Hi cake lovers,

I'm 24 and I've been slowly self-teaching myself the art of cake decorating for the past 4 years, and have only started thinking about starting a business about 3 months ago, so I've made so many creations these past 3 months and posted the photos on my Facebook page (just my personal page). If you would like to see some of these, just ask.

I am only going to start small and see what happens from there, but I would like to make it big-time, if I can. I'm not sure what type of business I want exactly, but I'm thinking that I'll let the customers tell me what they want, by researching the needs and wants of my customer base. I might only do cakes/cupcakes for special occasions (e.g. weddings) and/or sell my products at a market stall and/or eventually rent a shop selling cakes, cupcakes and chocolates (I'm also into chocolate art as well).

I heard from a customer at work about 2 months ago that the only decent cake decorator in town is pre-booked for months, and that really got me thinking...is this possible??

Any advice would be very much appreciated

Thanks in advance

the very first thing you need to know is that you need to report your baking income to the irs and that your local authorities, health department, agriculture department, zoning board, business license peeps, etc. all have a hand in this--they will not agree with each other either--so fasten your seat belt in more ways than one--

it is a process that you wade through in some cases--since you are not even sure what direction you want to go in that complicates things as well--

you really need to start with a business plan--

Also, I live in Darwin, Australia and if anyone has any information about me using my own kitchen, that would be a big help because I'll consider that option. And I have a lorikeet that I sometimes let strut about the house, would this be an issue?

Thanks again lovely people

oh dear--i'm in the u.s. so probably skip that part about the internal revenue service although there may be a few of us on here who might insist that you report to them from australia 

and the information i gave you is all u.s. so...

hope you do the best and the business plan thing is still valid and most important

♥

Thanks K8memphis, a business plan is definitely one of the first things on my to do list

while i'm thinking of it--there might a great chocolate resource for you at 

http://forums.egullet.org/forum/72-pastry-baking/

kerry beal is an amazing chocolatier and there are many others on there--

i was just reading a thread about how to add titanium dioxide successfully into your chocolates--who knew?

just a chocolate thought for you

Ok, I'll bite . . .

Strutting lorikeets?  Not sure how your local health department views loose birds and cake making, but you might have to give them a call for guidance on that one.

Asking customers what they want?  A generally bad idea.  Figure out what is needed in your area, and what you want to do.  Is there any overlap?  Then you may be able to use your competitive advantages to gain customers.  But do this research before starting a business - don't start up and then start asking random people on Facebook what they want, because you will get every answer under the sun, and they will want it all for free.   :)

Good luck!

Liz

No lorikeets.

AI doubt that any health department would be okay with loose birds, but I would enjoy seeing a lorikeet "strutting around." There's a lorikeet exhibit at a park near us and it's my favorite. Not that it has anything to do with this subject.

I'm in NSW so don't know if the same laws apply in NT, but your first enquiry should be to your local Council Health Dept.  It is a bit crazy, but different Councils have different laws surrounding home cake decorators, or rather they have different ways of interpreting them.  You need to find out where your Council sits on this one.  If they do allow it they will require you to have a number of things in place ie a separate fridge to store your cake ingredients and finished cakes to your family's food fridge, a separate hand washing sink to the sink you do your washing up in and a separate dry store for your ingredients to your family's food.  There is a whole lot of other stuff to do with the standard of your kitchen, finishes etc., check with your Council.

The lorikeet is an ABSOLUTE NO.  Can I just add it is a very small world and all it takes is one bird feather to end up in a cake and word will get around - don't risk it or your reputation can be gone in an instant.

There are also Government obligations, income reporting, registering for BAS, lodging a BAS quarterly etc, but this can depend on the size of your business.  If Council give you the go ahead it is advisable to talk to an Accountant about these issues.

You absolutely have to get insurance, you are required to have $10,000,000.00 public liability insurance amongst other things, your home insurance will not cover a home based business like this you have to get specialist insurance. Call an insurance broker it can be complicated to sort out yourself, God forbid anything ever happens to your home, but if a fire or something equally catastrophic occurs as a result of your business, your regular home insurance will be null and void.

Good luck !

Amaybe try selling online blog first? i got mine started when a friend shared an ebook from onlinebusinessworkz.blogspot.com. not a fancy type of book but power pack with enough to get everything started online