Husband and wife team, Kim and Paul Sharwood, share their business story with us. Sargents has such a long-standing history and we wanted to know all about it! Thanks to Kim and Paul for opening your doors and sharing your success with us.
- How old is the business?
Established 1952…so 66 years old!
- Where did the name Sargents come from?
Jim Sargent established the business in 1952. Paul’s Dad Barry lived next door to him. Jim only had one daughter who showed no interest in being involved with the business, so he asked Barry’s parents if Barry could begin work at Sargent’s as an apprentice. Barry was like the son he never had. Barry and Jim worked together until Jim retired and Barry bought the business in 1982. He decided to honour Jim by keeping the name Sargent’s Cakes. When Paul and I took over the business in 1997, changing the name wasn’t even a consideration. The name Sargent’s Cakes is synonymous with Reservoir, and the people of Reservoir don’t like change!
- Who owns the business now?
Paul and Kim Sharwood.
- Congratulations on being a super husband and wife team. How do you do it? What’s the secret to your success because not every husband and wife can work together!
I believe that as a couple, both in business and at home, we have a lot of respect and love for one another. We have been together since we were 14 years old, so we know each other extremely well. As far as the business is concerned, Paul starts very early in the mornings and his focus is on the production and quality control of the goods. I work part-time at the business, and my focus when I am there is on the staff and of course the customers. When problems arise within the business, we always openly discuss our options/solutions, and we make sure we are on the same page. A lot of the time Paul will have the answers to any manufacturing issues, due to his extensive knowledge in that area, (which I don’t have!)
- Which social media platform do you use and what is the name so that we can find it?
We have a website (www.sargentscakes.com.au), that is not utilised much since our introduction to Instagram, (sargents_cakes). It is much more time effective to post a cake photo and description on Instagram.
- What makes you smile at work?
Paul…” Seeing the shop full of customers, lining up to give us their money!” Kim…” Having a chat with customers who have become like family over the years; banter with my staff; looking at the final result of a beautiful cake that our decorators have completed!”
- You must have such a loyal customer following. How do you ensure that your quality and service keeps up to date with customers’ expectations?
We do have a huge local following. Many customers have been coming to us for over 50 years! Great enthusiasm and lots of hard work and time are dedicated to making sure that customers return. They expect a friendly greeting, knowledgeable and reliable information on our goods, a clean and appealing shop, and of course food that tastes amazing! This is achieved through the training and supervision of our staff; making sure that they know what our expectations are of them and for our customers. Our staff are very loyal many have worked for Sargent’s Cakes for over 20 years! The main drawcard for Sargent’s Cakes is that we bake fresh daily you can’t beat an apple pie or jam donut that has just come out of the oven!
- In a family business, they say success lies in each other knowing their strengths and weaknesses. What business roles [hats] do each of you do [wear?]. For example, who looks after the HR, who looks after the finances etc.?
Paul is a qualified pastry cook. He is hands on every morning, six days a week, making all the pies and cakes that we sell. I work part-time at the shop and work at home keeping the finances under control, doing the bookwork and answering emails/enquiries. Paul does not do technology, so needless to say all the HR falls into my hands. One of my young decorators has taken over the Instagram page from me, as she is more tech-savvy and more in tune with the lingo!
- You’ve been a client of McPhail and Partners for many years. How would you describe what it is that they do?
McPhails have looked after us the whole time we have owned Sargent’s Cakes, and also when Barry had the business. They give us peace of mind that our accounting needs are being managed by qualified accountants who have the knowledge to keep our business out of strife with the Tax Office (!) and running as efficiently as possible. They offer us advice and are always available to help us when we have enquiries.
- What motivates you every day?
Running and maintaining a successful business that people love to visit keeps us both motivated every day. Knowing that people are enjoying our food gives us great pleasure. Of course, wanting to provide for our family and to continue to provide us with a lovely lifestyle motivates us as well.
- How has retail changed for your business over the years?
Retail has changed for us over the years. We have a younger demographic moving into the area, so the demand for different products has increased. Customer expectations are higher than before, and value for money is extremely important. It is not as busy as the good old days, with competition from other bakeries and the big supermarkets. However, we have learnt to adjust to this. Our prices are very reasonable, and our quality is always high, so we know that Sargent’s Cakes is here to stay!!
Thanks Kim and Paul and congratulations on a wonderful success story.