The skyrocketing success of hometown juggernaut CAKES Body started as many new businesses do - as a side hustle. Knowing firsthand that in order to feel good in any outfit, women need to feel good underneath it all, Fairfield resident Taylor Capuano and her twin sister Casey set out to solve this common fashion problem. Launched in 2022, CAKES are grippy inserts designed for workout, lounge, and swimwear, providing the perfect coverage - making all close-fitting tops comfortable and giving their diverse customers, women in all stages of their lives, a renewed sense of confidence.
Without big budgets or funding, the once fledgling brand leaned into TikTok, creating content to generate a following from scratch. They immediately started building a community that largely grew their customer base. The first video that went viral was a critical turning point in the business and a testament to the impact of social media when you have a worthy product line. It has become an essential pillar of Taylor's values of lifting up other entrepreneurs by sharing some of the secrets of her success, "We would not have a business if it weren't for TikTok. I wish more people knew about the power of social media when bootstrapping a business because I think more people would feel empowered to start businesses. We started with zero dollars in a marketing budget, no investors, no existing social media presence and really focused on showcasing our solutions on TikTok. We went from a few hundred units a month to thousands of units overnight to thousands of units over lunch."
Another cornerstone of the company is giving back. From the start, CAKES Body has been committed to using its platform to support and educate on women's health. $1 of every purchase is donated to breast cancer causes. Taylor notes, "Our first customer email was from a woman who said 'CAKES changed my life' - we were completely blown away. She was a young breast cancer survivor. Because our covers are delicate on the skin, she was able to get the gentle coverage she needed. It made us realize there was a much deeper purpose for us and this company, and it has inspired so many new solutions that we are working on now." That mission is impressive and powerful as CAKES Body has currently donated over $ 1 million to breast cancer research.
With CAKES's continued success and its growing impact on their community, Taylor and her team are just getting started. New product launches and collaborations are on the horizon, "We are coming out with some amazing "lift" solutions in partnership with a handful of celebrity stylists this Fall going into fashion week in hopes of making these stylist secrets more accessible to the everyday woman." There's no gatekeeping here. Access is at the core of the brand's success - from highlighting women's health needs to supporting other small business owners; CAKES Body is a company for women by women. As Taylor notes, "The beauty in our story is that it is very simple and very grassroots. We always say if we can do it, anyone can. It's been a very empowering experience."
cakesbody.com @cakesbody
Taylor's Fairfield Favorites:
Family fun: Picnics at Sacco
Sweat Sesh: Yoga Synergy
Working mom hack: Over-invest in your support system
Date night: Sinclair
Recharge: New Beauty Wellness
Give Back: Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester
IG must follow: @BusinessSocialistas and @Paigem_Souza