Building Relationships: Blue Apple Books and Beyond
I never expected a book launch to change my business.
But in March 2025, I showed up at Blue Apple Books to vend at the "Sunrise on the Reaping" release event, and that morning set off a chain of connections that reshaped how I think about community and support.
It started with Blue Apple. But it didn't end there.
How Blue Apple Happened
I'd been doing Third Thursday events on Main Street during summer 2024 — June through August — setting up my table, selling bread and treats, getting my name out there in downtown Madison.
In early 2025, Robin, the owner of Blue Apple Books, reached out. She was planning a book launch event for "Sunrise on the Reaping" and asked if I'd be interested in providing some pastries to go with it.
I said yes immediately.
Not just because it was another sales opportunity — though it was — but because Blue Apple felt like my kind of space.
Why Blue Apple Fits
I've always been a reader. Books have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. So standing in front of a bookstore, surrounded by people who love stories and support local businesses? That's my people.
Blue Apple has this cozy, curated vibe. Robin knows her customers. She'll get you anything you're looking for, but she also creates this sense of discovery — you walk in looking for one book and leave with others you didn't know you needed.
That's the kind of business I want to be associated with. Thoughtful. Personal. Quality over quantity.
The Book Launch
March 18th, 2025. 5am.
Yes, 5am. For a book launch for "Sunrise on the Reaping." Very on-brand.
It wasn't a huge crowd — it was 5am, after all — but the people who pre-ordered their books showed up. There was excitement in the air. Coffee. Pastries. Books. Good energy despite the early hour.
And I met people that morning who would become part of my story.
After my second event at Blue Apple, I reached out to Robin about the possibility of doing regular Friday pop-ups. I wanted a second consistent space to meet my community and sell — something outside of Thursday night markets.
She said yes.
How Friday Pop-Ups Work
Several Friday mornings a month (weather permitting), I set up my table on the sidewalk in front of Blue Apple Books on Main Street.
It's a different crowd than Thursday night markets. These are people finishing a Pure Barre class next door, grabbing lunch, browsing for books, or just strolling Main Street. Some are picking up pre-orders from Thursday's market. Others are discovering me for the first time.
And logistically? It's perfect. I bake Thursday for Providence Market that evening, and Friday morning I bring what's left — plus any Friday pre-orders — to Blue Apple. Both events happen within my 24-hour bake window, which means I'm maximizing one production day across two completely different customer bases.
That efficiency matters when you're a one-woman show.
The Connection That Changed Everything
That morning at the book launch, I met Lauren.
She's a co-founder of Madison Mompreneur, a group that supports moms who own businesses. She also teaches part-time at Pure Barre next door, and she came in that morning for the event.
We started talking. About business. About being moms. About the challenge of building something of your own while managing a household, raising kids, and wearing all the other hats we wear.
And she invited me to join Madison Mompreneur.
What Madison Mompreneur Gave Me
I didn't realize how much I needed that group until I had it.
For the first time, I had a community of women who got it. Who understood the dream of having something of your own. Who were passionate about their ideas and also deeply committed to their families.
They understood what it's like to work your business around your family's schedule — early mornings, late nights, whatever it takes. They understood the hustle of building something sustainable without sacrificing what matters most.
Co-working space. I could show up and focus solely on admin tasks, social media planning, research, menu development — all the backend work that's hard to do at home with distractions. There's something powerful about working in a room full of other women who are also building their businesses. It's accountability and community at the same time.
Marketing support. They repost everything I do on social media. They share my business with their networks. They amplify my voice in ways I couldn't do alone.
Connection. They introduced me to other moms who are also local business owners, potential partners, people who may be looking for exactly what I was offering.
If I hadn't gone to that 5am book launch at Blue Apple, I might never have met Lauren. I might never have joined this group. And I would have missed out on one of the most supportive communities I've found.
How One Yes Leads to the Next
Here's what I've learned: relationships build on each other.
Third Thursday on Main Street led to Blue Apple noticing me.
Robin's invitation to the book launch led to Friday pop-ups.
The book launch led to meeting Lauren.
Meeting Lauren led to joining Madison Mompreneur.
And all of it — the partnerships, the support, the community — came from showing up and saying yes to opportunities that felt right.
None of it was strategic networking in the business sense. It was just being open. Connecting with people who shared my values. Letting relationships grow naturally.
Blue Apple gave me a Main Street presence and a partnership with someone who genuinely believes in what I'm doing.
Madison Mompreneur gave me a community of women who understand the unique challenge of being a mom and a business owner.
And all of it started because I said yes to a 5am book launch.
Thanks for being here.
— Courtenay 💙
