When an Aberdeen woman noticed a chance at her dream of opening her own cafe, she grabbed it with both hands.
Leanne Flockhart has run Sweet Mumma’s Kitchen on Palmerston Road since 2020.
After spending 11 years running Jo Jingles music and movement classes in the Granite City, she found a chance to follow her dreams.
Leanne answered our questions on her biggest struggles, achievements and more.
How and why did you start in business?
It was my dream was to open my own cafe.
Not only did I want to serve high-quality food and drink, but I also wanted to run my business from a cool and quirky space.
I was inspired by places I’d seen in larger cities, and I felt like it was something Aberdeen was missing.
Sadly, franchising constraints made this impossible with the music and movement business.
Once the time was right to move on, I started looking to find the perfect place, and I wanted it to be special and unique.
When the previous Sweet Mumma’s Kitchen ceased trading in the pandemic, I had a vision and knew this was the opportunity for me.
How did you get to where you are today?
As soon as I saw this space, I loved it, and I could envisage how to make it my own.
However, it was a steep learning curve. I’d never run a cafe before, and I was opening during the pandemic.
My love of creating a warm, welcoming environment for every customer has made Sweet Mumma’s Kitchen a favourite of the local community.
Attention to detail, from the quality of the ingredients we source to the personalised customer service we offer, ensures that every visitor feels like family.
One customer has even commented that it’s like her second home when she comes to sit and read with a coffee.
Who helped you?
My family have been a source of support since the beginning. They’re always on hand to help or even just listen to new ideas.
Of course, I have fantastic and loyal staff.
My limited staff turnover means that customers get to know us, we get to know many of them by name, and we even know their favourite orders.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?
When in business, it’s okay to say no.
What is your biggest mistake?
Not doing this years ago.
What is your greatest achievement?
This year alone, we’ve won four awards, all of which have been voted for by our customers or achieved through an in-depth interview process.
Last month brought a surprise nomination for the Business Women Connections (BWC) Athena Awards in Aberdeen.
Although we didn’t win the overall prize, we were awarded highly commended for hospitality and tourism.
Being a woman in business award, this meant a huge amount to me.
These awards aren’t everything, but importantly, they show we’re doing something right in the eyes of our customers.
How are you managing rapidly rising costs, and how could the government help?
The costs since opening have almost doubled. It’s tough to keep on top of pricing and stay competitive.
The VAT rate being lowered for hospitality would be a huge help, for sure.
What do you still hope to achieve?
I would love to have a dedicated events space. Maybe one day.
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