I am so tired of working for nothing. My location is not great.... down town, and overhead is killing me. plus, I just found out that my lovely state changed the rules of cake baking, and any Tom, Dick and Henry CAN now sell cakes from their homes with no liscence no check up from Health Dept. no cost whatsoever. then why the heck am I putting every dime I make into running a legal bakery? I am so tired of working so hard for no take home money. I am tired of stupid customers who watch Duff on tv then want me to make a cake like his, for under $50.00 then they usually think of a reason to try to scam a refund. (not all customers, just a few bad apples spoiled the whole barrel)
I love cake decorating. I want to only do wedding cakes, I'm tired of messing with piddly little orders because I have such high overhead and need every order I can get my hands on.
I'm not sure what my next step is. I want to be out of my shop by the end of the year.
I do have a second kitchen in my basement where I started from, but I don't have any where to meet with the brides. I'll have to work on that.
If you have any ideas, please let me know.

melody

Sorry to hear that. Our market is horrible right now. Stick to what you love.
Andrea

I am so sorry for you. Maybe you can get together with another vendor like a bridal shop or florist & work something out with them where you can use their space to meet with clients. If it's legal to bake out your house now, I don't see why you can't meet there as well. I will keep you in prayer.

You can probably rent a small office for a lot less than what your paying for an actual shop. Then you could work at home, but have a professional setting for consultations. That's what a florist I know does, she just has a office for consultations, which I think she might even share with another business, and does all the actual floral work at home.

Coffee shops --meet in coffee shops

And let me hasten to say you wan't be the only one!

Just to give you some background--I live in an old part of town, there's a very divergent melting pot here--I'm not in chichi land. And I meet with clients in coffee shops So there's that.

Now there we were last year visiting Chef-boy outside Napa California in St. Helena, the chichiest part of chichi land. We are in the beautiful local coffee shop and what to my wondering eyes does appear in the big table next to me? A florist planning the wedding with the bride & her entourage.

So all that to say it's so done. From sea to shining sea.
Lotsa folks conduct business in coffee shops. No rent.

I sent you a PM, but I also wanted to add that I KNOW you can do it!

Get a virtual office - you only pay when you need it, but has all the amentities you need - fax, phone, and sometimes even a receptionist.

Remember, where there is a will there is a way! I know you can do it!!!

thanks guys, I thought I posted this in the business section....maybe I was just tired.

my kitchen at home, my second kitchen was built just to make cakes. I wanted a store front. now I just want to be home, make a few cakes, preferably wedding cakes, and enjoy my family.
thank you all!


melody

I'd love to be able to bake at home legally. I am jealous that you can and hope that Oklahoma will be able to do so soon. Enjoy!!!!

Sorry to hear about you closing shop. But you now can take advantage of your home and no overhead by moving your business into your home. Most shops only need a small area to meet with your clients. Maybe you can take a corner in your basement and turn it into a area to meet with your clients. Good Luck and keep baking!!! "Decorating" I would love to be able to have a shop but that is the one thing I have noticed is overhead and the fact that there is only a certain amount of people that are willing to pay for what you are worth when it comes to cake decorating. You go!!!

and I was given wrong info about my state, you still need a legal liscenced kitchen to sell cakes or any other consumable products.
I am going to get my little kitchen inspected again and am looking forward to a break!

melody

I'm thinking about meeting brides in the coffee shop. I haven't got all the details worked out yet.
I can't wait to actually get to keep some of the money I work so hard for.
overhead is very expensive!!


melody

I think it's fantastic you've come to a decision - which sometimes is the toughest part. I think it's even more fantastic that instead of being stressed out with obviously not enough pay off (from what you've told us), you'll be doing something you love and within close proximity of your family. Can't wait to hear the updates - so excited for your 'new path to happiness' if you could call it that?

I'm just ready to work a lot less. or let me re-word that, I'm tired of working my tail off, just to pay the overhead. when I make the move, I'll get my small second kitchen inspected again then I'm only going to make wedding cakes. I've come to hate small sheet cakes and birthday cakes...or small birthday cakes that make me no $$$

I am ready for a break though.

I will be meeting clients at the local mall. Ours is very small and when you walk in there is a seating area with tables. I think that will be perfect for me. We have a starbucks also but it is always so crowded. We are one of the few cities with only one store....lol

I'm sure you will be happier without all the overhead eating away at your income. Best wishes and happy caking.

It sounds like you are happy with the idea of working from home. Take a break and rest up and get ready for the wedding cakes.

melodycakes, so sorry to hear you will be closing your store. It must have been a very difficult decision for you. Sending you hugs and best wishes. Good Luck and keep us posted. You know you have support here.

thank you guys!

what I am somewhat worried about is that another bakery will go in my space and my customers will order stuff from them, because it is closer to where they live.
although part of me wants to slow down. I haven't decided yet.

Have you looked at your marketing plan? Do you even have one. You didn't say anything about what type of marketing you do and how it is working out. I focus on marketing (not all paid either) more than anything because that is what drives people to you, regardless of where you are.

If you do not have a solid plan, you still won't see improvements in moving back to where you started.

I've got a great marketing plan. I advertise with The Perfect Wedding Guide, and the Knot I only advertise, spending buck $$ on wedding cakes.
the little birthday cakes and what not, I don't spend a lot of money advertising. yet get quite a bit of business.
my overhead is just so high, and brides/customers are spending less because of the economy, it seems.
I am just tired of some of my customers from my downtown area.
they want a $2000.00 Duff cake and want to pay $50.00 for it, then think it should have bells and whistles because they spent $50.00 that is my location. I can change that.
I'm happy with my marketing and my word of mouth customers, but utilities and expenses just keep going higher and higher.
If I move back to my small kitchen at home (again, this is a seperate kitchen and will be liscenced through the state health dept.) I won't have to pay commercial rates for electric which will save me hundreds of dollars every month.
with the money I am saving, I plan to eventually build on an office room to my house to meet my clients in.

melody