The Bakery Focus Group

In a small town nestled between hills, there was a baker named Meera. Her cupcakes were the talk of the town, but sales had plateaued. She tried changing ingredients, offering discounts—but nothing worked. One day, a market researcher named Asha entered her shop. Instead of asking about frosting flavors or pricing, Asha asked, “Why do people come to your bakery in the first place?” They sat together for hours. Asha conducted mini-interviews with regulars. She didn’t bring charts. She brought conversation. Turns out, Meera’s cupcakes reminded people of childhood. The handwritten thank-you notes, the quiet jazz in the background, the smell of vanilla—it was comfort, not cost, that mattered. Asha helped Meera reposition her bakery as a “bite of nostalgia.” A tiny corner became a storytelling wall with customer memories. Sales soared—not just because of product changes, but because Meera finally understood the why behind the what. Like Sue says, “As long as we have humans, we’ll need to talk to humans.” And sometimes, all it takes is the right conversation to change everything.