Yesterday I was at my first bridal show... Had an o.k. booth (IMHO) across the walkway from the chocolate fountain people (OMG! AWESOME chocolate and easy to work with -- to the point I wouldn't mind losing business to THEM ).. I did a mini-cupcake tower on a lazy susan for the samples... Not even the Pampered Chef gal put out food samples.

Then, the day was moving on and a gal walks up and says "hi! I'm your competition here at the show" , I'm thinking "fine, there aren't many bakers who really "ARE" my competition in this area".. I looked at her booth and was from then on just social because our cake designs are on a completely different spectrum (then did a taste too, ). Find out of course, she's baking out of her home kitchen (non-licensed), doesn't even try to hide it (at least follow the handling things like have your hair tied back, gloves, etc if you're handing out sheet cake samples where food HANDLING is being done).. In this state, you don't NEED a license to sell cakes as long as you're doing the baking out of a licensed kitchen, but you need one if you want to advertise and there was the whole spectrum (brochure, booth, etc)..

Ugh... I'm just not one to turn anyone in because we all had to start somewhere, but Ugh, at least CY like everyone else! Sorry... Just needed to vent my frustrations, especially since myself and the chocolatier across from me went through the "renting space" phase before earning our licenses/stripes...

Hmm. . .

You don't need a licensed place to get a bridal show booth????

Big Hugs to you! I know this was probably frustrating and the energy it took to keep from choking her and her apparent lack of respect for proper business ethics was tough but you did it and now you know what she is offering...

I can't imagine someone presenting themselves in that manner, jokingly or not - she must have a steel set if you know what I mean.

I wouldn't sweat it, people will realize and see the difference between your product and hers.

Take a deep breath and know you are doing stuff the right way.

I had a run in with a girl like that. She was just out of high school (obviously not as experienced as I am) and her cake was just gross in every way. She was cocky and said she was my competition. I should have said "do you know what the definition of competition is?" But I was nice. She even tried to argue with me about cake terms. Unlicensed also! I was flabergasted!!
Another licensed lady at the show turned in another unlicensed baker and I heard they have been turned down by the city to get licensed.
Look out!

So am I understanding that your "competitor" was an amatuer joke? Sounds like you took the high road.
mpc

MPC, the lic business that turned in the unlic business was unable to renew their lic??

lol

To that remark that someone is "MY COMPETITION"...I always come back with a great big grin and say..."Well, then that means I must be yours!!" giggle and walk away!

People always underestimate the power of a giggle! lol

mypastrychef, had a similar thing with "a little girl" (that term has NOTHING to do with age, by the way, but trust me....it's the worst insult I can give someone!) that I worked with. I had only been doing cakes for 3 or 4 years and a co-worker was just starting. She was excited and we were all supportive of her. Her and I would even take turns bringing the cake in on pitch-in day!

She started to get that cockiness about her, too. When I found out her sheet cake prices, I suggested to her that she was too low and she needed to raise her prices to adequately cover her time and materials. She said, "You're just jealous because I'm your competition and I can do better on pricing!"

In my usual suave and sophicated manner (ok .... all who know me can stop laughing now!) I said: "Honey, you can have all the cake orders you want. Because at those prices, you won't be anyone's competition for long." (Tact .... it's never been my strong point!)

(And as a side note, one lady ordered cupcakes from her for daughter's classroom birthday party. The mom was so upset on how bad they looked that she threw them in the trash and bought cupcakes at the local bakery!)

IndyDeb...

I just love stories like that..sigh!

Indydeb,
that is so funny!! I know what you thought..."idiot"
LOL!

Rique,
The unlicensed lady was working out of a shop she built and the board of health was going to pass her but the city would not let her because any new businesses had to be in the city limits, period.

Last I heard she was going to try to fight it.
mpc

Thanks Ya'll!!!

