Hi, fellow cakesmiths,

I'm getting my MBA with a focus in entrepreneurship, in between working full time and decorating cakes periodically (I am a TOTAL amateur; check out my awful photos for proof).

I have an assingment for my New Venture Marketing class that requires me to interview four "experts" (I'll explain below) in my chosen area of interest.

Here's what I need:

1) To conduct about a 30-minute interview about one of your favorite subjects: Cake decorating! SPECIFICALLY, questions about what you'd like to see in a local supplier, questions about the concept of incubator kitchens, etc. I'll also be asking you to describe the very BEST cake you've ever had and the very WORST, and all the details. (See, this will be pretty easy!)

I will be recording these interviews so I can transcribe them and use quotes as part of my write-up to hand in to my teacher. HOWEVER, this is totally confidential; I don't even have to write up your name, just something like "40-something female cake decorator." (non-40-somethings and males, please feel free to reply too)

I would prefer to do these interviews in person, at a coffee shop or another public place (I am not a creepy old man, PROMISE) simply for ease of recording. I can't quite figure out how I would record a phone conversation and have the sound quality come through.

SO, for doing this, here's what you get:

1) A latte on me
2) To talk about cake and tell me all your dreams for the PERFECT cake shop.
3) To vent about all the things you WISH existed in the metro area

I would like to conduct interviews during the weekends or in the evenings (the assignment is due on November 5th).

Please PM me if you're interested, and feel free to reply below if you have any other suggestions.

One last note note: While I would love to actually launch a business like this, I cannot promise that a REAL business venture will come out of this research. I CAN promise that your expertise and information will be invaluable for me in this class and in my own decorating journey. And CC posters are always so helpful, I thought I'd check for interviewees since I don't actually know any other cake decorators (a travesty!!)

THANKS for reading this long-winded post.

OK, perhaps the "in person" thing is creeping people out.

What if I said phone was ok? Any takers? I'm seriously not trying to be weird, just a student who needs some help.

Blessings of buttercream upon you...