Jessica Holmes | Baking up sweet success

Jessica Holmes' job is sweeter than most. Having studied a Bachelor of Mass Communication and working as a digital content producer for almost a decade, in 2014 Jess launched her baking blog, Sweetest Menu.

Now, ten years later, Sweetest Menu is a thriving six-figure business with a vibrant community of over 250K Instagram followers. Jess's remarkable success epitomises the perfect blend of professional expertise and passion. 

She shares more about growing Sweetest Menu from a side hustle into a full-time career, what a day in the life looks like as a content creator, and key strategies that have helped her grow her business.

Can you tell us about your journey since graduating from QUT?

After I finished my studies at QUT, I worked for over a decade as a copywriter and digital content producer. I had humble beginnings as an account executive but soon moved into the digital content space. I worked as a copywriter for a travel company, then moved into food media and finally landed a content designer position at an American tech company. In 2020, I quit my day job and made Sweetest Menu my full-time gig.

You launched your blog, Sweetest Menu, in 2014. When did you first discover your passion for baking, and how did that lead to the creation of Sweetest Menu?

While I have always loved food, especially sweets, it was only when I got married in 2010 that I started to dabble in the kitchen. I discovered how to make simple desserts like chocolate chip cookies and brownies from scratch and it soon snowballed into a full baking obsession. I thought I’d take my professional skills as a digital copywriter and merge them with this newfound passion to create a baking blog just for fun.

Two of Jess's favourite layer cakes. Left: Honey cake, Right: Moist chocolate cake

What was the turning point that made you decide to transition Sweetest Menu from a side hustle to your full-time career?

I really enjoyed my day job but I was working on Sweetest Menu all the time - before work, during my lunch breaks, and on weekends. Once Sweetest Menu started to out-earn my full-time income, I knew I would eventually have to choose between the two. So when I was heading towards maternity leave with my daughter, I decided to take the opportunity to go full-time with Sweetest Menu.

In starting Sweetest Menu, what were some of the initial challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Oh the challenges! The biggest challenge - which still exists - is consistently having to upskill and learn new things. Outside of the kitchen, I’ve had to teach myself the basics of food photography, how to use editing software, and the foundations of search engine optimisation. Along the way, there’s been new social media platforms to grasp and more recently the task of learning how to create videos. Thankfully, I love to learn, so while it can be frustrating, it is also what makes this job terribly interesting.

How did you build and grow your audience, and what strategies were most effective in gaining over 250K Instagram followers?

I’ve been blessed to find and cultivate a community of amazing like-minded bakers around the world. My style of food photography helped me to grow my Instagram following. As with most platforms, consistent posting has been key for me. Also, I love to interact with my audience and I choose to view social media as a two-way conversation wherever possible. Something as simple as answering comments and messages can help to foster a genuine connection with your readers.

What does a typical day look like for you as a full-time content creator?

There is no typical day in this job. Every day is different but most work days include being in the kitchen and testing recipes or styling food for a photoshoot, jumping on my computer to edit photos, writing blog posts, or planning social media content.

Jess's peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

How do you stay inspired and continuously come up with new recipes and content ideas for your audience?

Thankfully I am never short of ideas - only time! But I get most of my baking inspiration from eating out, travelling overseas, and watching The Great British Bake Off. I’m always keeping an eye out for new flavour combinations and my readers often send me their suggestions and ideas.

Can you share your process for developing, testing, and photographing your recipes?

I love this part of the job. When I’m developing a recipe, I usually have a strong idea of not only how the dessert should taste but also how it should look - with the final photo in mind. Then I get to work. Some recipes I only need to test a couple of times, but others will easily take ten times or more.

Once I’m happy with the final product, I then make and photograph the recipe. This process has changed over time as I now include step-by-step shots as well. And then I usually have to make the dish again for video content. It’s a time-consuming but very rewarding process. When I press publish on the recipe and see it finally come to life, I’m so happy!

Sweetest Menu has become a six-figure business. What were some key strategies you employed to monetise your blog and social media presence?

It took a long time for Sweetest Menu to become profitable, but I spent years doing two things: cultivating an audience and refining my skills. I love the community I’ve created. I still answer and read every comment that comes through the website. And over time, I’ve become a better baker, a better recipe writer, a better photographer - all things that have helped to grow my brand. My ‘secret’ formula would simply be consistency and not giving up.

How has the digital landscape changed since you started Sweetest Menu, and how have you adapted to those changes?

The digital landscape has changed dramatically over the last ten years. Social media was a small part of the game back then - now, many content creators are starting their journey on social media and then moving to a traditional website.

The explosion of video in the last few years and the impending AI changes to search mean things are always changing. But the foundations of being a digital content creator are still essentially the same - finding and serving an audience and creating good quality content.

My university degree taught me the value of an engaged audience and the power of innovation. A commitment to learning is key to survival.

Reflecting on your career so far, what has been the most rewarding experience or achievement?

I was proud to see my recipes published in Taste, Australia’s top-selling food magazine, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with amazing brands like KitchenAid. But to be honest, any time I get a message or comment from a reader thanking me for one of my recipes, it brings me so much joy.

Lastly – this is a bit of a fun one! If there was just one of your recipes you recommend we try, which one would it be and why?

The Sweetest Menu recipe we make the most in our house is my thick New York-style Chocolate Chip Cookies. But my Apple Cinnamon Cake is a fan favourite. You can’t go wrong!

Jessica Holmes

QUT degree - Bachelor of Mass Communication (2007) (now the Bachelor of Communication)

Have a question for Jess? Connect with her on LinkedIn.