When Millie Price's youngest child started preschool it left her with some "extra time on her hands", and soon, an idea began to form.

So in March, Mrs Price started her new business, the Baking Fairy out of her Forest Hill home.

"I have always baked. I was really fortunate that I was just taught it as a life skill when I was growing up," she said. "I am one of six, and all the kids have learned how to cook, and I love feeding people. I love food that is for celebration and enjoyment."

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When she was ready to start, Mrs Price started up a social media page and began selling boxes of treats for pickup in the area. Soon, she began building up a bit of an audience.

"In the beginning, it was playing a bit of cake roulette," Mrs Price said.

"I am in a really fortunate position starting a business. I have five kids, we know people, so if we had extra, I knew it wasn't going to waste. It wasn't a huge risk with a lot of money that I needed to outlay to start."

Mrs Price said one of the biggest factors in helping her take the leap was a skill for budgeting, one she had honed in raising her five children.

"When I first started, I thought if I could make $50 a week, that would be great," she said.

"We are pretty good at working to a tight budget. My husband did a mature age apprenticeship when we already had a couple of kids, so the budget was thin. If you can run a budget at home, then I think you have the head for business."

Mrs Price said COVID has also shown people that they have untapped skills as lockdown forced residents to get creative to keep themselves entertained.

"I think as difficult as COVID has been, it highlights how unsatisfied people are with the general nine to five life," she said.

"Everyone is overworked and stretched in a million places, especially when you add kids.

"I haven't been in paid work since I had my eldest son, and he is nearly 13, and because we have so many kids, and because of the types of parents we want to be, it would be impossible for me to go back to full-time work. So this gave me a chance to do something."

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