Hello, as I am new to CC, I am also new to the cake business. I realized my talent about a year ago and since then have been making cakes for ANYTHING POSSIBLE and taking pictures, etc. I would really LOVE to start a business, but it would obviously have to start out of my house. I live in New York (on Long Island) and have been finding it VERY VERY difficult to find all the information I need. I thought that posting this may help and ANY INFORMATION would be helpful and I am very thankful for it.

First off, what steps do I need to take in order to legitimatly run a business out of my house without getting caught/fined by IRS, Health Dept, etc????
I want to make sure because I don't want to start really advertising and everything and then get in trouble!!

Secondly, at the moment, I am unemployed. Have been for almost a year and this is probably why I finally had the time to realize my passion for cake decorating!! How will this cake business affect my unemployment??

Is there someone I can go meet with and get free advice about all of this?? I really want to start this... Thanks guys!!

welcome to CC, the best resource for all things cake!

At the top of the Business Forum is a "sticky" article with info on various states that license home kitchens. That's a good place to start. If you're running a business "legitimately", there's nothing to get "caught" doing.

If you haven't read the business forum yet, pour a big glass of tea and settle back for a day of reading. There is a goldmine of info in there from some very talented business people.

Your local SBA or SBDC is a great resource for those wanting to start a business. THey have free and low-cost classes & workshops. I've talked to them a few times and they are SO helpful and informative. Definitely give them a call.

As you dive into all of this info (and be prepared for information overload!), feel free to come back with any specific questions. 99.9% of the time, someone on here is experienced with it!

A quick call to your local Health Department or State Department of Agriculture may answer your initial questions.

The first place to start is your building/zoning department. They will let you know whether, or not you can have a business in your home.

Mike

Another good resource for business information is SCORE. This is a national group of retired business people who have gotten together to help people figure out how to start (or improve) their business. They will help you figure out how to do a business plan, how to figure out costs, etc. You can be matched with a mentor for free and there are also classes you can take which are generally pretty affordable. There are SCORE chapters all over the US. Check them out at http://www.score.org

I have been reading through the business forums and haven't found anything specifically helpful for Nassau County in New York. It says New York goes by county and this is where I am finding difficulting. The code is written in such a way that it is hard to navigate through and find a simple answer. I guess calling will just be better. I will have to figiure something out.

Welcome to CC!

Just start at the top, Dept. of Ag or Health Dept. They can tell you if your space can be licensed and what you will need to do to make it that way.
Every state varies.

Jen

Hi, I'm new to CC and also live on Long Island. Thanks for posting your question. (loved the Yoda cake!)

Yep, like Mike1394 said. Then from there maybe your county, then the health inspector. That is how it worked for me anyway.