How many of you get this question from complete strangers? I finally bothered to answer it in a blog today and figured I'd share a copy with my CC friends.
So you wanna start a cake business.........
Ok, bear with me this is going to start off as a rant. My five minutes on the soap box, but I will give some sound advice in the end. And I really don't mean to sound unhelpful, I don't mind giving out some tips, but.....
I've been avoiding this, but it keeps coming up. People I have NEVER met call and email me and they say something like "I love making cakes and I want to start a business, can I come over and you show me how to _____ (a-z of the business)?" for free. HAHAHAHAHA, right.
I paid (am still paying on the loans!) for my Baking and Pastry degree, then a few thousand more to study with Colette Peters and Nicholas Lodge. Not to mention enduring some hell on wheels Chefs that I worked for in resorts and country clubs, but you come on by and I'll teach you everything I know for FREE, you just happen to be the lucky caller who has won the prize.
And the recipes which are considered trade secrets? - sure I'll throw those in too. Right after I win the powerball myself.
While I am truly flattered that some people look up to me enough to want to learn from me (which is a great compliment, especially when there are zillions of talented cake decorators out there), I am also still surprised by the amount of people who think this is a realistic request to come over here and learn tons of info. for nothing in exchange.
That's not to say I would not like to teach some cake decorating classes in the future. I was a teacher's assistant at my college and love teaching. But this is my career, it is a business not a hobby and I would charge for the classes as I have in the past when I taught.
When we each decide to embark in the direction of a cake business we all seek guidance. So the problem lies in the question being asked, not in the need for some advice. I too seek advice on specific issues as my business grows and needed some pointers when I started out.
Luckily, there are two really fantastic online resources. Before I started doing anything I read the business of cake articles by Earlene Moore (Who is AMAZING, I still aspire to do some of the decorating feats she does..... someday maybe when I can afford to fly to Texas and take her class!) her business of cake articles are a WEALTH of information, in my opinion you should read every drop of information she gives before you do anything.... here is her website:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/Index2.html
these are the articles:
part 1:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business01.htm
part 2:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business02.htm
part 3:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business03.htm
part 4:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business04.htm
part 5:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business05.htm
she skipped #6 who knows why.
part 7:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business07.htm
part 8:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business08.htm
part 9"
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business09.htm
part 10:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business10.htm
I gave each link for a reason. I can not emphasize enough how informative these articles are.
this is a quote from her website
"As of 2005 we took a sabatical away from the custom order cakes. As a matter of trying to cut down on some of the stress in my life something had to go. Sorry but for right now doing the cakes is the choice. Maintaining the web site, shopping cart, writing articles for magazines, teaching classes and etc is enough to keep me busy and with less stress.
I hope you enjoy the photos and how to articles and new designs will be added occasionally as inspiration comes."
So as you can see she is not really doing cakes as a business anymore, she is doing cake classes and cake decorating product sales. Which is one reason she can take the time to give out so much information, (which also helps market her classes). Oh, and her classes for four days are $600.00 not including whatever you have to spend on airfare, hotel and food!!!
Did you read her articles??? If not GO READ THEM! Seriously! They are filled with everything you need to think about and know before continuing forward. I am thankful she took the time and effort to write all this and offer it for FREE to everyone. It's a great gift to all the aspiring cake decorators dreaming of a business. It helped me think over some details when I started down this path. And her cakes??? WOW. If those aren't inspiration I don't know what is.
Now on to my next favorite place www.cakecentral.com I am addicted to it and find answers to my questions through the very talented cake decorating community @ cakecentral. It too is a wealth of information which will help you as you move into a more serious phase with your business venture.
If you have read Earlene's articles and are going to move forward seriously consider getting the cakeboss software (or at least some sort of accounting software) which will help you figure out where to set your prices and help you keep track of everything. You need to realize what your expenses are and how many labor hours you are spending on the order are vs. what you are charging.
It is... after all - a business! If someone offered you a job for 2.00 an hour, no medical insurance, no paid vacation, no retirement plan, would you take it?!? What would you expect a potential employer to pay you for it to be worth it to you to accept the job offered? Whatever that answer is - is the minimum you should be paying yourself, charge accordingly for your cakes.
So you wanna start a cake business.........
