When my husband took this photo, I had just brushed buttercream out of my hair and wiped a confectioners’ sugar explosion off the floor. My daughter helped decorate this sprinkle-loaded 6 inch cake and we’re celebrating something huge!
Milestone.
A significant marker in our lives pinpointing a momentous event. This month, I reached one and I hope you’ll celebrate with me. Afterall, I wouldn’t have reached it without you!!!
In December 2011, I started a food blog that unbeknownst to me would someday host 1,200 recipes used by millions of bakers all over the world. I still cannot wrap my head around it.
I feel I could easily turn this post into a novel with all that has gone into building this career over the past 10 years, but I will keep it short because truly—what I want to convey is just how thankful I am for everyone who bakes, trusts, shares, and enjoys my recipes as well as everyone who helped me get to this point including my absolutely wonderful and mighty SBA team.
When I pressed publish for the first time 10 years ago, I had no idea how much weight that mindless click would hold. My intention was to put cookie recipes in a place for my friends and family to see them, a solution I thought would be easier than emailing recipes to loved ones. I had a full time job and was absolutely not looking for a career change—heck, I had no idea that people even made a career out of food blogging. (It was rare back then.) I took pictures of cookies on paper plates with my fancy new smartphone. I typed vague instructions on my blog, uploaded a photo, and forwarded the link to loved ones. That’s it. That was my food blog. Instagram and Facebook pages were barely new at the time—social media for content creators was in its infant stage. Recipe videos were mostly limited to cooking shows on TV.
So what happened in the past 10 years?
Well, I built a brand from scratch! In 2011, I had never picked up a fancy camera before, never wrote professionally, never owned a business, never managed employees, never wrote a book, and knew nothing about website development. But I had passion and grit—and I believe both are the secrets to entrepreneurial success. I began to build a community who would soon share my recipes with others and before I knew it 1 follower turned into 100 and then 1,000 and then 100,000 and now there are millions of bakers looking at my recipes and sharing heartfelt stories, memories, and traditions based around the content I’ve created.
IT’S SURREAL. THANK YOU.
It’s no secret that baking can spread joy and perhaps it’s become your hobby or an activity when you need to relax or escape. Thank you for making my recipes part of your world.
What’s next? A website refresh & redesign coming in January! Finishing my cookbook proposal so cookbook #4 can happen! Developing quality baking recipes, authoring my blog posts, taking all of my own photography, and managing a trusted and knowledgeable team! These are my professional priorities for (hopefully) more decades to come. But after 10 years of hustling, it feels remarkably rewarding to slow down and reflect on what I’ve created. And without YOU + my supportive family, friends, and team + all of the blogging friends I’ve met along the way, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.
Thank you so much for being here. Bake something delicious today!!!!
Happy Baking xo,
Sally
Reader Comments and Reviews
Love your blog and now that I’m retired I bake a lot more! Thanks for all your inspiration and recipes.
Congratulations!! I have learned some great tricks and techniques from your blog. Every recipe I have tried is delish. This morning I passed out small bags of cookies to my customers-workers they were so excited. Several recipes were from your website and I shared your info with them. Thanks for making my baking better!!!
Congratulations!!! Your my go to site! Thank you, Thank you!
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!
Congratulations!!!! I am fairly new to your blog, but have so enjoyed everything I have made so far…THANK YOU for all you do,,,and again, a big congratulations to you and your family!
Congratulations!! I found you bc my niece wanted a rainbow cake & I baked her your funfetti single layer cake many years ago & I’ve been hooked ever since ! My family & friends know when it means when I say it’s a Sally’s when descent baked goods!
Congratulations to you!! I just recently found your blog, but I’ve already tried more of your recipes than days I’ve followed you! Thanks so much for so graciously sharing your recipes. It’s all such good stuff!
Congratulations!! I love your recipes and your stories and your passion! Here’s to the next 10 years!
Congratulations, Sally I have become a better baker using your recipes and tips. I’m sure the next 10 years will be even better. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Congratulations!!! 10 years of great baking and wonderful recipes has made their way into my home!!!! Thank you for all your hard work and commentary before each recipe!!! Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and The Gingerbread cookies are a must bake every Christmas!!! Looking forward to the next 10!!!
