how busy are you and how long did that take? - Page 2

That was my concern as well. When my wife got pregnant we started scaling back, and we sold the business shortly after our daughter was born.

Raising a kid is basically the equivalent of two full-time jobs (at least until they go to school), and running a business is also two jobs (one to actually make the product and one to manage the business/handle overhead). Since I also had a full-time job there was no way the two of us would be able to handle 5 jobs between us without dropping the ball somewhere.

I'm planning to revisit launching a new business once our daughter is in school full-time, especially now that California has a CFL.

 I also have 3 children. Yes the house work piles up! And the kids dont get my attention all the time. My husband puts in 65 hours or more a week at work, and I have a part time job of 22 hours a week. I work on my cakes after the kids go to bed. Most nights I get only 4 hours of sleep. My husband trys to help with house work, but we never get everthing done!   

 

I turned my hobby into a business this last fall. I started out slow. about 1-2 cakes a week. Now I have 3-4 a week. I have cakes booked all the way into November for this year already. My goal is to have 6 cakes a week then quit my part time job.
 

All of this is hard work, but I knew it would be. I had set goals to work up to, I'm just getting there faster than I ever thought!

 

I post pics daily on my facebook page. And word of mouth has definitely increased my clients. It also helps that I have a wonderful family that keep getting my name out there!

I know that I could do a brisk business with proper marketing, but right now it is mostly a hobby with a certified kitchen.  If I did have a normal business, it would take about 1 year to get going.

I have a little girl and I don't like to work at night, so I'm limited.

I don't really like to work at night either. By 8pm when all 3 kids are in bed I can't wait to plonk my butt on the couch and have quiet time after finishing the last of the housework. I can't think of anything worse than having another mess in the kitchen to clean up!!!

Yes, the lack of sleep is less than ideal, but I find cake decorating and baking a stress reliever. Some what of my way to escape. We'll see if with time that changes. 

 

As far as the logistics of it, I do have a system.   I cook big meals for the family on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday so they can mix and match leftovers for lunch/dinner Wed. - Sat. I really only bake and decorate Wed.-Sat. nights so there is less to clean-up in the kitchen.  My husbands get's home around 6:00pm every day, we have our family time, then he takes the kids to get them ready for bed at ~7:30pm. I usually start cleaning  then, and my baking/decorating gets underway by 8pm.  On Wednesdays I make frostings and fillings and any fondant and gumpaste decorations. On Thursday I bake, stack, and fill.  On Friday I ice and decorate. 

 

As for how the housework gets done, everyone pitches in. The kids pickup their toys every night before bed, when they are eating lunch and breakfast in the daytime I get some cleaning/housework done. They are also at the age where they want to help with everything so I take advantage. I give them chores. They help load the dishwasher, sort the laundry, vacuum, pick-up toys and books. Th major stuff gets done Saturday night and throughout the day on Sunday. The dishwasher is always running in my house. I brought one that sanitizes and it was approved by the health department for sanitizing my cake stuff so that helps out a ton. 

 

But yes, during the day it's all about the kids. We go to the park, library, do arts and crafts, and even have "school" a few times a week. I've found that keeping them busy during the day wears them out so they are in bed early, which give me more time to play at night.  

 

I'm getting faster at cake decorating the more cakes that I do, so that helps to. Before I would be up until 3am working on cakes, but now I usually can get everything done between 8pm and 12am.  But I sneak in naps during the day, if the kids nap, so it gives me a bit more energy at night. 

 

I don't think if this wasn't so much fun for me, I'd do it, because it is quite demanding!

 

I am the same way. I put my headphones in, get working and truly escape.

 

I have one, and she is 7. During the week, I DO NOT work when she is awake, after she goes to bed I spend about an hour with my husband then I get to work. I still have a part-time job, 2 days a week, so on the days that I do not work there, my husband will take our daughter to school so I can get a little extra sleep BUT as a rule, I usually get up anyway. On weekends, she is at the age where I involve her in what I can. She sifts my icing sugar and colors some fondant etc, that way she doesn't hate it or me, and remains interested. My hope is that we will do it together someday.

 

My husband and I have split up the housework, and my daughter is at the age where cleaning is fun! Keeping up is not the easiest, but we do a pretty good job so far I think. I have learned to accept that it cannot be perfect. Laundry gets done once a week instead of daily or every day, dishes get done once a day instead of 2-3 times things like that. We sacrifice where we can.

 

I have been a hobby baker for a few years, so only took family and friends. I became officially licensed December 1st and I am booked solid, well I think so. I can honestly say I had NO idea it would come this quick. But, what I do is  very unique in comparision to everyone else in the area. Anyway, my summer has 1 spot left for a wedding for a total of 24 and that is enough for me for now I think. I am averaging 5-7 custom cakes a week, 1-2 weddings a month in the off-season so far, plus I supply a local restaurant their desserts; 2-1/2 sheet black forest cakes a week. I am working on landing a couple more restaurants, same kind of idea to have them delivered on Wednesdays and hopefully cover my overhead, and hopefully have an employee for next summer!