The funny thing is that she's charging the same on her starting for tiered (buttercream only) cakes than I am, but the taste was crisco frosting and very flake-apart dry. OTOH, her non-tiered prices were on the low end.

hmmm... could always just send her brochure in an unmarked envelope... but no, I'm not that mean of a person OTOH, I am going to try to get her at least involved with ICES and subscribe to ACD or MBN (she had never heard of them!), to at least see what else is out there. She went to culinary school, but oh MAN, it didn't show... She also asked about taking some fondant lessons from me (I'm completely self-taught, I just bought a box and started playing with it).. Oh well, better to be friendly competition that way they send referrals instead of grouches..

I can totally understand where you all are coming from - but - as an unlicensed person in VA trying to make enough to cover my hobby (for now) cut the unlicensed people a little slack.

If you know you do better than them and you know that they don't have the experience yet, let them do their thing and know that you will get the business you need. I still haven't figured out why people want to be the only one that can do cakes in this business because if my calculations are right, most people have a cake at almost every occasion so there is enough business for many cake people - even in the area. Plus, everyone develops their own style of decorating and people will always go with what they like in terms of looking at and tasting!

Don't sweat it - I hope to own my own bakery someday and be licensed, but until then, I will try and just get orders word of mouth to cover the costs of practicing!

There is ALWAYS going to be an argument about the licensed vs. unlicensed. My Great-Grandma told me two great pieces of advice along with a great right hook. She said " You catch more flys with honey than you do with vinegar." "Kepp your friends close, your enemies closer."

I really miss her wisdom some times, her cooking ALL the time.

oh yeah great wisdom...to keep your friends close and your enemies closer! lol

and yes, there will always be that debate on the board about lic vs. unlic.

and I know where I stand..but I never try to discourage someone that is trying to put a little extra in their pockets..but when they have such an elaborate set up that they can do wedding fares and such..no way will I suppor them!

But you know what? It really IS none of my business..I vent and complain HERE and only here.

I would NEVER sleep soundly if I was ever the cause of someone losing their income! That really would be the ultimate WITCHIE act!

lol

So..I allow myself the ocassional rant. or the ocassional whine whenever it comes up here.

I don't have a problem with being unlicensed, AT ALL!!! The problem I have is when they aren't playing by the rules guidelined by the state and marketing their product for sale by their own guidelines that aren't close to what the state says. But, more than that, the food safety and handling. Think about the people giving out samples at the grocery store how they look and what they're attire is. They aren't paid great wages by any stretch of the imagination, they aren't licensed themselves to be promoting/selling that product, but they at least have gloves on when they're handling food, they have hair control, wash their hands, etc. It's the SIMPLE things that bug me...

The one thing though is that I overheard early in the day the booth next to me TOTALLY slamming some place there and how it was against state code and yada yada on something, but I knew it wasn't about me or the person across from us. So, if she does get turned in, I know it won't be by me and don't doubt for a second this other food establishment would turn her in (they do catering which was listed on her brochure materials)..

There's another gal who's local that is also unlicensed, but she at least has a licensed kitchen lined up for stuff like this (the hall the bridal show was at is where the booth across from me got their start in renting space until they got large enough for their own facility). If she (another CCer) would have had a booth there, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, BECAUSE of that fact! She also works in the food industry to know what the food handling rules are. It's the following the guidelines "as if" she had the space of her own all the time that was missed by the gal who was at the bridal fair. It's stuff that really doesn't matter if she has a license or not, she wasn't following just the simple, "common sense" stuff...

Hey Knoxcop1: JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS UNLICENSED DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE "FLY BY NIGHT".

I agree with that - just because someone isn't unlicensed doesn't mean they are fly by night or not competition. She may not get as much business as you and probably shouldn't if she wasn't handling her food safely, but she could be competition soon enough if she gets her act together - don't underestimate anyone!

I know that you just want to vent and we are hear for ya - just trying to help you not be so mad - if this person isn't as good as you, doesn't charge as much as you, doesn't handle her food safely, then someone will figure it out sooner or later - you just keep doing your thing.

Bridal shows should have tighter rules I guess so until they ban people like her, you can't say she doesn't belong there because she obviously paid her fee to be there and can probably handle a few weddings - I know I can and do not have your credentials!

