The friend/customer who made me quit (a long story) - Page 5

What a terrible situation but like the posts say - a situation you let happen. As far as going back to school and starting a career - what would you have charged for this order if the situation had been differently? I started my business with a best friend. When we delivered the cake, she told everyone she made it!! So I started my own business without her and LOVE everyday of "work". You have the talent for sure - so follow your heart and the rest will come!!

Those people are neither "friends" nor "customers".

I'm curious, has she contacted you since the party?

your cake are beautiful, i hope you continue with your cakes.

I have read through these posts and Texas Rose, I feel very sad for you. I have been decorating cakes for only a year and just now have started making cakes for the general public. Do you enjoy decorating cakes? From the looks of your cakes I would say, yes. Don't let people like them still your thunder, rain on your parade, etc, etc. You've heard of Karma, right? Get a plan together list what you make and your prices and go for it, girl! I realized if I was going to get serious about decorating, I had to have a plan and stick to it. I wish I could bake and decorate all the time, but unfortunately , I have to work a full time job, too. I had someone at work wanting me to make a cake so I gave her a copy of my prices and in that I have written *Please order two weeks in advance, and I'll be darn if she didn't wait until monday at work to ask if I could make a small cake for wednesday. My husband was having surgery on wednesday, so I couldn't do it, but I would have told her no any way because she knew I needed two weeks in advance. Didn't mean to make this about me, what I'm trying to get at, if you love doing this, don't let them take that from you. you have something to offer to the public and you should go for it. Make a list of how you want to run your business and put it in writing for your customers. The ones who matter will order from you and the rest, well, they don't matter. Good Luck and Remember: EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS so rise above this neighbors stupidity!

grrrrr you had too much patience!!! I don't what to do when my friends no too close said me plz a need a cake but I will pay you!.. anyways.. was a learning!! don't give up! keep baking!!

not to compare, but your cakes are far more beautiful than mine. and yet it wasn't until i started telling people "no" that i finally felt truly good about my talent. i understand how you feel. no one has done to me what was done to you, but i sure felt disrespected for my trade and as a person when people don't take my cake decorating seriously. it's as if it was the easiest thing in the world to bake and decorate a cake the way people dismiss my time. when i finally set rules for myself and told people "no" when said rules couldn't all be followed, that's when i felt a huge weight off my chest. and funnily enough, people wanted my cakes even more. i guess they thought i was in demand! LOL but it was just me being in control of my cake life. every once in a while, someone comes along who still makes me feel disrespected and therefore furious, but i have also learned to let go, it's their loss not mine. nowhere will they get a cake like mine for that price around here. i'm still the "sensitive" type about doing business with callous customers, but that's all the more reason why i had to follow the rules i've established for myself.

i got all these advice from here on cakecentral some years ago. i'm glad i read through forum posts like yours and put the words of wisdom i read into practice.

right now i'm also thinking about quitting the cake biz altogether but it's not because of these people whom i felt treated me bad. my kids are also all going to be in school soon so i can go back to working elsewhere and not have to stay home. i will still make cakes for my kids' birthdays that's for sure. i wish you success in whatever path you take for yourself now, and peace of mind. those are my wishes for myself too you see.

This has definitely happened to me and I bet if you asked her the cake wasn't good enough for the 100.00 she spent!! Don't let this deter you from having a good time and making money doing something you love doing!!!! Please post a pic of the cake that you made for these losers. Good luck your cakes are really nice you didn't need to practice.

I think that something like this has happened to a lot of us, don't let this discourage you. I recently began to sell cakes also, under this new cottage law. In November I held a holiday open house bake shop in my home, I invited friends, family, people from church and teachers from my daughters school, they came to my home and sampled my cakes and cookies and preordered for the Christmas season. This was a huge success and I was able to buy my supplies with the money I received from the preorders. Be proud of your work, there are many who will appreciate it.

What an awful experience. My suggestion: make yourself a big sign that says CONTRACT.

I tutor students for SAT exams. At first, I had problems last minute cancellations and time changes, late arrivals, homework not done, and so on. Now I have a contract (OK: I call it "information for students and parents") that everyone must sign. Makes it easier to stick to my guns.

You can include the price for each order. If it is a close friend or relative that you are not charging, tell them that you still need the contract with a price of zero for your tax reporting purposes. Make them sign and keep a copy.

In my Dr. House voice:

People ssssuck.

In my voice:

What jackholes!

The beautiful thing about what we do (solo pro cake artists) is we have the luxury to pick and choose the people we work with. Sometimes it takes getting burned to identify the warning signs and to weed out the people that will burn you. It seems counterintuitive to turn down business on a hunch or warning sign because we all want to make money, be busy, or attempt new projects, but you gotta do it.

You'll keep at it. I know you will. Doing this stuff is like crack. Once you get a taste you can't just... stop.

Wish I had the time to read everyone's post but... let me first tell you that your cakes are beautiful and I hope one ungrateful neighbor will not discourage you from your caking. I think this is a lesson learned and whether or not you start a business you should continue with your caking and if you ever feel the need to practice or bake a cake that you will not be paid for, bring it to your local police, fire, nursing home they will be most appreciative of your work and kindness unlike your neighbor. Also look into your local animal shelter, they sometimes hold fund raisers and they would be lucky to have one of your creations to sell or ruffle off (no business license needed) Good luck and God bless.

Please do not allow this very selfish family to make you quit your passion.

Get your cottage licence and then make sure you never let a person do that to you again. A tasting apt. maybe but beyond that have a contract even if the cake is free and itemize the entire process so that it is documented.
So she helped with most of the cake did she? Well you live on the same street. I am sure at some point the people will notice that she can't bake so how is it she came up with such a piece. Just avoid them and keep your passion going.