then where do you meet with clients? Do you meet at the place you are renting or at your home? How do you manage this? Also do you have to do the decorating in the kitchen as well or can you do it at home? Any suggestions as to what to avoid or make sure I do?

TIA

I am facing the same situation....where to meet clients when renting kitchen space. The space that I am goint to rent is located in a part of town that has been traditionally known as "high crime" so I am not sure if clients would want to meet there or not. The area is improving but old stereotpyes die hard.

I guess it would all depend on the kitchen you are renting....is there space to meet clients? Is the kitchen easy to find?

It is my understanding that all baking and decorating needs to take place in a commercial, permitted kitchen but you will need to check with your local health department.

Thanks. The kitchen would be part of a restaurant, so I am not sure I really want a client to be there in the middle of the hustle and bustle. And I don't want to pay for using it as a consultation...gets expensive.

Any other ideas?

I rent an hourly from a woman who runs a small cafe.. I meet clients in that cafe or in thier homes and I'm currently renovating my basement so I can have clients to my home office! I can't wait till it's done.. As for baking in the kitchen and then decorating at home, I'm sure regulations are different everywhere, but I'd bet (like here) that you have to do the decorating in the kitchen too.. it's still feed handling...

Thanks muddpuppy.....you & southaustingirl are probably right about having to decorate there as well. Just thought I would throw it out there just in case

I wonder if Starbucks can always keep a table open for me

Starbucks is actually an idea I was going to suggest= or any coffee house for that matter.

Starbucks is great though. I hold parent/teacher conferences there on Sundays for parents who can't meet at night during the week. If they come on Sunday, I buy them coffee and we sit and talk for 30 minutes (or more) instead of the usual 15 minutes.

We also hold teacher meetings there during the summer.

It would be a great place to meet clients and chat.

Since they wouldn't be able to see any cake displays, that means I would have to rely on photos, right? Would I bring taste samples there with me or would they have to come to the kitchen for that?

I'm not a fan of meeting at other businesses to conduct your business. I am home-based, but can't have customer to my home so I meet them at their homes. I take my portfolio, samples and sketchbook. I am in the process of moving into a bigger kitchen and will be able to do my consults there.