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Business By GHOST_USER_NAME Updated 24 Jul 2006 , 1:30am by lionladydi

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GHOST_USER_NAME Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 7:23pm
post #1 of 10

I've been considering starting a side business for some time, but I lack confidence! I'm self-taught - - been doing cakes for family for more than 20 years. After the response I got at my son's birthday party yesterday, people are practically INSISTING I do this as a business. I just don't know whether I can make it worth my time. I will attach my latest cake - what do you think I could get for it? I'm in the FAR west Chicago suburbs (I know that location makes a big difference). The cake has a 11 x 17 sheet on the bottom and the Wilton 3-D cruiser pan on the top. The border, the "guys" and some other decorations (windshield, headlights, lines on the road, lettering) are MMF, everything else is buttercream. Thanks, everyone!

(I'm not sure I know how to attach the photos - hope this works!)[/img]

9 replies
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leta Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 8:23pm
post #2 of 10

Don't do it because others want you to do it. You may not enjoy making cakes for other people's celebrations. BUT, If you do enjoy making and decorating cakes, take a couple orders from people in your circle and try it out. You don't necessarily have to go whole hog from the very beginning. You can just do some word of mouth business, then decide if you need to build/rent a kitchen, or what the next steps are.

Make up a price list for what your time is worth on different types of cake and your potential customers can decide if it's worth their money. (A lot of people would like a spectacular cake for little or no money, you need to find the people willing to pay)

And your cakes are just amazing. You defininately have the talent, if that's what you needed to hear party.gif !!!! Try it out to see if it's worth messing up your kitchen and sending the kids to eat fast food with dad while you decorate cakes for customers.

I'd say you should charge $70-80 for the cake. But you probably should wait til your son gets a job before charging him icon_wink.gif Getting paid in little boy hugs is pretty good too! icon_wink.gif

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luvbakin Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 10:04pm
post #3 of 10

I agree, don't do this because others want you to, do it because YOU want to. You say you have been thinking about this for some time - what is holding you back. If it's just self confidence, then maybe you do need to just jump right in. You really are good. If it's a time issue, then you really need to think about it. Cakes take a lot of work and time, as I'm sure you already know. Time that would be away from your family. If it's money to get the business up and running, then start small, build up your buisness slowly, then open a shop or convert your kitchen.

Personally, I don't do cakes for anyone else, because I want to do the cakes I want, and when I want. I don't want something I enjoy doing, to turn into a chore. And honestly, between my 4 kids, hubby, and the holidays I have plenty of personal cakes to keep me happy and busy.

Good luck with your decision.

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JoAnnB Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 10:11pm
post #4 of 10

if you enjoy decorating, you should follow up. However, consider two things. You can fly under the radar and do cakes without a license if you are willing to take the risk. But, it is illegal to sell character cakes and cakes of licensed characters. That would be a double whammy if you were caught.

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traci Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 10:18pm
post #5 of 10

Your cakes look great! I would try it out with maybe some moms from school or people from work. You will probably get lots of orders from this. Then you can decide if it is something you want to do all the time.

I think if you decide you want to pursue a business...you will definitely want to try doing wedding cakes. You will make more money that way.

Best of luck...you are really talented! thumbs_up.gif

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GHOST_USER_NAME Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 11:03pm
post #6 of 10

Thanks for the compliments, guys!

I'm not thinking of going "large scale" - just a couple cakes a month. I work 35 hours a week and have a 3 & 4 year old - - I don't have alot of extra time. But I'd like to make a little "pocket money".

I'm thinking to start off that I'd just put up a flyer on the bulletin board at church and see where that goes. Do you guys have photo albums that you show to people, or what?

I'm thinking of taking the Wilton courses at Michael's. Have any of you taken them? I don't know if it would be worth my time, or it's its stuff I already know.

One question - if you can't do licensed characters, how do the bakeries, WalMarts, etc. do it? Do they buy the rights? Almost every bakery I've seen does "character" cakes.

Thanks, everyone for your input!

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Momof4luvscakes Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 11:15pm
post #7 of 10

It's amazing how busy you can get without even advertising. I used to just make cakes for the kids and family, well that has turned into 3-4 cakes a week. You can be as busy as you want to be. We have 4 girls at home, one that is married and the mother of our first grandchild. Needless to say just making for them keeps me busy, but then people at birthday parties want to know where the cake come from...and there you go!

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Bethroze Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 11:19pm
post #8 of 10

I do anywhere from 2 to 4 cakes a month, triple that during the holidays, but I find that to be enough with five and six year old children. I have found word of mouth through hubby's work, church and school is fine with me for now. Who knows down the road? I would start out slow, because it can become stressful pretty fast.

I try to make enough to cover my cost of clogging. With lessons, shoes, costumes, and competition fees, I usually break even during the month. Dancing keeps those, "Let me taste this to make sure its good..." pounds away.

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Doug Posted 23 Jul 2006 , 11:28pm
post #9 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lwray

One question - if you can't do licensed characters, how do the bakeries, WalMarts, etc. do it? Do they buy the rights? Almost every bakery I've seen does "character" cakes.




yes, they do buy the rights, usually not directly but through companies such as DecoPac which sells licensed decorating kits.

if you check the CC store, you will see that Jackie & Heath are now stocking some of them too. >> CC's Cake Kits

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lionladydi Posted 24 Jul 2006 , 1:30am
post #10 of 10

I don't want to contradict you but I don't think that you will catch Walmart doing character cakes. At least not those made with the character pans. The copyright laws are so stringent that I wouldn't want to push my luck. There have been several threads about this previously.

Someone said they tried to get rights from Disney but were turned down flat. Everyone, I'm sure, sells these character cakes but you have to be careful about getting caught.

Diane

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