After losing her baby boy at 22 weeks old, and her father’s cancer diagnosis, Beauly mum Shauna MacLeod decided “life’s way too short” not to follow your dreams.
That’s when she decided to start her own baking business.
“I’ve always baked,” the 29-year-old tells me.
“My dad is a good baker, I kind of got it from him.
“For years people have been saying I need to sell my cakes. I’ve just never gone for it.
“But this year, we’ve had the most horrific year ever.
“We lost our baby boy, Theo. He was born in May at 22 weeks.
“Shortly after that, my dad got diagnosed with cancer.
“And I just genuinely thought life’s way too short not to do something I enjoy.”
‘He’ll be looking down and hopefully will be proud of his little family’
Shauna started Up Tae High Dough on October 1, baking sponge cakes, cheesecakes, cupcakes, brownies and more from her home kitchen in Beauly.
“It was quite intimidating and daunting before I started, but it’s been really good,” says Shauna.
She also works as a social worker with the NHS.
“It’s a juggling act at the moment doing both, but it’s going really well,” she adds.
“And there’s the balancing act of motherhood on top of that.
“Some nights I’m baking till one in the morning, but I enjoy it so much.”
Theo, the baby who Shauna sadly lost, is an “integral part” of the business.
“The logo with the butterfly is to signify Theo,” she says.
“We always say that we’re doing everything now to make him proud as well.
“He’ll be looking down and hopefully will be proud of his little family.”
Baking has been ‘therapy’ for Beauly mum Shauna
“It has been a journey,” adds Shauna, “a difficult journey.
“Baking has almost been a therapy to all of that as well – a focus and a distraction.
“I do find it quite therapeutic.”
As a child, it was baking alongside her father which started Shauna on her journey.
“I definitely enjoyed licking the spoon and eating the cake,” laughs Shauna.
“Those are some of my fondest memories.
“My dad always baked the best scones – and still does.
“We were always making pancakes together. And I think growing up around that has helped massively.”
Success of Up Tae High Dough, Beauly
Now, Shauna can’t quite believe that she is baking orders for eager Up Tae High Dough customers.
“At the start, I thought we’ll just see how it goes, maybe we’ll get a couple of orders here and there,” she says.
“But the amount of orders has been overwhelming. I did not think that would be the case.”
Support from locals in Beauly has made all the difference, says Shauna.
She tells me: “The people locally have been so supportive. So that has made the business get off to a really good start.
“The best part of it for me is other people enjoying it – making other people happy.”
If you are struggling with any of the issues mentioned in this article, please contact:
- Cruse Scotland online for support with baby loss, or call: 0808 802 6161
- Macmillan Cancer Support online for support with cancer diagnosis, or call: 0808 808 00 00
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