Ok, bear with me this is going to start off as a rant. My five minutes on the soap box, but I will give some sound advice in the end. And I really don't mean to sound unhelpful, I don't mind giving out some tips, but.....
I've been avoiding this, but it keeps coming up. People I have NEVER met call and email me and they say something like "I love making cakes and I want to start a business, can I come over and you show me how to _____ (a-z of the business)?" for free. HAHAHAHAHA, right.
I paid (am still paying on the loans!) for my Baking and Pastry degree, then a few thousand more to study with Colette Peters and Nicholas Lodge. Not to mention enduring some hell on wheels Chefs that I worked for in resorts and country clubs, but you come on by and I'll teach you everything I know for FREE, you just happen to be the lucky caller who has won the prize.
And the recipes which are considered trade secrets? - sure I'll throw those in too. Right after I win the powerball myself.
While I am truly flattered that some people look up to me enough to want to learn from me (which is a great compliment, especially when there are zillions of talented cake decorators out there), I am also still surprised by the amount of people who think this is a realistic request to come over here and learn tons of info. for nothing in exchange.
That's not to say I would not like to teach some cake decorating classes in the future. I was a teacher's assistant at my college and love teaching. But this is my career, it is a business not a hobby and I would charge for the classes as I have in the past when I taught.
When we each decide to embark in the direction of a cake business we all seek guidance. So the problem lies in the question being asked, not in the need for some advice. I too seek advice on specific issues as my business grows and needed some pointers when I started out.
Luckily, there are two really fantastic online resources. Before I started doing anything I read the business of cake articles by Earlene Moore (Who is AMAZING, I still aspire to do some of the decorating feats she does..... someday maybe when I can afford to fly to Texas and take her class!) her business of cake articles are a WEALTH of information, in my opinion you should read every drop of information she gives before you do anything.... here is her website:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/Index2.html
these are the articles:
part 1:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business01.htm
part 2:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business02.htm
part 3:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business03.htm
part 4:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business04.htm
part 5:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business05.htm
she skipped #6 who knows why.
part 7:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business07.htm
part 8:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business08.htm
part 9"
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business09.htm
part 10:
http://www.earlenescakes.com/business10.htm
I gave each link for a reason. I can not emphasize enough how informative these articles are.
this is a quote from her website
"As of 2005 we took a sabatical away from the custom order cakes. As a matter of trying to cut down on some of the stress in my life something had to go. Sorry but for right now doing the cakes is the choice. Maintaining the web site, shopping cart, writing articles for magazines, teaching classes and etc is enough to keep me busy and with less stress.
I hope you enjoy the photos and how to articles and new designs will be added occasionally as inspiration comes."
So as you can see she is not really doing cakes as a business anymore, she is doing cake classes and cake decorating product sales. Which is one reason she can take the time to give out so much information, (which also helps market her classes). Oh, and her classes for four days are $600.00 not including whatever you have to spend on airfare, hotel and food!!!
Did you read her articles??? If not GO READ THEM! Seriously! They are filled with everything you need to think about and know before continuing forward. I am thankful she took the time and effort to write all this and offer it for FREE to everyone. It's a great gift to all the aspiring cake decorators dreaming of a business. It helped me think over some details when I started down this path. And her cakes??? WOW. If those aren't inspiration I don't know what is.
Now on to my next favorite place www.cakecentral.com I am addicted to it and find answers to my questions through the very talented cake decorating community @ cakecentral. It too is a wealth of information which will help you as you move into a more serious phase with your business venture.
If you have read Earlene's articles and are going to move forward seriously consider getting the cakeboss software (or at least some sort of accounting software) which will help you figure out where to set your prices and help you keep track of everything. You need to realize what your expenses are and how many labor hours you are spending on the order are vs. what you are charging.
It is... after all - a business! If someone offered you a job for 2.00 an hour, no medical insurance, no paid vacation, no retirement plan, would you take it?!? What would you expect a potential employer to pay you for it to be worth it to you to accept the job offered? Whatever that answer is - is the minimum you should be paying yourself, charge accordingly for your cakes.
Seriously.. she was gone. I decided to teach myself at that point.. so I did. And what i don't know.. I am finding out here..and everywhere else I can find. I am planning on taking a few wilton classes in chicago. Gumpaste kicks my ass !! 
