Just outta curiosity, does anyone happen to know if there are any forums out there specifically for / limited to people with actual, LEGAL cake businesses?

I was on a forum like that when I was a floral designer, and it was nice. Everyone was verified as actually having a business / being a designer for a real business, and the vibe was totally different. The posting experience was different too, because we all knew that we were chatting with our peers, and that our industry talk and advice wouldn't be getting out to the general public.

For example, if someone had an idea for a technique, ideas could be freely exchanged without worry that our "behind the scenes magic" was being read by every bride who wandered in to get tips on doing it herself.

Know what I mean?

I don't know of any forum, but I think the beauty of this site (which IMO, is the best out there) is that we can all learn from each other - no matter how experienced. Some of the hobbyists on this site are better than the actual business owners (again, IMO). Being a legal business does not make you better at decorating or knowing how to construct/bake cakes. Afterall, you don't have to pass a class (or even take a class) to open your own cake shop.

Also, I don't think a non-experienced cake decorator (or a bride as you referred to) could ever replicate what some of the greats do on this site. I don't see any secrets being "let out" but maybe I misunderstood your post?

But to answer your question, I don't know of any site that verifies the "real" decorators vs. "the hobbyists."

I don't know of any either, but Keltokel - I don't think that was what she meant by her post. Many times people refer clients to this site so they can look throught the galleries for ideas for their cakes. (I hate it when people do that BTW) In the past, customers have gone to the forums and found where a decorator was venting about a problem customer and discovered that the one they were venting about was them. Talk about drama! FlowergirlMN was simply wondering if a place existed where business owners could discuss things like that and other things that would not be of any interest to the layperson w/o having the drama that may insue otherwise. Nothing was meant to be a business vs. homebaker vs. hobbyist comparison.

Man, jammjenks.. EVERYTHING gets turned into business vs homebaker vs hobbyist.

For the record, my best cake bud is a *legal* homebaker. Ask her if she's ever once got the idea that I somehow look down on her for it. Nope. She had the dedication to go and do what it took to get herself legal and run a legit business, that's good enough for me! (Besides, she's a better decorator than I am!)

Yes, this is a great site for design. I'm not talking about design. I'm talking about somewhere private for business owners to talk business.

How about the cake decorating business forum on this site?

The one I used to be on (florist oriented) had it set up so that a couple forums were viewable to the public (news, tech support or whatever), and everything else hidden.

You would register for an account/username, then post an introduction on a new members forum there. You gave info like your business name, location, type of business, etc.. would be verified, then you'd be given access to all of the private business forums.

I'm not against the idea of giving a helping hand to people in the start up phases, I'm just also for a private forum for serious trade related discussion. I set mine up based on the way the florist one was done.

You realize that this thread is in the Business forum, right?

I think that this is a great idea. I refrain from posting my pictures or identifying info on here because I'm worried about customers finding out I'm talking about them or that maybe I'm asking for directions on their cake and then they will think I don't know what I'm doing. I would love to have a place I could go that was only for business owners and not the general public. If you find something could you please let me know?

No, I know of many baker forums but none that are limited to business owners exclusively but Dang, it would be nice to have one! I lurk this business forum exclusively on this site-but as we all know it is not private at all. Honestly, a lot of great biz owners quit coming on this site...so their vast knowledge (to me) seems lost.

Sorry I misunderstood your first post.

But being an exclusive business doesn't exclude the outside public from reading the sites. Plenty of exclusive businesses could easily allow their clients to use a site.

I guess my point is, eyes are always watching and reading. If you want to vent about a customer, there is a chance someone on the site could still know that person. Reminds us how small the world really is. But, I know this isn't want you were asking for - I am referring to JemmaJenk's post.

I guess I should be more clear - is there something about cake decorating that is so sacred that we can't talk about it on this site? I am sure you don't mean talking about people - but the actual business of decorating.

I understand completely.. it's divulging secrets and yes perhaps venting about that customer who gave you such a hard time. A business can allow their clients to view a site, but only if they choose to. Here it's all out in the open and when we talk about real business stuff there are those who take it wrong and feel like it was more personal then it was intended. In a forum for only business owners you could talk about things without worrying about someone taking it wrong. I am all for helping people... I try to help people everyday... but a forum for business owners sounds great to me. People who are serious and who have done their homework and know what they are talking about can help their peers. I wouldn't say that this business forum here isn't useful... but it's more useful to the one who doesn't already know what's what and is looking to sort it all out than say me, who already knows the basics. I feel that there are business people here who know boat loads that wouldn't necessarily share as openly as they could because this is a public area and any tom, dick, harry, sally, jane can read it and garner knowledge that they should have to seek out themselves, or use this forum as a way to circumvent the work involved in finding out where to start.

