Hey everyone!

I haven't been active on the forums in so long, we're not even going there. I've been decorating many years since I was in the 11th grade to be exact. I did my first wedding cake my junior year in high school too so I must be pretty good!? Lol, I enjoy it so much!

I recently had the opportunity to go into business with my friends who are all sisters that have an event company. We finally found a building and we're going to split the rent by company. They pay half and my company pays the other part....sounds good right? Well, I do have a pretty good clientele, I booked four weddings so far this year but, I am also about to pursue my other dream of becoming a school teacher.

My thing with these girls is they all have an education to fall back on but I am finally getting my chance to become retail without doing it all by myself. I would love to do it but I am twenty and I know that I need to seek higher education. I'm so lost I would really appreciate your input in anyway guys!

Thanks so much!

A "lost" twenty year old!

Oh boy. Are you really serious? You need to get all your ducks in a row. It sounds to me like you're flying by the seat of your pants here, and that won't work.

If you talk about being a teacher as 'following my dream' then just be honest, expect that they will be disappointed, angry, etc., but the bottom line is that you have to do what is right for you. I have no advice to give you in terms of dissolving your company, but just be honest with them and weather the storm.

As a mother of a 21 yr old daughter and 19 yr old son I'll tell you what I've preached to them their entire lives lol!

FINISH YOUR EDUCATION FIRST!

You're only 20 yrs old you have your entire life ahead of you.

Getting your degree should be your first and only priority.

Continue doing cakes as you have been up to now, but don't get yourself involved in a "business" without legal advice and paperwork in place.

Good luck with school!

if you're in a state that allows home bakeries I would say get the best of both worlds and go for your dream of being a teacher and do the cake thing on the side, not as a profession!

Once you are through school THEN decide if you want a career in cakes or kids?

Chezerai - WOW! I'm exactly in the same boat as you! I've been a baker all my life and just this past year started to do it more seriosly. I've gotten to oppertunities to sell my cupcakes at the restaurant I work at, I've got 4 wedding events this year. I too feel like I'm at a cross roads. I'm currently wait to hear from grad schools (I'm going into teaching also). Then I have people that keep telling me I should open my own business.

As hard as it is, I keep telling myself that education is SO important. I can always do baking on the side (like a few weekends here and there). We will have summers free to do lots of baking. Also, people are ALWAYS going to need cakes - there is always something to celebrate, so I know I will have more cake opportunites in the future...

But its hard and I totally feel where you're coming from. It's stressful :-/

So what do you want to do: cakes or be a teacher?

Did you take the oppurtunity to go into biz just because it was there or because it's really what you want?

Visualize yourself in 10 years...what are you doing, teaching or caking?

Just 'cause you've been making cakes for 6 years (my math might be off ) doesn't mean that you should jump into a business. ESPECIALLY since it sounds like your friends are just looking for a way to lower THEIR rent.

You can come back to cakes. Go, teach young minds, then make their birthday cakes on the side.

As a nice alternative, see if there are any bakeries in town that might just want seasonal help, like when you've got all summer off and they are slammed with weddings.....just a thought

You need to read all the posts on here about the scary parts of owning a cake business. In reality, it's not likely to be successful. And that has nothing to do with whether or not you are gifted decorator.

SCHOOL FIRST! Things in your life will always change as well as your goals. However, no one can take your education away from you.

Finish school first. I just opened my business 6 months ago and I've been decorating for 20 years. Right now, I have no life but work. However, I am at the point in my life that I'm ready to make that sacrifice. You will burn out trying to have a business and go to school. You will have no free nights and no free weekends - when do wedding take place? You want to go out with friends, a boyfriend, take time off - it doesn't happen with a business, especially a new business. If your dream is to be a teacher, be a teacher. You can always change careers later in life - I know because I have.

ditto what everyone else said.

Also, frankly, this is the height of planning season. If you've only got 4 weddings booked, sorry but you're not ready to make a business out of this. I've been doing wedding cakes for 11 years, have a great rep in my city. Right now I'm looking at about 30ish cakes booked and I'm terrified. That number is crazy-low. I should be sitting at about 60 right now. And since I'm at home (licensed, insured) I don't have to make a rent or equipment lease payment.

Go to school. Get your education. Don't start a biz in the middle of a recession in an industry where the odds of success are extra-ordinarily low. You could lose enough to forever end your dreams of an education.

Caking will always be around, later.

Finish school and become a teacher. Then, down the road, when you meet Prince Charming and start having babies, you can do cakes (hopefully from your home, LEGALLY). It's not easy to make cakes with babies/toddlers at home, but it's a lot easier than putting them in daycare all day while you are teaching.

I would also be leery about going into business with partners who are sisters to each other. You'd be the odd one out.

Isn't it amazing that all of us "cake decorators" are advising her not to take up cake decorating?? lol

Seriously though, like I said before I totally agree with the majority here and say definitely get your education........it is MUCH more difficult to get yourself back into the mentality of going back to school later in life than it will be to decide to start up a caking business later in life.

Also the 2 sister deal, I wouldn't touch that with a 50ft. pole!

Education first, life is long enough for 2 careers. (I am a retired attorney who now has a custom cake shop).Teach first, save up some money, (opening your own business is not cheap)and get some business sense, (cake decorating is only a small part of having a custom cake shop), opportunities are always around the corner (and better ones than with friends who are sisters, unless you want to be in the minority and also lose the friendship)

think you may be right about scaring her off Deb


Hopefully the OP realizes that we're trying to be realistic and a lot of people on here probably speak from experience as well!

I work out of my home too, licensed,insured,sell at 2 farmers markets, my business is not so great either, and i dont pay rent for space either . get your education.