HI, I AM NEW TO CC AND WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR SOME ADVISE, I
HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DECORATE CAKES, SO IN THE LAST YEAR,
I HAVE TAKEN WILTON 1,2,3, FONDANT, GUMPASTE, I REALLY ENJOY DOING THIS. HERE IS THE ADVISE I NEED, I HAVE A DEAR S/L AND SHE HAS BEEN DOING CAKES (JUST FOR FRIENDS, CO-WORKERS, FAMILY) FOR 20 YEARS, SHE HAS NEVER ADVERTISED, BUT SEEMS TO
GET ORDERS ALL THE TIME. NOTHING FANCY, JUST YOUR BASIC
BD, WEDDING, GROOMS, OCCASSION, ETC. SINCE I HAVE TAKEN THESE CLASSES AND LEARNED HOW TO SMOOTH THE ICING, MAKE ROSES, MAKE FONDANT BOWS, (THINGS SHE CANNOT DO), SHE GETS ME TO HELP HER WITH HER CAKES NOW, SHE HAS THE EXPENSE OF BAKING
THE CAKES, AND MAKES THE ICING, I DO MOST IF NOT ALL THE DECORATING, GO WITH HER TO SET UP. SHE SETS THE PRICE OF THE CAKES SHE SELLS, within the $250-350 range THE LAST 2 WEDDING CAKES, BRIDE AND GROOMS, I ONLY GOT $50.00 FOR MY PART. I
AM HAVING A HARD TIME DEALING WITH THIS, I WILL NOT SAY ANYTHING TO HER, (VERY SENSATIVE) AND CAUSE A FAMILY PROBLEM. SHE IS A GREAT S/L AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO
DAMAGE OUR RELATIONSHIP, SO, WHAT DO I DO, SOMEONE SUGGESTED THAT I STOP BEING AVAILABLE WHEN SHE ASK FOR MY HELP, BUT SHE WILL SOON CATCH ON. THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

well do you know how much she is profiting.... she might not profiting more than you think... i know it kind of looks like she is taking hundreds of dollars home but take of the expense and what does she have left. you also have to remember this is her business. and if you really think you should make more money then i would bring it up to her when you are doing the cakes not at a family function. sometimes we don't realize how the other person feels and talking to them makes them realize it. HTH

Hmm, 50/50 sounds like to me.

Approach her with that percentage just like a business deal and see how it goes. If she doesn't want to do that then start out on your own and kindly refuse to help her.

(I've heard never go into business with family or friends though...?)

First, welcome to CC! Sounds like you are in a very delicate situation. Perhaps you could discuss a partnership with your SIL, and spell out all of the details of the arrangement in writing. Then, make sure that you are being paid hourly or some other way that will compensate you more fairly.

I can't imagine that your SIL doesn't know that she is getting a SUPER bargain by paying you so little for your decorating skills. Especially if she's been doing it for 20+ years. It is definitely worth mentioning to her, she may not realize that it bothers you!

Thats ture she will so catch on if you are N/A. I think you have been more that genorous. $50 to decorate a wedding cake. That's the hardest part of the cake and the most time consuming. Perhaps you should tell her that you want to start your own business. Or contiue working with her but getting paid better. It's just my opinion but decorating the cake is about 70-75% of the work. If the cake does not look good then no one would buy even if it taste great. LOOKS are everything + taste when it comes to cake.LOL and hope it doesn't cause you problems. If she is as nice as you say then she will be resonable and understanding to your needs also.

I don't think 50-50 is fair. She got the order, she baked the cakes, icing etc. Though I think she should pay you at least $10.00 + an hour. That would be more fair. I think. JMHO. I have done simular for a friend. And got nothing from her. So I try to be busy to help now a days.

what about 50/50 after ALL expenses are subtracted. that sounds fair....

half for baker/legman/pr person/trusted person

and half for the decorator.

this is half after all the money is factored in for electricity, boards, boxes, ingredients.....

I would let her know if you're interested in a 50/50 partnership. Explain to her that you would like to take cake decorating seriously. If she's not interested, then explain to her that you have to focus on your skills to help establish your business and that you won't be able to help her in the future. Honesty is the best policy, but try your best not to offend her.

