Hi all,
Just wanted to hear some positive stories from some of you! My husband isn't very supportive of my dream to have my own bakery. He always says "maybe someday." Its so frustrating! My skill level is far from what I need it to be to run my own business or even ask anyone to pay for a cake that I have made right now, but I will get better. You must have a commercial kitchen in my state, so thats another obstacle. But its what I love to do. Have always loved it, but never actually put any effort into seeing what I could do or improving. My motto is that you only live once, so why not do what you love? Maybe I can keep practicing and then when I get fabulous at it, he will just say, "Babe you are really great, lets go get a loan for that bakery." LOL Maybe someday!

See the cool thing about doing cakes is that you don't have to have a business to do amazing cakes. It can be just as much fun to be a wanted sought after old crabby curmudeon rock star who doesn't go 'on tour' anymore as it is to actually launch a new cd and go on tour.

I mean it can be fun to plan potential bakeries in every vacant building you see. Re-design your house, I mean mentally move every wall inside and out to accomodate the business the county will not allow you to have.

My husband and I have have had this pas de deux for a looooong loooooong time. We apparently enjoy it--we've done it sooo long.

It's kinda like our favorite board game we get out & play~maybe Parcheesi meets Peter Pan for example, for people who like to play the game but refuse to grow up.

It's also kind of like let's play train wreck.

That maybe pretty obtuse but it's honest.

I see what you are saying. But thats not really what I am looking for. I work full time. I work overtime not doing what I love. And I actually want to do this as a career. Our area has walmart for cakes and that is it. I would love to take deco classes and also business classes and be my own boss. It may sound bad but, yeah I wanna be a rock star.

You have to remember, doing something you love, when you want how you want is totally different from doing it day in and day out or having to do so many cakes a week to pay the bills.

One of the things that stopped me from pursuing cakes as a full time career is that I enjoy doing them now. They are fun, when I want to do them, but I was pretty sure if I had to do 20 little cakes or several big cakes a week that I wouldn't enjoy it any more.

Plus doing cakes means you give up almost every weekend in the summer, and are baking your butt off before every holiday. Most weddings and celebrations are on weekends, so you pretty much have to figure that later part of the week and weekend will be busy busy busy every week.

I applaud your enthusiasm!!! We need more people out there that are working to be amazing artists! I started out years ago as the "family baker" the one that always had the "cute" cakes for her kids birthdays but two years ago I decided I wanted to be MORE! It took me a year to get it all together, I'm still learning by leaps and bounds and business is only up to 6 cakes a month BUT I have faith in myself and I know that word of mouth will grow. Whether your dh has faith in you or not, YOU need to have faith in yourself and keep working with each cake to get better, to challenge yourself and learn new skills. While you are learning (and treating everyone you know to yummy cakes for free) start looking into your church, Kiwanis-Elks-whatever clubs to see if you can work out a trade situation so you can get your license and have a commercial kitchen to use. I have one with my local Elks club...I make whatever baked goods they need (basically comes down to about $25 a month in supplies) and they let me use the kitchen to work out of. See if you can find someone to give you the same sort of deal. Then when you feel ready to jump off the cliff, get your license and print out some flyers, get some business cards and make the leap!
Don't give up on yourself!

Good luck!

Cat

i just got my license. in pa you can have a home base operation. i love to bake and decorate. It is not my full time job to pay the bills, however like TexasSugar said there is a difference in doing something because you want to do it as opposed to doing something that you have to do. If there ever comes a day where it is not enjoyable anymore then it's time to get out. Keep your dream alive. We only go around once in this life so do whatever you can to make yourself happy.

TressieJo, don't give up on your dream !! Keep working on your skills and at the same time be working on a business plan. Yes there will be long days and there are a lot of weekends and holidays spent working, but there is also the satisfaction you'll get from seeing a bride's face when she sees her beautiful wedding cake that you made. Knowing that you have created a memory for this person that will last the rest of their lifetime.
No we won't all be Ace of Cakes, but to know every morning when you get up that you are fulfilling your dreams is better than all the fame in the world.

Good luck !! I hope your dreams come true !!!

Where are you at in Oklahoma?

Kate- I sure do hope that everything works out for you. I think it will though, because you sound like all your ducks are in a row already, which is great! I sure haven't found a cure for myself yet.

Texas- I appreciate what you're saying and agree with you completely. But, I work in the health care field which basically means that I work weekends and holidays as it is.Whats a day off? 12's and more. At least I would be able to go peee eithout having to ask for permission. haha! Someday I do want to run my own bakery full time. Right now I would be happy to get paid for doing a couple cakes a week. In oklahoma, you have to have a commercial kitchen though which is a problem and I still need a lot of practice before I ask anyone to pay me. It will take a lot of planning.

catlharper- Thank you SO MUCH for your encouragement, I really needed that today as I sit and wait for my scrubs to get out of the dryer. I will def ask our preacher about borrowing the kitchen when my skill level improves! I hope all goes well and your business just keeps growing!

chrstmaskd- I won't be quitting my job any time soon, so no worries there, but it gives me time to practice practice practice....Well sort of

ljdills- Thanks for your kind words. I would be great to wake up and be happy with what I am doing. Maybe someday!

Amber- I love in Miami which is in the Northeast corner.

Thats really far from where I am. I am in Durant which is right on the Southern Border. I would like to have my own business too and hope to build a building on our property outside of my house one day!

I was close to 50 years old before I was able to achieve that dream, so don't stop believin'! (as the song says! ) Every barrier is a learning tool that gets you one step closer.

