so..... hello all. first off i want to say thank you for always responding to all of my crisis. recently i have had a few things on my mind. mostly about my academics. i was majoring in the fashion industry and now i have completly done a 180, to baking. this won my heart, and i had a question for you all. i would eventually love to start my own business, but i also want to please my mom. i'm young and i have a 2 year old son. now, i havent been in school for quite sometime, and this has brought great dissapoint to my mom. i want her to be proud of me, and that leads to getting a degree. should i major in business/marketing, or business/management? i would use this tool to help me with my (hope to god) cake business that i some day wish to open. does any one have suggestions?

I would recommend living for yourself and not doing it to please your mom. Follow your heart and become what successful means to you and your son. I'm sure you're mom will be proud of you either way. However, if you don't do what you want to, later you may resent her.

how about culinary school? I know they cover some of the business concepts there, and you could get advice from "professionals" in the field you're interested in...

I work with college students (and used to do academic advising plus other areas)...

My rec. would be to start out at a 2 year college and get AT LEAST a 2 year business degree in business/marketing (there is always a need for marketing). make sure you take courses that will convey to the 4 year school of your choice (and ALL two year colleges have agreements with universities so can tell you which courses you would need to get that 4 year in the fastest time possible). After the two years, then decided if you want/need to do more.

Having a business foundation will ALWAYS be a good thing - even if only a 2 year - FAR better to go for 2 years and get a diploma than go to a 4 year school for 2 years and drop out and get nothing.

If you know that cake decorating is your passion, you can SLANT your studies and internships that direction. Apply at bakeries, apply at wal-mart and such... that will REALLY test your love for it and give you experience at doing it as a business and help you decide your likes and dislikes with how it is done.

Good luck,
melissa

You need to know the foodie side of the business. Cost control, over head and yada yada. One pricing matrix does not match everyones location and food cost. Culinary school teaches the front and back of the house issues that come up. Just a thought.

Oh, bless your heart. I first say pray, talk to God about how to honor your mother, be a mother yourself and to add a pastry chef on top of that. If you are serious (and there are a lot of design people who go into pastry work...Collette Peters for one) check into the education. This may mean just taking Wilton classes, not Culinary School or being an aprentice with a baker...and write up goals....and pray. I did attend culinary school...and there were a lot of gals in your situation there, and there were a lot of programs set up to help them. Our school had the "head start" program on campus, and plenty of scholarships and internships for everyone. A meeting won't cost you a thing. It won't be easy, but you are not alone, make sure you ask for help and seek it out, communication with your mother will be key, because you will need support. Ask friends for support, surround yourself with people who are encouraging. YOU CAN DO IT!!! Blessings on your Baking! Shawn <><

if you like to bake then bake! you are not your mom. one day she may not be there and if you spend your whole life making her happy then what will you do when she's gone? dont make yourself miserable to keep everyone else happy.

btw i understand exactly where your coming from. at first my mom didn't think this cake stuff was that good of an idea, but now that she gets to put her two cents into everything she's pretty content. i ask her for help or opinions on everything. i still go to her house just about every day. i think she might have been afraid that the cakes where gonna take me away from her or something? i dunno

Do you still like fashion? they would have business. If you ended up not liking cakes then you could go with that. Not only that. I think cakes have fashion in them. Cakes change with fashion. Look at the cakes 20 years ago. They were super busy with detail. Now days they are full of detail. More plain elegant.
I'm sure your mom is just looking out what is best for you. Maybe you could sit down with her and discuss (not tell you) some of your options and let her help you sort them out. I think will get you farther along in your decisions for you future.

Yes Culinary school! Will teach business management...front and back of the house. That means in the kitchen and management of the rest. YOu can opt to major in pastry. Some schools are very expensive but some community colleges also have programs. If cost is an issue..... I think CIA can cost around $30 k per year. If you are not sure, a less expensive route may be best. Your Mom just wants security for you. Especially with a little one. You need to please yourself but an education will bring more self development in addition to the marketability. It's not for everyone but you could give it a shot while you have such a great support network.

Best of luck MVP I've been to school for graphic design myself and am now decorating cakes for a living. I think that business/management would be your best bet because if the decoratin/baking is in your heart you may want to open your own business and if it grows you will need to be organized, smart, and know how to deal with people (clients an employees) I'm sure they will touch on marketing as well during this course.

