Welcome back to another edition of Fan Friday, the series that shines a spotlight on the depth, breadth and brilliance of UK small businesses from within the Enterprise Nation community ✨ 

This week it's the turn of Belfast-based member Alex Coyle and her business, Cake Eighty Seven.

When she first started out, Alex dreamed of creating beautifully bright and glossy cakes that could be posted straight to your door. Two years of "chocolate cracking tantrums, postal disasters, and minor meltdowns", and eighty-seven attempts later, she'd cracked it. Alex now ships her luxury postable cakes across the UK.

Read Alex's founder story below & don't forget to leave some love in the comments. ❤️

Where did the idea for postable chocolate cakes come from? 

Over the last few years I became slightly obsessed with chocolate (specifically colourful, glossy chocolate) and wanted to build a product around it. I initially considered chocolate production, but that would have meant a complete shift in business direction. Since I already had experience in cakes, I decided to combine the two and create something entirely new: a cake coated in a hard chocolate shell. 

I also wanted the business to be scalable, and to be able to sell across the UK rather than just locally. The idea of fitting the cakes neatly into cardboard tubes came later, and that’s really when everything clicked into place. 

What inspired you to start Cake Eighty Seven? 

I loved making one-off wedding cakes, but after having two children and life becoming a lot busier (and never being particularly confident about charging properly for my time) I realised I wasn’t earning enough for the hours I was putting in. I wanted to build something more scalable. 

I also wanted to create my own style of cake that could be ordered easily online. I thought: if you like it, you like it, and if you don’t, you don’t. I liked the idea of removing endless client consultations and small bespoke tweaks, and simplifying things a little. 

What’s been the biggest learning curve since launching Cake Eighty Seven? 

Chocolate. Absolutely chocolate. 

It’s the reason it took so long to get everything right - tempering, cracked shells, patchy finishes, and mistake after mistake that had to be melted down and started again. I’m very much a “shortcut” person, so learning that this process has to be followed precisely was a big adjustment. 

On top of that, figuring out packaging, sizing, and all the tiny daily decisions that come with running a product-based business has been overwhelming at times. I always thought I’d have loved someone to guide me through it, but I don’t know anyone who has started an online food business like this, so I’ve had to figure it out as I go. 

Are there any new flavours, products or ideas you’re excited about? 

Yes, lots of big ideas for the future, including what I believe could be the first-ever postable tiered wedding cake. I’m really excited about developing that. 

Longer term, I’d also love to expand into other Cake Eighty Seven-style products, such as chocolate truffles and teacakes.  

What’s one thing that keeps you motivated on tough days? 

Seeing those shiny, colourful cakes come out of the mould never gets old. It always makes me smile and reminds me why I started. 

I’ve had lots of business ideas over the years, but this is the one that’s truly stuck. I’ve never felt anything other than driven by it, so I just keep going and see where it takes me. 

See you next week for another Fan Friday! 🫶

Welcome back to another edition of Fan Friday, the series that shines a spotlight on the depth, breadth and brilliance of UK small businesses from within the Enterprise Nation community ✨

This week, we sat down with member Hedi Fountain, co-founder of City Space, an all-in-one studio space for creatives, brands, and businesses based in Chelmsford, Essex, which she runs alongside her husband Mark. 

Building a business with your partner can bring its own unique challenges, but for those considering taking the leap, Hedi shares her perspective on making it work:

“...Play to each other's strengths rather than trying to do the same job. Mark and I have different skill sets, and that's one of the reasons it works so well. Be honest, respect each other's opinions, and remember that your relationship is more important than any business decision.” 

Found out more about City Space below & don't forget to leave some love in the comments. 🫶 

What is City Space? And how do people use it?

City Space is a creative photography and video studio with a full studio set up, 2 content areas, glam are and a podcast room. We are also fully licensed with strong  barista coffee, aircon and WIFI. When clients are not using to create content we hire it out as an event space. So people use it for all sorts of things — from content creation days, podcasts and training sessions, to workshops, networking events, product launches, and small corporate gatherings. We also see a lot of photographers, coaches, and brands using it for shoots and experiential events where they want more control over the environment. 

What makes it different is that it’s built for creativity and flexibility. It’s not a “one size fits all” space — it adapts to the vision of whoever walks through the door and we absolutely love it! 

What inspired you to create City Space? 

We wanted something that would compliment our video production business but could be also really benefit the local community and something I could run without needing Mark. There is not like this in Essex, so we thought why not! 

Experiential venues like City Space are becoming increasingly popular - what do you think is driving that? 

I think people are looking for more than just four walls and a few chairs. Whether it's an event, a workshop, a networking meeting, or a content creation day, people want an experience that feels memorable and engaging. 

The way we work has changed dramatically over the last few years. More people are working remotely, running their own businesses, and building personal brands. They're looking for spaces that inspire creativity, encourage collaboration, and help them stand out. 

We're also seeing businesses move away from traditional corporate environments and towards venues that feel more authentic and flexible. They want spaces where they can connect with clients, bring teams together, create content, and host events that people genuinely enjoy attending. 

What's it like building a business with your husband? Do you have any advice for members who are considering starting a venture together? 

I genuinely love working with Mark. We share the same level of commitment, passion, and drive, and there's a huge amount of trust between us. When you're building a business, there are lots of ups and downs, and knowing that you're completely aligned on the bigger picture makes a massive difference. 

Of course, it's not always perfect! We definitely argue — usually about finances rather than the creative side of the business. And if I'm honest, we're probably guilty of never really switching off. Even on date nights we'll find ourselves talking about  clients, ideas, events, marketing, or the next opportunity. We literally live and breathe the business. 

For anyone considering starting a venture with their partner, my advice would be to play to each other's strengths rather than trying to do the same job. Mark and I have different skill sets, and that's one of the reasons it works so well. Be honest, respect each other's opinions, and remember that your relationship is more important than any business decision. Remember the woman is always right! Mark always says he wears the pants, but I tell him which ones. 

What kind of people walk through your doors? Is there a typical City Space client? 

Honestly, there really isn't a typical City Space client, and that's one of the things I love most about it. 

For example this week we hosted a women's networking event, then had an insurance professional hiring the studio to create content for his business. Yesterday someone hired it for run a first aid training course, and this weekend we're hosting the launch party for a fitness app created by a local personal trainer. 

No two days are ever the same, and that's exactly how we designed City Space to be. 

What's next for City Space - anything exciting in the pipeline?  

One of the things we’re really excited about is our content area upstairs on the mezzanine level. We change it every three months, so people can come back regularly and always have a completely different backdrop and feel for their content shoots. It keeps things creative and gives businesses a reason to return again and again. 

We’re also looking at expanding what we offer even further with a “hire it all” option. The idea is that clients won’t just have access to the space, lighting, and backdrops, but also cameras and lenses as part of their hire. It means people won’t need to rely on just their phones — they can step into a fully equipped creative studio and produce high-quality content, even if they don’t have their own gear 

See you next week for another Fan Friday! 🫶