The Friend/customer Who Made Me Quit (A Long Story)
Decorating By Texas_Rose Updated 1 Feb 2013 , 8:56am by mcaulir
I,ve replied a couple pages back. I have reread this story by Judi and i think she is pulling our legs lol!!! The title of the thread was friend/customer.. she was neither. She was a neighbor that Judi doesn,t even know that well. When she told me that my house was messy and that it was ugly etc. (rest of the story) thats when i would have went off on her and stopped at what i was doing and let that be that. It was a good story though, lol!! too many pretty cakes and too much knowlege to do something for free for practice.
I happen to know Judi and this isn't a made up story. She has a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone that ask. Just because someone was taken advantage of doesn't mean it didn't happen. I think she feels bad enough without you insinuating she made it all up.
I also know Judi and she didn't make this up, as much as we wish she had! She's too nice for her own good, so unfortunately creeps will take advantage of that. So anyone who wants to start with the conspiracy theories can save the effort and meet us in Texas, where we're planning a little beeyotch beatdown on the nasty neighbor.
So u see TR people are people. Even here on wonderful CC. Some are bad some nice. Even if u take the career path u will meet all kinds of people. Choose what will make you happy. You won't quit CC becoz someone thought you are story telling, right?
Just went through something similar, where these people totally tried to "jack" me on every turn, including them not having a computer or cell phone so I could keep in contact with them regarding the event. Them not having any transportation so they could get the cake and they didn't think they should have to pay for me to come to them AND use my EZ-PASS (for tolls, etc.) Even had the nerve to tell me that they were doing me a favor by showcasing the complicated cake they wanted for $50(cake should have been about $300) And when I quoted that price, they were like "it's just a baby shower not a wedding....." Then to add insult to injury, I find out they paid over $500 for a baby shower cake for another family member! Right then and there, I walked away. They are still calling me, to this day, trying to get me to make this cake for them and I have blocked their number from my cell. Now what I have done is, when people ask me anything I direct them to my website and will not discuss any pricing. No deals made by word of mouth with them or anything. If they go to the site and don't like my prices, then they can go to Costco/BJs/Safeway/Walmart and get their cake. I am still nervous about charging a lot for my cakes because I am new at this business, but not new at doing quality cakes, so I realize now that my prices are probably justified(even though I am still nervous about charging a lot, but I am getting more comfortable with it) I don't care if they are family, friends, or whatever. EVERYONE goes to the site, that way I don't have to feel stressed about talking prices and them trying to hamstring me because they want a cheap cake for celebrity cake artist style work. Good luck to you and I hope that cow gets a bunch of orders since she "did most of the work" (smh as I still can't believe the GALL of this woman!)
I,ve replied a couple pages back. I have reread this story by Judi and i think she is pulling our legs lol!!! The title of the thread was friend/customer.. she was neither. She was a neighbor that Judi doesn,t even know that well. When she told me that my house was messy and that it was ugly etc. (rest of the story) thats when i would have went off on her and stopped at what i was doing and let that be that. It was a good story though, lol!! too many pretty cakes and too much knowlege to do something for free for practice.
Except "Acquaintance who lives a few blocks down and I know peripherally through different activities that both our kids are involved with / person for whom I made a cake for the cost of ingredients in order to practise stacking a three tier cake" doesn't have quite the same ring in a thread title, does it?
And some people don't have a personality that allows them to "go off on" people, as you put it, regardless of insults about housekeeping.
OP - what an awful story! I hope you keep caking!
Wow, I feel your pain!
I too was faced with a "cheap customer"...wanting a $600 wedding cake for $200...yes, the old "for my friend" trick. Well, I was "ordered" to call the customer's dad on a Saturday, but I didn't get the message until Monday. The Dad called to tell me how angry he was that I did not comply, and that he could never trust anyone that did not call him when he told them to REALLY!!! Oh, and I was going to charge an extra $25 for me to drive it to the boonies for set-up, but he said he had to come to my house and pick it up in his pick-up. Then, they wanted to add Gum Paste roses for free, and, and and...then I fired them! Since then, many cakes have been made, and you know... I NEVER felt bad for me, just really amazed that the people that don't want to pay for a beautiful creation, are the one's breathing down your neck! Oh, and I fired the friend that did that to me as well.
Just dealt with this same thing... a "friend" texted me 6 times Sunday while i was at my sister's to ask for a quote for a 3 tier cake for her daughter's birthday. She made sure she let me know she was buying her daughter a Kindle and that she had already spent a lot on the party. I sent her the quote on Facebook for $150 for 75 servings. She responded with....
"Uh... well sorry. Guess she will do without... can't pay that for a 12 year olds cake."
I was so insulted...I've known her for years and could tell she was purposely being tacky. I have known of her to pay $65 for grocery store sheet cakes with plastic cake kits on them!
My response...
