Her Biz June & July 2024 Winner
Owner of organic, vegan cake company, Cloud Pixie Cakes, wins £500 to jumpstart her business from the NatWest funded Her Biz Start Up Business workshops.
With a focus on creating great tasting and nutritional products, Claudine Ernstzen aims to produce affordable, high-quality treats for several recognised dietary lifestyles through her start-up ‘Cloud Pixie Cakes’.
Claudine won £500 towards her start-up costs for Cloud Pixie Cakes after taking part in the NatWest funded Her Biz start-up workshop programme in June & July 2024, and submitting her winning business plan to the following optional competition, which is open to all participants.
The Her Biz programme, which is delivered by Let’s Do Business Group and supported by NatWest bank, consists of 4 x 2-hour workshops over 4 weeks, and aims to increase entrepreneurship by breaking down the barriers between women and starting or growing a business. Delivered virtually over Zoom by our expert business coach, the programme has been a long running success since it launched over 5 years ago.
What is Cloud Pixie Cakes?
Cloud Pixie Cakes produces and sells raw vegan, minimally processed cakes and sweet treats, catering to various dietary preferences including vegan, gluten-free, and low sugar. Founded on core values of integrity, quality, and sustainability, Cloud Pixie Cakes aims to redefine healthy eating and lifestyle choices. With a vision to integrate the brand into mainstream, Claudine’s goal is to reshape perceptions surrounding health-conscious diets and habits.
After first-hand experience of food addiction, the powerlessness it brings, and the devastating effects emotional eating can have on health, Claudine, also known as Cloud, went on a wellness journey. With determination and resilience, she has been able to use her knowledge to build her business and support others facing similar challenges.
“It has taken me a lifetime to gain control of my emotional overeating and overcome the addiction to food that has held me back and caused devastating problems in my life. It is my priority to deliver a business that promotes eating healthily in a fun and accessible way, and to share my story and products with a wide audience.”
Aiming to create affordable and high-quality products without compromising on her core values and ethos, Cloud Pixie Cakes addresses the needs of several recognised dietary lifestyles - including vegan, gluten free and low sugar (suitable for type 2 diabetics). Over the last four years, Claudine has developed her product range with her standout item being the ‘Raw Chocolate Brownie’ which has been sold at a range of festivals and wholefood shops across parts of East Sussex and Brighton. In addition to this, she plans to also focus on highlighting two other products – the ‘Raw Pizza Slice’ and ‘Raw Energy Balls’.
“The Raw Chocolate Brownie is a highly attractive, accessible and decadent feel-good treat and is vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free. The brownie is suitable for vegans, those following a gluten free diet (including Coeliac Disease), Type 2 diabetics and those who wish to avoid refined sugar.”
Wishing to see meaningful and lasting change in the food industry, Claudine’s goal is to move away from highly processed foods which contain high amounts of sugar, salt, and additives. Having recently undertaken training in Food Allergies and Intolerances, Claudine plans to study for and complete an MSc degree in Nutrition.
Alongside her start-up venture, Claudine has been making waves as a multi-genre DJ in Brighton over the last year! She has also been running her second business ‘Claudine Cleans’ for over four years, developing a good relationship within the local community. Her long-term plan is to grow and develop both of her businesses, with the goal to expand nationally, and one day, release a recipe book!
Finding the Her Biz programme
Claudine joined the Her Biz Start Up Business Workshop to gain some clarity on the practicalities of starting her own business, and how she could set about making her ideas for Cloud Pixie Cakes a success.
The Her Biz Women’s Start Up Business Workshops, delivered through 4 x 2-hour sessions, covers everything from sales, marketing, finance, and business planning; and from this, Claudine was able to create her plan of making Cloud Pixie Cakes official, and how she could turn her hobby into a full-time business. After completing series of workshops, Claudine submitted her business plan to the subsequent competition, which is open to all attendees, and won the £500 prize towards her start-up costs.
“I am very grateful to have found the Her Biz programme at just the right time, to provide me with the specialist information and support to help me get Cloud Pixie Cakes off the ground. The delivery of the programme was excellent, and I found it very beneficial for my learning to have more established female entrepreneurs as guest speakers during the sessions. I felt very comfortable and seen during the sessions, and felt supported by the other participants. Having a support network at this stage of my business development has been a lifeline, as it can be a very isolating experience. Thankfully, Her Biz has not only bolstered my knowledge and practical skills about how to set up a business, it has also been a very good sharing experience allowing me to connect with other female run small business start-ups in the local area.”
Having completed the Her Biz programme with a renewed motivation for moving Cloud Pixie Cakes forward, Claudine is now planning to look into commercial kitchen and storage facilities available to rent to further help with the expansion of her business. She also plans to stock up on raw ingredients and kitchen equipment, allowing her to make her products in greater volumes more efficiently.
“It was great getting to know Claudine during Her Biz, she showed that she is clearly entrepreneurial having two businesses that she wanted to pursue but her passion to grow Cloud Pixie Cakes shone through . She presented a very thorough and in-depth business plan which highlighted that she had taken onboard all of the learnings from the workshops. I wish her all the very best in this new venture.”
All the team at Let’s Do Business Group wish Claudine and Cloud Pixie Cakes the best of luck!