AI will start a new job working at a day care. Now this will open up a clientle of children cakes. I already have someone mention about making a hello kitty cake. I took a break from the business. I know about copyright law for the most time I stayed away from children cakes. I need some suggestion and feedback on how to handle the character cakes. I would mind doing the cakes just to generate additional income because this would expose me to potiental clients. I guess i just want brush up on my skills and bake again. I just do not wanting to do childern cakes forever. Would I open a door that will be hard to close when I want to do more wedding cakes eventually? Thanks.[SIZE=3][/SIZE]

I don't think it will limit your clientelle, the wedding cakes will come through referrals.  As for the copyright issue, it's not a good idea to reproduce characters under copyright.  There are some who will do so and not publish pictures, but still not a good idea.

There are lots of other options for cute cakes that aren't under copyright and it will give you a chance to be creative.

I would be nervous making cakes for anyone I had in a daycare if I were a daycare worker, only because if someone didn't like my cake they might talk trash which would make it difficult.

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AI find it's helpful to tell the customer up front that they need to provide written permission from the copyright owner if they want to reproduce copyrighted characters. If permission cannot be secured, have a different design ready such as a more generic cake with the relevant color theme and a purchased licensed cake topper. Be prepared to lose business to competitors who have no qualms about copyright infringement.

If you are just looking to brush up on your skills, I would focus on making cakes for yourself and giving them away (or use dummies). You shouldn't be practicing on a stranger's kid's birthday cake, especially when that stranger is a customer of your main employer.

AThey will have the opportunity to taste the product since I will only bake for my co workers. I've baked for people I worked with before. Hopefully it will open up other opportunities. If I did those cakes I would publish them. Thanks.[SIZE=3][/SIZE]

If your main clients are going to be the moms of kids at the daycare then they are primarily going to want character cakes.  Most of them will not understand why they can't have one for their kid.  Some will be willing to provide the figures but most are just going to want you to do it.  It's up to you whether or not you want to violate copywrite laws.  Otherwise expect to lose a lot of business to the grocery stores or other bakers that do do them.

This is not going to be an environment where you are going to get wedding cake referrals probably.  If you want wedding cakes to be your focus then you might want to rethink starting to make cakes for all the daycare kids.  If you just want to get back into caking (and not worry about what type of cakes you are decorating) then the daycare could be a good source of business.

AWord of caution....for some people, this is a very bad idea.

What happens if one of the parents is unhappy with a cake? As professional as you may be, you can't predict how others will behave.

As a parent, I would feel a bit of pressure to get my cake from you. If I don't, will it change how you treat my child?

Just a few things to consider.

AI did not mean pratice. I have enough cake dummies to do that. I guess I will get ro bake decorate more often now.Lol

AThis is for staff only and there referrals. No not the parents.

A

If you are selling just to the staff, how is that leading to clients for children's cakes?

Jason most of them have young children. In time past the people I did cakes for did not have small children they were high school or college. It doesn't have to change I just know in conversation already someone mention they wanted a hello kitty cake for their child. So when I heard that I just started thinking ahead. Again thanks for the feedback.

Once you start making them for the staff word is going to get out that you make children's cakes.  It's going to hurt parents feelings if you tell them you only make cakes for the people you work with and you won't make a cake for their kid.

IMO, Once you start it's going to be hard to scale back and transition into wedding cakes.