I agree with kidsnurse. How about a culinary school and study to be a pastry chef? They cover topics such as restaurant management also. My niece goes to a culinary school in Dallas and loves it. Plus, if you don't like baking, you could use it to go into restaurant management. Some of the higher-end restaurants require you to have a degree in Culinary Arts Management or Baking and Pastry Arts Management.

You need to know the foodie side of the business. Cost control, over head and yada yada. One pricing matrix does not match everyones location and food cost. Culinary school teaches the front and back of the house issues that come up. Just a thought.

Boy I feel like I wrote that All I would have to change is majoring in photography. I tell you it sucks having to have to deal with that. But now I am suddenly getting through to my mom. She feels I wasted my degree, but finally sees that I found my passion. It is frustrating that you want to live your life but no matter what you always seem to want to make sure your parents are proud. At least that is me. I say dont' give up and go with it and she will come around. My mom finally did. Though now her new thing is I better not neglect my husband in the process. I tell you it is always something. Love my mom but boy she gives me a run for my money. Ever want to vent just pm me, it sounds like we have the same mom. Hee hee. Good luck.
Susan

I'm sort of going through the same thing (school-wise, not mother-wise). I would love to go back to school and go to culinary school (pastry, my husband cooks). After thinking about it for awhile, we decided that I should try working at a bakery first and seeing if I like the food industry business and then go to school. Culinary school in mucho, mucho $$$ and I want to make sure it's something I will like in the end. So I'm working at a bakery until next fall and if I like it, culinary school here I come. Added bonus, my oldest will be in kindergarten so no daycare $$...and campus has a daycare for my little one while I'm in class! Not sure I was much help, but good luck!

April

thank you for all the advice so far. well my plan was to attend a 2 year college, and then hopefully transfer to USC. i would like to get my BA, and then if its in the works (for the higher one) to get my MA there. but.... i'm so scared bc i dont want to fail twice. my mom believes that i bake okay cakes, but she really wants me to finish college, and i understand her, and how she might worry about me when she is gone. but... i'm scared bc i cant afford to not work. i have to work a ft job. i just hope that at the end of the road this takes me back to my passion you know? i'm just afraid thats all. and i feel at 22 that my chances are almost over.

I wanted to say again, culinary school (in a two year college) was very cost-friendly and I had exceptional instructors who worked in the industry. The tuition was $75 per credit hour and we were taught Le Cordon Blu...French cooking methods. I do recomend you checking in with a school for this, they will teach you the "business" of food and food safety/sanitation. Don't be sad, seek out, learn and communicate. God's Blessings, Shawn <><

There is the ever so wonderful Hospitality Degree-Hotel/Food Management.

I have an entire background and made a career of it. All my previous work fit perfectly into Hosp. Management. Also, live for yourself, not your mom.

Your mom has her life to lead, you lead yours and be an example to your children. Show your children, by example, what it looks like to achieve your dreams for yourself and not to please someone else.

Good Luck!

P.S. Accredited Online Colleges are also good too!

How stressful! But I have been through that, too.
I am 28 now, and just starting out. And I have to say that in college, I really feel like I wasted some time in trying to pursue what made others happy. I have a degree in Biomedical Science that I do not use. So...at the end of the day, and at the end of your life a long long time from now, it is really important that you are happy with what you did with your time. If this has won your heart, then do it! Your mom isn't living your life for you, and she won't be the one who has to deal with a job they don't like. I believe that you should always follow your passions and chose a career that you will be happy with.

thank you so much!

When I was looking at career options, my mom gave me this advice. There are lots of things you like, or even love to do. There are several ways to do them without making them a career. For example, I love animals, but I didn't want to go to vet school, so I just volunteer at the Humane Society. My newest love is cake decorating. It won't pay the bills yet, so I'm still working my full time job, and just making them on the side.
I don't know your mom or your relationship, but I'd say most of the time, mom's just want what is best for their kids...
Good luck with everything

Everything you can learn in school is another feather in your hat (as my mother likes to say). Going to bussiness school can give you more job opportunities, even better opportunities when you open your cake shop.
I'm a Mechanical Industrial Engineer, and believe me that having a degree has helped me a lot with my bussiness, b/c I learned cake decorating on my own, and that was easier than to learn managing and bussiness on my own.