Anyway, I am sure to get slammed for my comments but I am just trying to get in there with the big boys and I am sure this lady is trying to do that same thing!

I understand what you are saying CoutureCake, I live in a very small town. There is a woman here that is unlicensed and has been unlicensed for 10 years, but decorating cakes. This is not a hobby for her, it is her career. Every year she does 2 bridal fairs in my area and has 2 tables at each booth. I am with you about not turning people in, but my opinion with her is if she can afford more than I can at a bridal fair set-up, then she can figure out a way to be licensed.

It is a very hard thing to deal with, especially if she wasn't good and she is calling herself competition.

And yes, it is her career, not a hobby. I understand people that do it for a hobby, but these people do not advertise in bridal fairs.

Here in Mass....I am required to show proof of licence and liability insurance before they will even let me in the door. I guess it's different everywhere you go.

indydebi - Did we once work for the same employer??? That sounds so similar to some of my experiences!!!
I thought it funny how when we would go to a Bridal Show, my employer would stand there at the other cake decorator booths and nitpick about their cakes, loud enough for them to hear. Such as "Those flowers look like my 2 year old made them" etc. etc. etc. While back at her booth, she would have a 5 tiered cake with each tier a slightly different shade because she didn't mix enough coloured fondant!! Oh my goodness, it absolutely burned me up!! My employer was also just starting out, bought a new storefront etc.etc. but she would go and critizise people who've been doing cakes for 30 years!! ARGH!! You should be sucking up to these people and learning from them!!!
Anyways, when I left, a friend informed me "Oh I'm so happy you're not working there anymore, I've heard so many bad reports about their cakes that I felt bad that you were working there and it was affecting your reputation." WHEW!! Dodged that bullet.

As far as unlisenced/lisenced. Whatever. WHat goes around comes around. If she's going to go around bragging about it, trust me, it's going to bite her someday.

I don't understand why some people prefer to look upon others in their industry as purely "competition". I have relationships with a number of cake decorators and other caterers because if I get an inquiry from a bride, and I'm already booked for that day, most of them will ask me if I can recommend another caterer or cake person. And I happily refer them to my friends in the industry who will do a good job for them.

The "Little Girls" who want to rally under their flag and shout "Wooooo-Whooooo! Look at me! Look at me! I'm competing with you!" just haven't reached their maturity yet.

But I'm one who for the life of me cannot imagine how someone can have the guts and cajones to get into a bridal fair if they are not licensed. To me, they are just asking for inquiries and trouble. No one has to turn them in .... they've brought it on themselves.

You're right on, IndyDebi---

But if the dang'd bridal shows were being ran right in the FIRST place, one's business license would be the FIRST order of placement.

--Knox--

I agree with you Indy... To be honest, given the other businesses in this area, there is one unlicensed person(mentioned above) I don't mind recommending people to use, but, again, she has the access to licensed space lined up if she needs it so if she ever does encounter any problems, she's got her buns covered..

That's another reason why I want to try to get the gal who was at the bridal fair at least involved with ICES, RBA, or even subscribed to ACD or MBN.. Because even if she's doing it out of her home, it at least gets her knowing what else is out there and the importance of just flat out knowing some of the business side in's and outs. I totally don't want to be a stick in the mud for her, and though it's her call and decisions to make on what type of risk she's willing to take, at least she can be more informed on what those risks are. It's the old saying "Ignorance of the law isn't an excuse", this way if she is informed, then she at least can take some steps to keep herself out of trouble.. I just don't want her getting into trouble over this, I'd rather help her get the preliminary steps going to become legal than have her contacted by the state because she was turned in by someone else at the bridal show (which, the way the catering business next to me was talking, I wouldn't doubt if they would take that step).

And, P.S. it wasn't "nit-picking" because each baker has their own style, it was the use of REAL ribbon on a cake is a BIG "No-No" here (had that discussion started by my inspector who was asking me if I do use it or not during my inspection - I haven't, but it was a "good to know, thanks for informing me inspector " moment)...

Not this argument again. . .

But very well-said indeby and knoxcop1.