I just opened last year and average 0-4 orders a week. The weeks with none are actually a welcome relief nowadays! Next weekend I have 5 cakes and 10 dozen cupcakes and I'm already stressed over it :)

 

I work full-time and this is just a side business for me. I also have 2 boys that are 3 1/2 and 2. I do most of my caking at night. I can usually rush home from work and toss my cakes in the oven while I'm making dinner. By the time dinner, baths, playtime, etc is done and the boys are in bed (usually around 7:30pm) the cakes are cool enough to work on. Obviously Thursday and Friday nights are my busiest. I use a LOT of spreadsheets to plan my days and figure out the time needed to complete orders. I have turned orders down because there's just not enough hours in the day.

 

Sometimes it's hard to keep up, but I love baking and decorating and like others have said it is a stress reliever. My husband is very supportive and we have a cleaning lady which are both big helpers. I'd love to look into baking full-time and possibly having a storefront in a few years, but it would be a huge leap of faith to give up my current salary. Maybe when the house is paid off! :)

I cannot wait to have just one cake order. Getting my name out there is very hard for me. I have been giving out samples to salons and banks and dealerships, but still no orders:(

I just need to keep trying I guess.

I was doing up to 6 wedding cakes a week in the busy season, and I'm cutting way back now because it takes a physical toll on you. My etsy shop is making up the difference, so income-wise I'm pretty much staying where I am even with fewer cakes.

 

My daughter used to stand at the door and cry when I went to deliver cakes. i guess she was about 2 then?? My husband said that she'd stand there and cry tragically that she wanted me, and then right before I would get back she'd calm down. So I would come home and see her sitting nicely on the couch watching tv or playing, and say "oh look how good she's been!" while he was pulling his hair out the whole time, hahahaha!

HAHA! I can see her having a meltdown until right before you walk in the door! I can't imagine 6 weddings a week, there is no way I could do that. I have degenerative arthritis and slipped discs and crooked hips. Plus, I just can't get motivated that well!

Last year I started to feel a weird clicking in my lower back after I'd been standing up too long. It doesn't hurt, it just feels like something popping into place in a weird way, so it doesn't feel "right," know what I mean? I decided that it isn't worth making as much money if I'm just spending the extra profits on the physical therapist. So this year I'm cutting way back and only doing two wedding cakes a week. I might have time to clean my house now, hahaha!

If I was doing 6 wedding cakes a week, my house would be spotless because I'd have Merry Maids in there 3 times a week! I'd rather spend half my profits than clean up after our family of 6;-)

I do cakes part time. This is my second year doing cakes for sale. I have turned away birthday cake orders a few times. I wd prefer doing wedding cakes only but that breakthru takes time. If only I can get 2 weddings per week I wd be happy. Most people here are still into fruit cake for weddings so no problem there. I am confident I can handle them. Baking 1 to 12 months in advance, making decorations in btwn. Marzipan 2 wks before, cover with fondant one wk before. Place decorations during the week. Way relaxed than making 2-4 cakes, buttercream and decorations within one wk. People here are willing to pay more money when it comes to wedding cakes than birthday cakes anyway. My daughter helps with the baking. Sons colour fondant and do cutouts. Live in maids are affordable here so washing up is taken care of. Facebook has helped in reaching out but even there people want to see testimonies from several people. I have advertised in an annual bridal magazine for the 2nd time despite way less enquiries than FB last season. Wanna see how it goes. Still to decide on whether to participate in one wedding expo this year. I want to have time to participate in my kids' activities, exercise and other social activities eg visiting my parents once in a while.

I do cakes part time. This is my second year doing cakes for sale. I have turned away birthday cake orders a few times. I wd prefer doing wedding cakes only but that breakthru takes time. If only I can get 2 weddings per week I wd be happy. Most people here are still into fruit cake for weddings so no problem there. I am confident I can handle them. Baking 1 to 12 months in advance, making decorations in btwn. Marzipan 2 wks before, cover with fondant one wk before. Place decorations during the week. Way relaxed than making 2-4 cakes, buttercream and decorations within one wk. People here are willing to pay more money when it comes to wedding cakes than birthday cakes anyway. My daughter helps with the baking. Sons colour fondant and do cutouts. Live in maids are affordable here so washing up is taken care of. Facebook has helped in reaching out but even there people want to see testimonies from several people. I have advertised in an annual bridal magazine for the 2nd time despite way less enquiries than FB last season. Wanna see how it goes. Still to decide on whether to participate in one wedding expo this year. I want to have time to participate in my kids' activities, exercise and other social activities eg visiting my parents once in a while.