Maegan Brown stands on tip-toe at her kitchen island. She snaps a photo of the beef tenderloin she’s preparing and surveys the result. “Oh, that looks so good,” she says, beaming. It does look good. And it smells even better. But it’s not for eating — at least, not just yet. There’s an elaborate photo shoot to arrange (the iPhone shot is just a test) before it’s time to dig in.
The Business of Domesticity
Brown is the machine behind The BakerMama, a popular cooking and lifestyle blog homegrown here in Dallas. But lest anyone mistake Brown for a caterer, she’s quick to clear up any misconceptions. With no interest in feeding the masses, Brown’s hands are full enough with an adoring husband, four energetic kids, a thriving business, and a second cookbook coming in the new year. Instead, she says she’s in the business of inspiring.
“I want to inspire people to make these recipes for — and with — their own families.”
And the inspiration business is booming. Her popular cookbook, Beautiful Boards, routinely sells out on Amazon, a frustration she’s becoming accustomed to. Brown is well known for her snack boards — attractive, often playful food arrangements on wood boards that are handcrafted by her dad. Brown markets the book, and even the boards themselves, as thoughtful hostess gifts. But, she adds with a sly smile, they also make the perfect gift for realtors to give their clients.
“Nothing says ‘welcome home’ like a beautiful gift for entertaining in your new house. It’s very personal,” she said.
Brown feels a certain … entrepreneurial kinship to real estate agents, the mothers who choose flexible work to fill in the emotional and financial gaps while their children are young. She understands the drive. And while The BakerMama started as a hobby, it became a business — one that comes with all the benefits and responsibilities.
“I’m able to generate income and employ others,” she said. “But it also means I have an obligation to the brand, to my employees, and my family budget. It’s become a big part of our lifestyle.”
The BakerMama Redefines ‘Home Work’
Like many in this strange pandemic life, Brown works out of her home. But unlike those of us itching to return to our offices, Brown is in no such hurry. Her business began in her kitchen nine years ago, and while the address may have changed, the kitchen still serves as the beating heart of The BakerMama. As her work has grown in its level of commitment, she considered moving to an off-site office suite. But Brown always came back to the same idea: her business is her home.
“It would take away from what I do, which is share what we eat and how we come around the table. All of that happens in the home,” she said. “When I’m creating recipes, I pull from our pantry, from our fridge, the food that we eat. I feel like that’s important.”
Home is where Brown feels inspired and in-touch with her work.
An Open-Concept Life
Blurred lines between work and home don’t bother Brown. In fact, she prefers it that way. If anything, she recognizes the privilege in a work-life balance many people struggle to achieve in traditional business structures.
“I have a large, busy family, and if a kid needs me and I’m testing a recipe or in the middle of a photoshoot, motherhood is the priority,” she said. “Yes, the downside is not being able to cut it off. There is always something that can be done for The BakerMama. But I have a pulse on the family while I’m working. I can be working at night. I can make dinner and test it as a recipe for a client. Some of my best ideas come from things I’m doing for my kids.”
Brown wants her children to see her labors. Growing up with a working mom, she knows firsthand how valuable those lessons can be.
“I love that they see I am working. They see a playful job in what I do. Even though I have to be serious about deadlines, nothing I do is so serious,” she said. “They see that I am passionate about what I do. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love this.”