Congratulations . Happy 10 Years , Sally.
Congratulations Sally!!! I ever need a recipe, I immediately come here. You are the best!! Thank you so much!! Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family!!
Congratulations! Can’t wait to see what comes next. Bless you and your family for the holidays! 🙂
Congratulations! I love your blog & your recipes! I have recommended your cookbooks & blog to friends & family!
Wow!!! Congratulations!! Your website is amazing and you post amazing recipes that are flavorful and fun. You make the hard recipes look easy and make them easy for all bakers. I hope this blog will last many many more years.
Congratulations Sally! What an accomplishment! I’m so thankful for you and your blog. You’ve been such an inspiration to me and helped me open the door to my passion for baking. Your recipes have helped me gain self-confidence in the kitchen and now I’m creating my own recipes while using all your tips and tricks. I’ve become a vegan in the last year but I still make as many recipes from you as I can and I still read all your blog posts. I’ve been following you for the past 4 years and hopefully many more to come.
Congratulations, Sally! Your blog is beautiful, your recipes are irresistable, and your instructions are foolproof! Thank you for clicking ‘send’ 10 years ago. You’ve opened my eyes to a whole new world! Looking forward to what the next 10 years bring!
You have been an inspiration to me, a home baker for over fifty years. I appreciate your clear, scientific explanations for all of your delicious recipes. Since I found your web site five years ago, my friends and neighbors have been treated to many, many of your creations. I think that baking is a form of showing love and caring to others. You have helped me by providing
so many varied, tasty, beautiful things to share with others.
Thank you for your work. Congratulations, deal Sally!
Congratulations Sally! Thanks to you, I was able to conquer the pie crust. I love your recipes and videos. You are very easy to follow and I appreciate that. Here’s hoping for ten more years of recipes and direction.
You have been an inspiration to me, a home baker for over fifty years. I appreciate your clear, scientific explanations for all of your delicious recipes. Since I found your web site five years ago, my friends and neighbors have been treated to many, many of your creations. I think that baking is a form of showing love and caring to others. You have helped me by providing
so many varied, tasty, beautiful things to share with others.
Thank you for your work. Congratulations, deal Sally!
Congratulations!!!! Your recipes have been a part of my family. We appreciate you.
Happy 10 Years!!!!!
Congratulations Sally! A bunch of your recipes have become my family’s favourites. I can’t wait to see what you come up with over the next 10 years and more!
Congratulations Sally! You have worked hard and it’s hard a great payoff! I love & depend on your trusted recipes. Thank you for going through all the trial and error to make life easier for the rest of us. SO proud of you! Thanks for all you do…up up and away. Can’t wait to see what the new year brings! XO
Congratulations Sally i love all your recipes!!
CONGRATULATIONS Sally!! What an accomplishment!! And I thank you sincerely for sharing your wonderful recipes so that I can make them for my family and friends. You are terrific!!
Congratulations! I don’t know what I would do without all of your delicious recipes and helpful tips. Here’s to 10 more years!
Congratulations!!! Your website and recipes are my FIRST stop for inspiration.
Happy 10th anniversary ! Love your site ! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
Congratulations Sally! Such a wonderful accomplishment. I found your website in 2016, the year my husband passed away. Your blog really kept me going. I always loved to bake but stopped when work got so busy and than my husband got sick. After my husband passed I also retired and somehow I found your blog which gave me a new passion for baking. I love all of your recipes and your passion for baking is contagious. Thank you so much for all that you do to help us your readers have a successful experience. Looking forward to book # 4.
Thanks for allowing us to become a part of your baking family over the last 10 years – your boundless enthusiasm for creating the perfect recipe has been endlessly inspiring, and has carried me through some challenging times over the last decade. Can’t wait to see what 2022 and cookbook #4 will entail!
Sally, CONGRATULATIONS on 10 years of doing what you love; your passion for baking shines through! So happy to have discovered your blog!