I have a question for all of you business owners...

Do most of you run your shop independently, or do any of you have partners? Do you think having a working partner would help the stress/overworking at all. I'm sure you'd still want to be in there as much as possible since the shop is your baby, but if you found someone you trusted?

Just curious because I may be partnering w/ someone, and I'm hoping to share a lot of the responsibilities...

Easy??????? Yeah, okay!!
I worked legally from home for almost 9 years. That becomes an almost 24/7 job because you throw in 'house' stuff too.

I've been in a shop for almost 3 years now. Just pulled a 17 hour day a couple of weeks ago. Overhead bites, but business is good (storefronts DO make a difference. Peoples perception and all that). Had to move twice in one year....that's a whole 'other story. Savings account has $10 in it. May have to move again...building for sale and I was just told.

I've missed several out of state funerals; graduations, weddings, cookouts, parties; etc. Couldn't make the Christmas party at my husbands job last year.
Would I do it all again??? Absolutely!! I LOVE what I do. And after years of making other folks businesses better, it's MY turn. My child is grown with a family of his own; my husband retired young and has embarked on another career. It's my turn, and I wouldn't give this up for anything. I'll probably die rolling out fondant .

Make no mistake Pink. This is hard work. No one really appreciates the amount of work that is required except another decorator. I teach a business class for people wanting to start in this business. One of the most important things I try to convey is that you better love doing this. I've worked sick, with a broken leg, no sleep...name it; but I worked.

A partner? Thought about it, but the right person hasn't arrived. For now, it's me...with a little weekend help when need it. A part of me likes it that way.

Easy??????? Yeah, okay!!
I worked legally from home for almost 9 years. That becomes an almost 24/7 job because you throw in 'house' stuff too.

I've been in a shop for almost 3 years now. Just pulled a 17 hour day a couple of weeks ago. Overhead bites, but business is good (storefronts DO make a difference. Peoples perception and all that). Had to move twice in one year....that's a whole 'other story. Savings account has $10 in it. May have to move again...building for sale and I was just told.

I've missed several out of state funerals; graduations, weddings, cookouts, parties; etc. Couldn't make the Christmas party at my husbands job last year.
Would I do it all again??? Absolutely!! I LOVE what I do. And after years of making other folks businesses better, it's MY turn. My child is grown with a family of his own; my husband retired young and has embarked on another career. It's my turn, and I wouldn't give this up for anything. I'll probably die rolling out fondant .

Make no mistake Pink. This is hard work. No one really appreciates the amount of work that is required except another decorator. I teach a business class for people wanting to start in this business. One of the most important things I try to convey is that you better love doing this. I've worked sick, with a broken leg, no sleep...name it; but I worked.

A partner? Thought about it, but the right person hasn't arrived. For now, it's me...with a little weekend help when need it. A part of me likes it that way.

Thank DDiva for your words of advise.... working hard is something I know a lot about. The big difference in the cake profession vs that in finance is that making cakes is very physical unlike sitting at the computer all day. I love the contrast though and many people these days are doing a 180 degree career change. Reinventing yourself can be fun and challenging.

WAIT a second... There is ONE way to make "Easy" money doing cakes....that doesn't involve the street corner ... That is...

You get a JOB working for someone else who will pay you minimum wage to decorate cakes!!!!! Seriously, you make A LOT more money even at minimum wage if you figure it out by the hour, AND you get to take time off...

.........my flowers are too old and droopy to sell for very much.....the cart's pretty rickety too.........


Oh my heavens!!! I haven't laughed this hard in ages .......Something I sorely needed today.

I sooooo agree w/the others. This is NOT an easy profession........there are all the drawbacks every one has already mentioned and then some.

Usually most of us would never do this but I want to point out a few things about the one and only cake you posted. Overall it's beautiful - well done;..... but there are a few things that you will have to learn before you can be rolling in the dough ($$$$$$).

Look carefully at the pillars. They are not straight. There should be a small border at the bottom of each tier. Look at the bottom tier ruffle.....right in front you see black (chocolate cake?). That needs to be covered w/a small shell or bead border.
Yes, I know not all my cakes are perfect! And there are some that I will never post I'm not trying to say we are all perfect and each & every cake needs to be totally, completely perfect. Just that you (and all of us) need to watch for the little things that *make* the cake stand out and make customers flock to us.

One HUGE positive about cake decorating is that people LOVE their profession. Many people work LONG hours in a job they hate and make very little money doing it.

Agree with all4cakes, that it depends on the person. I can think of only 2 people who I'd be willing to 'partner' with. One has been in the food industry for 20 years and the other is my sister, who would be fabulous at handling the office-side of the biz.

you've also got to consider if you're really the type of person who can be self-employed...

not everyone can (I can't, I hate it).

Also think about whether or not doing this day in and day out would make you love it more, or would you start having fantasies about killing people by smothering them with a ball of Wilton fondant?

I had a small business once based upon my hobby. It absolutely killed off any fondness I had for that hobby. I have not engaged in said activity in years - I had LOVED it until it became my boss. Then I began to loathe it. In one year something that I had been eating, breathing and sleeping became something I didn't even want to touch!

All because I was tired of having to make product for people. I didn't hate it because I wasn't successful - I hated it because I was.

Someone said that you should find a job doing what you love. Yeah, maybe. Or, you can find a job that allows you to do what you love...in your free time.

So think about it. Will you really have the freedom and creativity you think you will? Will you wake up every morning eager to get into the kitchen? Will you enjoy selling yourself, and remaining calm when people say "how much? it's just cake!"