I started my business in spite of.......

- lots of relatives who still looked at me as that poor-ass little 10 year old cousin who they KNEW would never amount to much.
- A husband who actually wrings his hands and sets aside worry-time, in case he doesn't get his daily quota of worry-time in during the day!
- Not near enough money to do it right
- Knowing less about running a business than I THOUGHT I did.
- Not knowing diddly-squat about how to rent a commercial space or what was involved.
- Everyone saying "oh, now's not a good time to start a business!" (which they say no matter WHAT the economic status is! Good or bad, no one ever says it's a good time to start a busines!)

Indydebi- I know what you mean about the relatives. I have 4 big brothers and I am the youngest. My mom had me about 14 years after having her last boy. So even though I am in my late 20's with a husband, two kids, and a more than full time job I am still just "sissy." And let me tell you, sissy cant do anything right! And Oh my goodness, I swear I should send my husband to sit with yours and we can let them worry together! Thanks for your reply, it really encourages me to hear from people who are doing well in business and who didnt just have everything "fall into place."

To everyone: GO FOR THE GUSTO! Surround yourself with joy and happiness. If that is what makes you happy... do it! I love to bake and make nice edibles... well, some are nice. But I love my day job also. I always tell my children "Do what brings you joy." Yes you need money to live, but do you want to enjoy that life or be miserable just working. The good Lord always gives you a door to open, you may have to pick the lock, but it's there! Never give up!

I can feel your pain. Trust me (I could have written your post!). I hope to one day have a "real" bakery as well. But for now I just make treats for friends, family, playdates and little things like that. You FIRST have to build up your skills an portfolio. It's a slow task, and the skill part is only one part of a successful business. Take this time now to get great so when the right time comes along you can open that business. Believe in yourself!!

Ummm, let's see... In spite of:

no money
no training
no biz experience
no biz plan
3 little kids
struggling to pay bills
serious lack of self confidence and self esteem
did I mention no money?

I didn't know squat and I still don't know much. I am blessed to have this business and blessed to have found people who are willing to help me.
I am still learning, it is a steep climb though.

I agree, it is a world of difference in "having" to do cakes and some days I am not sure I want to continue. This is hard work, very hard and you won't make a ton of money. I am still not sure I could make enough to support myself just on my cakes/cookies etc.

BUT there is nothing like the satisfaction I get from making something. Nuthin' like it! I do love it and I'll be honest when I feel like giving up the phone rings and it's good news! God is always with you, ALWAYS. We have to trust in Him. He always makes a way!

Sometimes you have to encourage yourself, even when others won't. So, you keep doing what you can do to prepare yourself and it will all come together!

TressieJo - do what makes you happy! Listen to everyone's comments (the good and the bad) and make the decision that is best for you!! Practice, practice, practice and Keep Moving Forward!! (Yes, I watch too much Disney with my 4 year old)


catlharper - what state are you in? I really liked the idea of the Kiwanis-Elks clubs.

Thanks for posting this. I really needed to hear some positive encouragement too - so I'm being helped while you're being helped. I'm in the (long) process of setting up a home business so I'll post how it goes while it's happening and maybe that will give you some insight too.

Good luck to you - chase that dream!

I'm in California!

I finalized everything today with a commercial kitchen. Scary, yes -- yet again ANOTHER monthly bill (rent/insurance). Funny though, God does always provide.

Turning 52 in December and this has been a lifelong dream. Stupid thoughts of "it's too late in my life to start something like this". But my favorite toy as a child was my Easy Bake Oven and I have been baking ever since.

Anywho, now I am legal. First order was a full size sheet cake to celebrate "October" birthdays for teachers at a very posh elementary school. Get this, they have their own hospitality department.

Pursue what you love. Good luck and God's blessings to all!!

Thanks catlharper! I'm in California also. That gives me hope about doing cakes without getting into trouble. Which part of CA?

I'm in the Sacramento area. I have a friend who's mom is part of the Kiwanis organization and was able to get me an in. But your church is the easiest one to go to for this. Unfortunately our church has a great kitchen that's SO hot there is no way I could make cake there! LOL!

I'm in So. Cal. but I know where there are some Elk Lodges. So it might be worth an effort to make introductions. Can't hurt to try. Thanks again!

TressieJo,
Practice, practice and have fun, when your "fondant toys" like somebody here calls themare too many, and when you are getting tired of making too many free cakes for the office. Then jump, but slowly, one step at a time.

My husband didn't believe in me at the beginning, but slowly he has been seeing my skills and tasting my cakes, and now that the brides are coming to the house to order cakes, he is my biggest fan. And yes you would have to give up your weekends, my husband and I just realized that the other day. When it was my third saturday having lunch at 5pm after delivering the cake.

My family was the opposite, they all wanted me to start the biz long time ago, but "I" didn't think I was ready.

It's like having kids, they all said to you: when are you having kids? are you babysitting for me? every night? I don't think so! so we didn't listen to them.

We decided to have our daughter when for 8 consecutive months we were able to place in the savings $800 dollars, meaning we did have the $660 a month for daycare.
So everything went smooth.

The same with the biz, when we were able to use our tax return money for brochures, to pay for the bridal show and things like that.
Then we jumped, We didn't want to take out a loan, and the 6 months later, I am tired, no customers and monthly payment to make.
No thank you!

Make sure you are sure of what you are doing and have the $$ to support your dream, otherwise your dream will become your nightmare when you can't pay the bills because you like making cakes.

Trust in God, he can help you a lot. He has done it for me!