Your wrote (THE LAST 2 WEDDING CAKES, BRIDE AND GROOMS, I ONLY GOT $50.00 FOR MY PART.) To me that is not enough. You should talk to her . The next time she asks for help, mention you need to discuss your fee weather it is an hourly wage or a set price. If you do not like what she offers, then be busy when she asks for help. Never discuss this in front of other family members and friends. You workded hard to learn your skills so either you guys come wtih something fair or start your own business (do not make family and friends choose who does the cake - if they choose her be fine with that and they choose you do not rub her face in it)

good luck

This is a delicate situation and since you really love your sister-in-law, I would say just sit down and talk to her about you. Honestly, you sound so much like me - I don't want "to make waves"....but you know what I am learning - - us softies have GOT to learn to stand up for ourselves. For me, since I abhor confrontation, I think we tend to feel like even bringing the subject up will cause a problem with your relationship with her or in the family. We envision the worst circumstances possible and that's not usually what happens !!! We "forecast" in our mind the scenario and then we're doomed !!! I would say sit down and think about what you would say to her.....write it down......it seems to me that you do NOT feel like you are getting a good amont of pay for this. You know your own work, and you do feel like you are worth more. Do you want your relationship with your SIL to deteriorate because of this? Do you want to start to resent her, if you don't already, for how little she is paying you? Do you want to continue "stewing" over it all, or would you rather get it out in the open with the hope of REALLY resolving it??? My feeling is that you would like to have a WIN-WIN situation for both of you (right?). I would tend to say that she is "taking advantage" of you by asking you to come over and help without really paying you what you think you are due. But, you know, as "they" say, you cannot be taken advantage of unless YOU are allowing it !!!

If you don't think you can personally talk to her about this..........then maybe write her a nice note or e-mail.....or maybe e-mail her telling her that you'd like to talk to her about the "cake business" and then outline your "concerns" in a very nice and caring way. If she writes back in a caring and kind way then she is more than likely willing to sit down with you and talk about it. If she sends you a flaming e-mail or calls and screams at you, well, then you will surely be able to tell how she is planning on dealing with this (right?). You know her better than we do, of course, so ask yourself how receptive you think she will be to you. If she is generally a really, nice sweet person, what are you afraid of ????

So, sorry....I think I am rambling........but I hope this helps. I've had something like this happen to me recently (not about your same situation but a "confrontational" issue with a co-worker and a cake I made for them).

Best of luck to you........
Suzanne

I am in business with my daughter if she gets the order she does the cake she recieves payment vise versa. If I'm to busy I give her the cakes I don't have time for and she gets paid for them not me. I make all the icing and charge her $ per pound and she pays for the boards and other supplies needed. She also bakes her own cakes same as mine that way my customers are recieveng the same as if either one of us made the cake and you cant tell the differance. Maybe your S/L can guide you in the way she bakes and try sharing the expences you can possible increase your business that way. Works out great for us. Oh my daughter is in charge of the cookie part our business that her baby. I get the orders for her and she takes it from there.

well, you did make an investment in your classes, you can excitedly tell her that someone has offered you a job at so much per hour!! and that you are maybe thinking of taking it?

Let her match or exceed your offer...if she gets suspicious that you are not working you can always say..that you decided not to take the job and that you decided to do this on your own..

but the truth will always out..you could be honest with her...

sit her down over a cup of coffee or tea..and explain that you feel that she's not being fair. That you feel you would like to earn more money.

A way to make this happen is to raise her prices! not by a lot, but some...after all, it seems that you two can probably do very well in business together.

But you need to communicate..start by asking her if she is happy with what she earns....is it e nough..f or her...then go from there...

The worst thing you can do is not do anything! You say you don't want to make waves, but if you're already unhappy, it's not going to get better on it's own, it's going to get worse. Don't wait until it gets worse. Say something now while your emotions are still under control and you're not resentful. If you wait, you're more likely to explode and say something hurtful. It may be extremely difficult for you to do, but it will be better all around.

Now, if SIL wants to make a fuss, it's not going to matter how nice you are or how you break it to her. If she really is a good person, then she'll appreciate your honesty and you'll have a better relationship because of it. Basically what I'm saying is you can ignore it all and pretend everyone will go on being happy.

My personal opinion on payment is that you'd be better off asking for $x per hour rather than trying to figure out a 50/50 kind of deal. It's too hard to figure out who's doing what percentage of work and I see it causing problems in the future. Unless she's truly interested in begoming equal partners in the business (and even if she's not legal she's obviously running a business if she's doing that many cakes), than she probably won't want to pay you 50%. But if you treat yourself like a seasoned decorator earning a certain amount per hour than it's easier for her to see how much you're really worth. I would suggest even calling some bakeries around you, even migh turn over ones like Walmart and find out how much decorators are making so you have figures to back yourself up.

I think that you might want to encourage her to take the cake decorating classes you've taken, if she's been doing cakes for 20 years she will probably pick up the techniques quickly.

I would also sit with a cup of coffee and let her know that you too want to be in business. ask about some sort of partnership with the $$ to make it fair. if she is not intrested, be unavailable next time she ask.
but I would be very nice when I talked to her.


melody

I love Risque's idea!

And have you thought about going out and getting a job? That would be a perfect excuse to no longer work with S/L. She's not paying you fairly.