I'm happy being the accountant who makes cakes, not the cakemaker who still has to be her own accountant!!

you've also got to consider if you're really the type of person who can be self-employed...

not everyone can (I can't, I hate it).

Also think about whether or not doing this day in and day out would make you love it more, or would you start having fantasies about killing people by smothering them with a ball of Wilton fondant?

I had a small business once based upon my hobby. It absolutely killed off any fondness I had for that hobby. I have not engaged in said activity in years - I had LOVED it until it became my boss. Then I began to loathe it. In one year something that I had been eating, breathing and sleeping became something I didn't even want to touch!

All because I was tired of having to make product for people. I didn't hate it because I wasn't successful - I hated it because I was.

Someone said that you should find a job doing what you love. Yeah, maybe. Or, you can find a job that allows you to do what you love...in your free time.

So think about it. Will you really have the freedom and creativity you think you will? Will you wake up every morning eager to get into the kitchen? Will you enjoy selling yourself, and remaining calm when people say "how much? it's just cake!"

I'm happy being the accountant who makes cakes, not the cakemaker who still has to be her own accountant!!

Canadian Chick - why Wilton fondant?? ha ha no one will eat it right?

Wow, you ladies have really opened my eyes. I love receiving the constructive criticism. I am absolutely a beginner but I've always wanted a career in the arts and this seems be something I suddenly and completely loved. I am practicing every week.

As for the weekends and long hours.......hmmmm....not great. I didn't know people had weddings on Sundays. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. I work 30 hours per week at an insurance job which I really do enjoy most days. I make good money right now.

One other question: with all the time, blood and sweat...are you making a decent living? Is it worth it for you to do this? I'm thinking it must be because there's cake decorators in my town who have been in business for over 20 years.

I make decent money (when the ordesr are rolling in), but you have to charge a decent per serving price or you will be working for pennies on the dollar. You also have to ask, do these bakers who have been in this for 20 years make enough to call it a business... or is it a paid hobby? Do they have to support their familes with this?

It's easy to start decorating and love it... and think "hey... this could be easy money". But the decorating is less than 1/2 the equation.

It also makes a big difference if you're at at-home baker vs. storefront. There are big differences in overhead that have to be covered.

One other question: with all the time, blood and sweat...are you making a decent living? Is it worth it for you to do this? I'm thinking it must be because there's cake decorators in my town who have been in business for over 20 years.

There is a lady in my town who has been a home baker for over 30 years. She is really nice and has no problem talking to you about her baking career and giving any tips you may want. She has told me and many other people in town that she is so blessed that her husband has a great job to support them and that she can do what she loves.

I'll chime in late.

Can you make EASY money? NO. Can you make ANY money? It depends on the type of cake business you're thinking about.

Home baker just you baking..........probably not gonna get rich off of it.

Store front full service bakery with employees to help put out the goods......sure depending on location, you could be very successful and make a good living.

It all depends on what you are willing to put into it.

For me, licensed home baker, no I could never make what I make at my "real" profession and that's why I do it part time. I also know that if I did cakes 60 plus hours a week I'd begin to hate it. So it's a good balance for me to keep it a part time job.

[quote="Nchanted1"]If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. I STRONGLY recommend that you get the book "The EMyth".

Just ordered the book (used) off of Amazon for under $5.00. Look forward to reading this. Thanks for the tip.

I have work experience, repeat orders and still it is hard to make ends meet. I work full time and was hoping to leave the corporate world behind.

It is important to have more than cake in your "menu". Sometimes I mention something like "tarts" and that sparks interest. Be ready to be flexible!

It is fun but also quite addictive! lol

I'm so glad I read this thread, there is some great advice here! Makes me think twice about ever going into business making cakes. I enjoy making them for family and friends but feel that it would be too stressful to make a living out of it. People have commented "Oh, you should start your own cake business" and inside I am cringing and just smile back at them. People don't even realize how much work goes into some of the cakes.

Where I live, I wouldn't be able to make much money at all! First off, it takes me forever to do a cake because I'm learning on my own and second off, people don't want to pay much for cakes around here. I think I will just keep it a hobby and look for some other type of work once my kids are in school.

I'm so glad this topic was mentioned on here.

I think in some ways, things are changing. I went to Canada Day celebrations (like July 4th in the U.S.) and there was a lady selling cupcakes for $2.50 a piece and they weren't even really decorated. They just had different swirls of icing on them eg. pink or yellow, blue, etc.

Then I heard about a cupcake cafe opened on a trendy street in the city. They sell cupcakes for $2.95 each and I heard they don't even taste that great. They just look good.

Point is, people are willing to pay for special treats. I think with all the exposure of cake decorating on TV, people will start seeing this as more than a grocery store bakery product. They may start to see it as an artistic expression, which is what I think it really is. At that point, the skills we have practiced and developed may be worth more than they are right now. Just my thoughts...

Motta - I agree. People will pay for treats - and if they taste awesome it will become a "go to" when something extra is needed!

When you mention cake - an image of buying a box and putting a couple eggs with oil comes to most peoples mind. Not so hard?

Instead of saying "I make cakes" I say "I create a special Japanese sponge with fresh fruit, real whipped cream and a secret ingredient". That usually makes them giggle (throws off the shock of my cost lol) and then they say hmmm sounds yummy and go for it.

I charge what I feel is right. This time of year blueberries and strawberries are inexpensive - but I use only local eggs from a small organic farm along with only the highest quality product. Those who enjoy the taste always come bck for more.

I also agree that the time and energy it takes there is NEVER enough compensation for that! So you need to really love what you do and most important gain confidence to bang out a great product when needed.