"I'm sorry if you feel my price is unreasonable. I charge $2 per serving for tiered cakes, which is not an unfair price. Especially when you consider the fact that my cakes are fresh, not pre baked and frozen. I would be happy to quote a smaller cake but you asked for a quote for a 3 tier cake. It doesn't matter if its for a wedding, a 12 year old, or you want to use it as a doorstop... it takes the same amount of supplies and effort to create it."
Who needs "friends" like that?
Wow, I feel your pain!
I too was faced with a "cheap customer"...wanting a $600 wedding cake for $200...yes, the old "for my friend" trick. Well, I was "ordered" to call the customer's dad on a Saturday, but I didn't get the message until Monday. The Dad called to tell me how angry he was that I did not comply, and that he could never trust anyone that did not call him when he told them to REALLY!!! Oh, and I was going to charge an extra $25 for me to drive it to the boonies for set-up, but he said he had to come to my house and pick it up in his pick-up. Then, they wanted to add Gum Paste roses for free, and, and and...then I fired them! Since then, many cakes have been made, and you know... I NEVER felt bad for me, just really amazed that the people that don't want to pay for a beautiful creation, are the one's breathing down your neck! Oh, and I fired the friend that did that to me as well.
Love how you are firing people left and right! lol. I usually "put them on vacation", but yeah, if someone got me mad enough I could see firing them...
Just dealt with this same thing... a "friend" texted me 6 times Sunday while i was at my sister's to ask for a quote for a 3 tier cake for her daughter's birthday. She made sure she let me know she was buying her daughter a Kindle and that she had already spent a lot on the party. I sent her the quote on Facebook for $150 for 75 servings. She responded with....
"Uh... well sorry. Guess she will do without... can't pay that for a 12 year olds cake."
I was so insulted...I've known her for years and could tell she was purposely being tacky. I have known of her to pay $65 for grocery store sheet cakes with plastic cake kits on them!
My response...
"I'm sorry if you feel my price is unreasonable. I charge $2 per serving for tiered cakes, which is not an unfair price. Especially when you consider the fact that my cakes are fresh, not pre baked and frozen. I would be happy to quote a smaller cake but you asked for a quote for a 3 tier cake. It doesn't matter if its for a wedding, a 12 year old, or you want to use it as a doorstop... it takes the same amount of supplies and effort to create it."
Who needs "friends" like that?
WHAAHOOOO! I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE!
I bet she had nothing left to say
Wow, I feel your pain!
I too was faced with a "cheap customer"...wanting a $600 wedding cake for $200...yes, the old "for my friend" trick. Well, I was "ordered" to call the customer's dad on a Saturday, but I didn't get the message until Monday. The Dad called to tell me how angry he was that I did not comply, and that he could never trust anyone that did not call him when he told them to REALLY!!! Oh, and I was going to charge an extra $25 for me to drive it to the boonies for set-up, but he said he had to come to my house and pick it up in his pick-up. Then, they wanted to add Gum Paste roses for free, and, and and...then I fired them! Since then, many cakes have been made, and you know... I NEVER felt bad for me, just really amazed that the people that don't want to pay for a beautiful creation, are the one's breathing down your neck! Oh, and I fired the friend that did that to me as well.
Love how you are firing people left and right! lol. I usually "put them on vacation", but yeah, if someone got me mad enough I could see firing them...
LMBO you guys are a trip tonight!
I need to use the "on vacation" bit...never used the firing them but I did kinda do that to a similar situation as angelcakes
step0nmi, I love your signature. I get soooooo tired of people saying 'its just a cake'
I feel like "No, honey, if you want a 'just cake,' you'll find it in the freezer section at the grocery store. I create edible art."
step0nmi, I love your signature. I get soooooo tired of people saying 'its just a cake'
I feel like "No, honey, if you want a 'just cake,' you'll find it in the freezer section at the grocery store. I create edible art."
why thank you! and am LOVE your signature these are our mantras...we gotta live by it!
I'm sorry this happened to you. Don't let this people change your mind about what you love to do.
I guess most of us have been in a situation similar to this one so we understand, Now try and turn this bad experience into a learning experience and keep on doing what you love. It is worth it.
Do what you love to do? Do not let people take advantage of you. It's okay to say no. I would have quit when they started adding things and didn't want to pay more.
I just read most of this, sorry to drag up an old thread, but I need to know how you got home Texas Rose, if you had to walk the whole way, and how far it was, and the age your kids. And, I need to know if you ever started that at home cake business, and if you are getting the big-bucks now, because you deserve them!
Have there been anymore developments? I hope that woman tried to take a cake order for the exact same cake, and it fell apart in her face, and she was outed as a liar.
Wow! TexasRose, you have the patience of the saints, you should be proud of yourself, but surely, you're not going to let one bad experience take away your chance to show the world you have talent and artistic abilities! Don't let that put you down, they have green eyes and wish they can be as good as you are, look at it this way, move on with your business, and wish you all the luck in the world!
I haven't seen Texas Rose active on this forum for months. I doubt you'll get an answer, sorry.
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