My next door neighbor and I took Wilton classes at our Hobby Lobby last summer. We had a good time and started making cakes for friends, family and coworkers. Eventually we thought we could start making some money by making cakes out of our homes.I came up with a business name, she came up with our slogan, and my husband created a webpage for us. (Love having a web developer husband!) She then started talking about advertising and started printing business cards, note pads, magnets, pens... anything you can think of, using vistaprint.com. We started looking for places to open a real cake shop in our home town.

Now the entire time I am a little reserved. I am not a risk taker. I rushed through college as fast as I could so I could get out there and start working. Being a teacher, I know there will be work for me and a steady paycheck. She is enthusiastic and friendly which would be helpful in running a store front, but her decorating skills have never been outstanding, mostly because she does not have the time to invest in getting more practice. She has 3 kids and a husband, where as I have no kids. I also know that starting a business from scratch is an expensive risk to take.

WELL, we started getting business from outside people from our business cards and website. It's wonderful and she and I were both excited about these new opportunities to work and show our skills. She had her cakes and I had mine but we worked under the same company name and would help each other out if need be.

This past Friday she had two cakes due for a b-day party on Saturday. She had to make a tinkerbell one and a hellboy one for this one lady who had contacted us from our website a month ahead of the event. She made two overcooked, dry 9x13 cakes, frosted them half-assed and expected the customer to fork over the cash. They only paid $30 but still!

The customer complained. She told her friends about the crappy cakes. Her friend posted a negative rant about our cake business on her neighborhood bulletin board in her town! My friend, who lives in the same neighborhood saw it passed it on to me so I could see what was being said. Being one of my biggest fans she was appalled by the post and the cake pictures that were posted!

Now my partner was out of town this weekend so I didnt see her until last night. She is completely nonchalant about the entire thing. Shows me her "ugly cakes". When I go off on her and tell her that I had to call the complaining customer and make things right by making another cake for her (the same time I am doing a friends WEDDING cake) she seems upset that I feel this way. Tells me the lady will never be satisfied and I should just let it go! GRRR!

She huffed out of my house. Later she came back and returned my cake stuff she had been using and my house key. Apparently we are no longer friends.

What do you think? Sorry so long!
What can I do? I want to make the customer happy and I want to remain friends.
All comments and suggestions welcome!

Thanks,
Holly

Partnership is tough, I've had several partners at different businesses thru the years....it's almost like being married.

just go on alone. I would go by myself not with patners because of the problems that can come along. I prefer to keep a friendship.

Tinkerbell and Hellboy???

Man, if you guys are going to go into business for real.. you really need to stay away from doing licensed cakes. A partner who doesn't pay enough attention to what she's doing will be the smallest worry on your mind if Disney or DC Comics (or is it Marvel? Don't remember which does Hellboy!) comes after you.

Agreed. I would go it alone and repair/keep the friendship.

I would redouble my advertising and go for it alone.