$5-$8 profit just inst worth it! I just dont seem to know how to say NO (and I have only been doing cakes less than 1 year)......Anyway best of luck to you all.....and for those of us not in LOVE with cake decorating....oh well!
Your dilema is how I learned to charge for my cakes.
lora
I won't quit the cake business, but I would sell it in a heartbeat. And then order cakes from someone elses specialty shop. I don't want to learn any other business. I would be happier in the management part or the designer part, but put them together and I am running on a very low battery.
It would be good to have a back up decorator, but then I would be afraid my customers could tell the difference.
I wish I could wake up everyday excited about working, but I too want to cry because there are so many orders waiting for me. I am greatful for the success, but that is why I now say it is just a job. I definitely do still get excited over some of the designs.
It is a big feeling when you are loved by your customers. That is what keeps me going. Also being able to have discussions like these are great!
THere is a difference in having a couple of fun cake designs every weekend and getting slammed every week, all week long.
The passion may be there but some of the joy is gone.
lora
That was an outstanding post mypastrychef. I understand (well not in the literal sense) what you mean. Do you think if someone handled all of the financial stuff and you could just decorate the entire joy would still be there?
Hey I can relate....I love doing cakes on the side for fun...and I do charge but boy if I had to do it full time we would starve to death and be living on the streets.
I have been a restaurant mgr in my 20's and 30's then went to nursing school and have been an RN for almost 20 years. I took cake decorating just for the fun of it but I couldn't do it full time. #1 I am not that good at it and # 2 I am not creative.
We all have our passions and they do change with our age. I have taken classes on plumbing, carpentry, upholstrey, masonry, woodworking, cake decorating and antiques....WHY? because I love learning and don't know what I really want to be when I grow up ( I am 54 now) lol... So whenever there are continuing ed classes that peak my interest I will take them but Nursing pays the bills and puts in the retirment fund!
Cake decorating for me is fun but not my passion...
Ge, i really am sorry if you took offense to my posting. I didn't mean to sound "snarky". I think it's wonderful you persueing your CJ degree. Good Luck. I know how hard it's to be a mom and go back to school. Good luck.
Julie
Ok, jumping in here (and hopefully living to not regret it).
Overall, the average person from age 18 to retirement will have 5 to 7 significant jobs/career changes. Very few 18 year olds will be doing the same thing when they reach age 30--thank god. It's not some tragic failure to change course periodically--that's how everything, and everyone, stays fresh and interested/interesting.
So, nglez09, what may be your passion today may indeed be something you despise down the road. My only advice is that if you try to wait it out for that one thing that is your perfect passion, you'll miss a lot of great experiences along the way. If it's your passion today, go with it for as long as it's good to you and you enjoy it. If the time comes that it feels like drudgery, then have the courage to admit it to yourself, change, and move on.
Best wishes.
Rae
The passion may be there but some of the joy is gone.
lora
That was an outstanding post mypastrychef. I understand (well not in the literal sense) what you mean. Do you think if someone handled all of the financial stuff and you could just decorate the entire joy would still be there?[/quote]
Yes?
Having a forum to voice opinions and information is very helpful. I was in a Professional Bakers forum for 3 years. Which was very helpful bouncing off other bakery owners.
If the hours were more normal I would like it more especially now that I have the customer base I want (the ones that have $$ and want to show off)
After 11 hard years at this. You do have to find something to keep you fresh and energized. When I open the doors again my customers see me as someone who can create what they want.
lora
I'm also glad, ge, that you realized this is not for you.(at least for now) It's very important to like what you do....if, of course, you have that luxury. I also understand having to feed the kids.......so, good luck with school and your future career.
having said that, I read all the posts, but wouldn't use the term snarky or mean to describe them. Far from it....I didn't get any negative vibe. Try re-reading the posts....maybe you'll see them in a different way. Remember, we aren't in eachother's presence to read facial expressions, or "hear" how it is being said....I'm sure we are all familiar with some comment or another that has been misconstrued. I usually give the benefit of the doubt. IMO
And I will make my threads as I'd like. My post names are always related to the topic which I will be addressing, you just have to "solve" them, if you will. Sory it molested you sooooooo much.
Topical thread titles help the board move easier and don't waste people's time. I'm not a mod, but it was a polite request. Too bad you couldn't give me a polite reply.
nglez09,
I get what you are asking!
I would kick myself in the butt, if I hadn't started this business. I'd always be wondering what if.
And I tell my daughter we are so lucky to have this business.
You should go at it and go stong, be as good as you can and then get better. If you do that you could always sell it later if you do get burned out.
lora
OK here let's see hmm........ changing careers, well let's see at 18 I was newly married and preggers, 7 kids, data entry, construction, waitress, cook, artist, floor associate, bakerylead, cake decorator, 25 years later. Yep, change does a person good, I think.
GE, use what you have learned from your past to help you pave the road to your future. You are still just a kid and you have lots of adventure left to enjoy. Whether it's criminal justice, cake decorating or being a car-hop at sonic.
Ya'll do what makes you happy and sometimes different things at different stages in our lives make us happy.
So, have fun learning new things. It's always good to learn it's what keeps us young.
I think it is time to go back and reread this post. There were no laws broken--
The question was how do you not lose passion for cakes.
A quote was taken from another thread for an example-not to attack.
As people have chimed in lets ask the question once more----
How does one not get burned out from doing something they love?
I think it is time to go back and reread this post. There were no laws broken--
The question was how do you not lose passion for cakes.
A quote was taken from another thread for an example-not to attack.
As people have chimed in lets ask the question once more----
How does one not get burned out from doing something they love?
this was my point.....it couldve been asked this way....
just as its been stated....apparently disliking cake is a sensitive thing for people here....I can see how ge couldve been offended by her post being made the "example".
Granted she does hate them 
and definitely doesnt want to do them anymore ....but still some idea had to be there about making her comment the highlight of it all.
JUST MY HONEST OPINION...is all 
...moving on
Ok guys...i thought we were having a nice discussion for a little while.....I'm not offended. But i guess i was caught off guard a little bit when i saw something i said in a previous thread being used as a topic for a new thread.
I may be a little sensitive because its hard leaving something you've been doing for such a long time to go to school....I haven't told everyone in my family, and i guess when i mentioned my newfound dislike for cakes I took the comments personally.
But thanks to those who jumped to my defense when you thought i might be offended.
Granted she does hate them and definitely doesnt want to do them anymore
Hahhaha Twinsy....you would know better than anyone...I certainly complain to you enough about them
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