I don't need to know how to get legal in my state.. I am already there. What I would like to be able to do is share with my peers (and by this I mean legal business owners) about what is working and what isn't for marketing or get answers about insurance providers and suppliers in an environment where they feel they can share. I would still want to come here and help people, but a forum like the one in question would be great.

I do think that the business forum should be private like the adult cake forum. It's just not information the general public needs to know. People can vent, without the worry of customers nosing around.

so what exactlly defines you as a *legal* business as you put it on the Business site? Because in some states it's *legal* to run a bus. from home and NOT be licensed....so would that still be considered not *legal* for your site??? Or would it be at the discretion of the admin. Like do you have to have a storefront?? Or just be in a phone book? Or what?? Just curious...........I would love to see what works and doesn't work with other businesses around the country/world for that matter.

I could be misunderstanding the OP but it seems like they don't necessarily want a 'non-public' forum as much as they want a 'legals-only' forum.

Without being rude, I think alot of business owners don't post their precious knowledge because they MAY Be afraid of being undercu/undervalued-not trying to be rude! Just sayin...there is nothing WRONG with being a legal biz owner, it is a lot of hard work! Why would we NOT want to be network with those people...Not to be mean, i really don't want to be mean but yes, My name is Melissa and I would like a business forum that is more than just questions like "What would you charge?" "Is it legal to run my business out of taco truck?" ETC. It is not exclusivity, it is networking!

lol@iamlis........."is it legal to run my business out of a taco truck?" Tooooooooooo funny!!!

For some reason alot of my posts are not making on here. I respond but when I go back later my post is GONE!

My post was a bit long and I don't feel like retyping it. But I am a member of a site called Danceart.com that has private boards for studio owners and teachers. So it is something that is possible to do. Whether CC wants to deal with making their Cake Biz board private is another matter.

I totally understand! I market my business very differently than anyone else here in my town, and it was been ridiculously successful for me. But I certainly wouldn't post any more than that on here because anybody could read it and then do it... I would share it with a group of legal decorators that I knew weren't in my town though Also, venting about customers and all of that, I've only done it one time because she was so over the top, but never on a regular basis...

I took both of the posts that those were responding to to be overly snarky, so I snarked back.

so FlowerGirlMN........what exactlly defines being legal and able to join your boards? A storefront? A tax id number? a listing in the phone book?

This topic is always a "HOT" one. While I do not condone anyone selling products without a proper business license, I also understand the trials and tribulations and costs associated with starting a business.

The Cake Decorating Business is for anything to do with the business of cake decorating. There are a lot of forum members that own restaurants, bakeries, cake shops etc, and there are those out there that would like to turn their hobby into a business and just don't know where to start.

I personally feel that if there is anything in your life that you are passionate about, then you should absolutely pursue it! And there is no better guidance than those whom have gone before you.

I also know how easily this conversation can spiral into something out-of-control.

My word of advice to everyone...
If you are a business owner and enjoy sharing tips and advice then do so.
If you are a hobbyist and are trying to start a business, congratulations! This is a great forum to get advice.

For everyone else, if you don't feel like sharing, that's fine too.

It's not that she didn't get the answer she was looking for, it's that she was posting about alternatives to the business forum here and was directed right back to the business forum here.

It would be like me asking if there are any other places besides walmart I can get a pound of butter for $3.00 and someone telling me to go check out walmart.

I'd love to have a Forum just for legal businesses. I've given a lot of thought lately to the amount of posts I have on here, and have concluded that helping those "under the radar" compete with me and undercut me is stupid on my part.

I understand that, jkalman, and I can understand the frustration. I just think it could have been handled a little more nicely (well, a lot more, actually). I just don't understand the rush to sarcasm that so many people have over what may be just a simple misunderstanding. Whatever happened to giving someone the benefit of the doubt, or the old saying, "If you can't say something nice...."

Personally, I'd love a forum that was related to business - not drama. I know more about members' personal lives than I'd like to.