Becoming President of the Retail Bakers of America
/Being a creature of curiosity has been a blessing and a curse, but it’s truly been one of my best kept secrets as to why I’ve been successful. My nickname at the bakery is “Ideas Guy” because as I delve into the things I’m curious about I’m constantly hit with ideas or aha moments. I am constantly saying “We should do x (insert idea).” Each idea is explored and inevitably becomes an undertaking; both the success and failure of every idea has been valuable. Exploring an idea can lead to frustration and disappointment, but therein lies the discovery that the idea is not fruitful. On paper and in discussions it looks and sounds great, but in reality it doesn’t translate production wise. Other times ideas have helped improve a process or create a new product.
Amie Smith and Scott Calvert
IBIE: The largest baking trade show in the WEstern Hemisphere
Years before opening the bakery in Osterville, I was trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible about running a bakery. Trade shows are the perfect vehicle for learning, networking, and discovering products and technology. In 2013, a google search serendipitously discovered a show called the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE)—and it only occurs every three years. While I didn’t even have my location yet, I seized the opportunity. I registered and booked a flight to Las Vegas.
I came home, opened my bakery a year later, and I’ve gone to IBIE every three years since. In 2019 I took three of my employees with me; we attended classes, had team dinners together and even attended a show with David Copperfield, I arranged a post-show meet and greet as a surprise. We had just opened 1254 Main Street six months before and I wanted to share the show experience and take advantage of all the training—and reward the team for helping to launch our new location.
Bronwen Weber teaching ‘Piping Buttercream’ in 2019
Bronwen Weber and the Retail Bakers of America
I had always admired Bronwen Weber’s cake work on the Food Network. At IBIE, she was teaching a class on piping buttercream. I never miss an opportunity to learn from the best! I approached her after class and asked if she would consider teaching at AMIE Académie. “Sure,” she said with a big smile, and she took my business card.
Bronwen Weber and Amie Smith, 2019
That fall, Bronwen called me. For the next six months we worked on class content, a press release, and email campaigns. It was exciting to plan her visit from Texas, and that we would be hosting our first guest chef for a series of classes—all in our new, beautiful location. Bronwen’s face was all over the bakery in signage, there was no stone unturned in our promotional efforts. Then, COVID started and everything was canceled. It was the first of many pandemic-related disappointments.
We persevered, rescheduling her appearance for summer 2021 and reposted the new class dates. Unfortunately, tickets didn’t sell. The pandemic was lingering on and a lot of people were still leery about coming to classes. We pulled the plug yet again, after investing a great deal of time trying to get the classes launched. As much as it bothered me to cancel her classes, a new friendship was the silver lining.
During that period of time while Bronwen and I were continually connecting over the classes, we got to know each other. Unbeknownst to me, she nominated me for a position on the Retail Bakers of America’s (RBA) board of directors.
New Beginnings
I received an email from one of the board members, Scott Calvert, who told me someone had thrown my hat in the ring for a potential board position with the RBA. When he asked if I’d be interested in joining, it was a resounding yes, and we set up my interview.
I was nervous for my interview, and as soon as the zoom call ended, I closed my laptop, turned to my team, and announced, “I bombed my interview!” I thought I had squandered the opportunity and felt so disappointed. A couple of months later Bronwen hinted that I’d be getting a nice surprise, so with a wink-wink I knew I had been accepted to the RBA board of directors.
The prospect of being part of the board, helping the industry I love, and getting to know all the people that are a part of it was such a boost. I remember Bronwen introducing me to John Lupo of Grandma’s Bakery—to me, John was an industry legend. I was at his lecture on How to Organize a Bakery during my very first IBIE show and it was so funny and chock filled with great tips that I still refer to that document to this day.
Bronwen Weber and Amie Smith in Chicago, 2022
I headed to my first board meeting, which was at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago at McCormick Place. Chicago is also a place where I have special friends, Steve McDonagh, Dan Smith, Gale Gand, and Paula Krapf—more on these connections later.
At the board meeting it was clear from the outset that this was a fun, vibrant group and everyone had a great energy. Before arriving in Chicago, Bronwen reached out and said, “Let’s get dinner!” Admittedly I was a little nervous and a bit starstruck that my chef hero wanted to have dinner with me, but you’ll never meet anyone more down to earth, kind, and humble than Bronwen. We ate at The Purple Pig and had a great time—there’s nothing like dining with other foodies and chefs. Having dinner together became a tradition at each meeting location.
Dinner with Bronwen Weber, 2022
Bronwen recently left the RBA board and cake business after a long, successful career. She pivoted from sculpting cake to sculpting clay. She’s an incredible artist and I know she will crush her new endeavor. The Ann Arbor Art Fair, which hosts hundreds of vendors from all over the country, was being held during my recent in-person board meeting. I walked around the last day of the fair, which was the day before our meetings started. I’m always curious to see what the food vendors are offering, in addition to finding or looking at art. I messaged Bronwen and recommended that she exhibit at the next show.
While she’s hung up her piping bag and left the RBA, I have gained a forever friend and we’ll be getting together in other cities to have some fun.
THE RETAIL BAKERS OF AMERICA BOARD MEMBERS, chicago, july 2024
The search for a PResident
This spring, Scott emailed me asking for a meeting time. My “spidey” sense was firing on all signals because this was out of the ordinary.
“Scott, is there anything I need to do to prepare for the meeting?”
“I didn’t mean to sound mysterious,” he said and assured me that everything was fine.
On the phone he asked if I’d be interested in becoming President of the Board. It was a non-committal inquiry, he was doing the rounds, but ultimately it was decided that I was the gal for the job: I was going to become the President of the RBA.
Passing the Gavel
I recently returned from Ann Arbor for this year’s in-person board meeting. We were attending ZingTrain, the training program that is part of Zingerman’s (more on this trip in another post) where we revised our mission statement and built our strategic plan. I was officially installed as president with a motion to do so and a second to that motion.
The Retail Bakers of America Board members, chicago, july 2024
I’m so proud of the RBA organization and what it does for baking professionals. I am honored that my peers believe in me to lead the organization. I know how to help execute the vision with this uber-talented team behind me. We have five new board members and a new executive director, and together we can grow RBA and leverage my years of branding and marketing knowledge to help take things to the next level. By the end of my role as president, I’ll be a published author. This is a great time of manifesting great things; it’s also been a pivotal shift in my career.
It’s hard to articulate how much the board experience has enriched my coffers professionally with knowledge and expertise as well as broadening my network. We talk about issues and problems in the industry, we workshop ideas.
Full Circle
Working has always been my salvation. It’s an escape. It’s therapy. It’s joy. It’s maddening. But I love the business of baking. We’re in our tenth year of business at AMIE® Bakery, and my friend Alane, who’s been watching this journey as long as anybody, said to me “from zero to president in 10!” We both look at each other in disbelief and laugh like crazy!
When I think about how far I’ve come in the past decade it does seem surreal. The RBA’s potential is boundless and I’m excited to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Everything has come full circle. All the years in corporate marketing, writing, teaching, baking, and business ownership have been preparing me for this role as president and to plan the bakery’s future.
I look forward to meeting and connecting with all those who’ve gotten involved in the industry, and I’m honored to have been chosen to serve the community on a national scale. I will strive to serve this industry well and it’s a joy to get started.
Your friend,
Amie
Fore more information, press releases, and RBA membership information visit the official website of Retail Bakers of America.
