d drive up to Point Dume and scale down the bluff to Big Dume beach, where we would walk all the way down to Paradise Cove. That would definitely include a swim. And maybe I’d arrange for Rick at Hana Paddle Boards to meet us there so we could do a little standup paddle boarding. There are some rock reefs right off the shore there where you can see a number of fish, including beautiful orange Garibaldi. Also, while we paddle around we will enjoy looking at the mountain view and back at the bluffs with some of L.A.’s greatest home design/architecture on display. We’d follow our beach adventure with a stop at Cafe de la Plage at Point Dume Plaza, where we would enjoy French pastries (the quiche is amazing) and coffee or maybe a fresh smoothie. There are always a mix of locals, tourists and day trippers there to chat with too, and a few boutiques to look in.

An evening out would definitely include live music! We’d go to some of the smaller venues that feature up and coming artists like the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood or Harvelle’s in Santa Monica.

Of course, we’d do some hiking right here in Topanga where I live, and visit the local shops including Topanga Homegrown, which is a lovely gift boutique – a rare find these days. It would be fun to catch a Shakespeare play at Theatricum Botanicum, the outdoor theater in Topanga, as well. We might venture into the valley, and swing by DeFranko’s Submarines in Van Nuys (and say hi to its longtime owner Dru!) for some turkey subs. We would then eat our lunch at Balboa Park along the lakeside, maybe renting one of the swan peddle boats afterwards.

Oh boy, I can think of a lot more, but I’ll stop there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My brother, Paul Stevenson. He was really enthusiastic from the very start and provided vital business advice and support in helping me to form the corporation. He believed in my idea and me. I don’t know that I would have actually done it without his encouragement. Thank you, Paul!

Website: https://www.unicornbakeco.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/79480055/admin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Unicorn-Bake-Company-Inc-106387817828097

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/UnicornBakeCo/_saved/

Image Credits
Kelly Radinsky instagram.com/kellyradpix