Hey guys. I need some advice. I have this "friend" who insists on trolling every cake picture I post on my personal facebook page. I finally confronted him last night, and he told me I was doing horribly and should just quit. Thing is, I don't want to quit, I love doing this and I didn't think I was doing too bad, being as I've only been doing this for two months. I'm learning as I go, and I tell everyone I do cakes for that I'm no professional decorator yet. I'm self-taught and he has a culinary degree, so that makes me feel like I should listen, but at the same time I'm getting positive feedback from the people I've made cakes for. Has anyone else gone through anything like this? Do you guys think I'm doing as horribly as he says? I'd really like some unbiased, sound advice from experienced decorators. I can take constructive criticism, but when someone insists on being hateful about things it tends to discourage me.
Thank you so much. I've weighed that in my head, but the type of person he is makes it hard to believe that he'd be jealous of anything. I thought I was really doing something wrong. They always stay intact and are really delicious, and I know that I'm still an amatuer. I hope he's just being a jerk for the sake of being a jerk... 
Hi Becca, what a jerk! Those pics looks fantastic! You should totally continue with cake decorating if you've managed to produce these kind of cakes in such a short space of time since to started decorating. That guy is a nasty piece of work trying to mess with your head and make you question your own ability. Sounds like he totally resents your success and that you're self-taught after all the work he's put into his culinary studies... ..a case of sour grapes definitely. And a nasty individual too. Steer well clear of this guy. You're definitely a cake star!
I'm selling them under the name Sweet B's, but I'm only charging what it costs the make the cake. Everyone is aware before they order that I'm still learning as I go, and I've never had a complaint yet. There are tons of people that are getting cakes from me, friends, family, and friends of friends.
Hi Becca, what a jerk! Those pics looks fantastic! You should totally continue with cake decorating if you've managed to produce these kind of cakes in such a short space of time since to started decorating. That guy is a nasty piece of work trying to mess with your head and make you question your own ability. Sounds like he totally resents your success and that you're self-taught after all the work he's put into his culinary studies... ..a case of sour grapes definitely. And a nasty individual too. Steer well clear of this guy. You're definitely a cake star!
Thank you so much! You just pegged him... lol
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Original message sent by SweetBees
I'm selling them under the name Sweet B's, but I'm only charging what it costs the make the cake. Everyone is aware before they order that I'm still learning as I go, and I've never had a complaint yet. There are tons of people that are getting cakes from me, friends, family, and friends of friends.
This strategy may backfire once you set realistic prices, since you will have to rebuild your customer base while at the same time shedding your existing reputation for cheap cakes. You are also helping to devalue custom cakes in general in your area, which will make it more difficult to find customers in the future.
You also may want to remove pictures of cakes that use copyrighted characters unless you have permission from the copyright owners.
This strategy may backfire once you set realistic prices, since you will have to rebuild your customer base while at the same time shedding your existing reputation for cheap cakes. You are also helping to devalue custom cakes in general in your area, which will make it more difficult to find customers in the future.
I'm also letting everyone know when they get cakes that if I'm able to open my own business then the prices would go up. There is no competition at all in my area, there's only me.
I'm also letting everyone know when they get cakes that if I'm able to open my own business then the prices would go up. There is no competition at all in my area, there's only me.
And I've thought of that myself. But I don't feel right charging people for my time if I'm only practicing and learning the art. It's a double edged sword.
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Original message sent by SweetBees
I'm also letting everyone know when they get cakes that if I'm able to open my own business then the prices would go up. There is no competition at all in my area, there's only me.
This makes it even more important to impress upon potential customers the true market value of what they are getting. When you issue invoices to customers (since you are already in fact running a business) I recommend clearly indicating the market value of their cake with the limited time discount applied.
I'm selling them under the name Sweet B's, but I'm only charging what it costs the make the cake. Everyone is aware before they order that I'm still learning as I go, and I've never had a complaint yet. There are tons of people that are getting cakes from me, friends, family, and friends of friends.
This is exactly what I was afraid of. And I'll tread really lightly here. When you go into business with really basic skills and super low pricing and most of your customers are friends and family, you're not going to get a lot of honest feedback. Why would they tell you that you need to work on your skills and presentation when they are paying next to nothing? It's like looking a gift horse in the mouth. I can't say that your "friend" is doing you any favors, but he's being a lot more real than I suspect people have been with you up to this point.
If you intend to keep on with sales at prices like you are, with the skills you have, and are just fine with the way they look, then disregard anything I said. If you want to really be successful in this business, and attract good paying customers, and get "real" compliments for really outstanding work, then stop selling right now. Take some classes. Clean up your presentation (smooth fondant, no bumps, no aluminum foil covered board), and figure out pricing that allows you to make some money.
This is exactly what I was afraid of. And I'll tread really lightly here. When you go into business with really basic skills and super low pricing and most of your customers are friends and family, you're not going to get a lot of honest feedback. Why would they tell you that you need to work on your skills and presentation when they are paying next to nothing? It's like looking a gift horse in the mouth. I can't say that your "friend" is doing you any favors, but he's being a lot more real than I suspect people have been with you up to this point.
If you intend to keep on with sales at prices like you are, with the skills you have, and are just fine with the way they look, then disregard anything I said. If you want to really be successful in this business, and attract good paying customers, and get "real" compliments for really outstanding work, then stop selling right now. Take some classes. Clean up your presentation (smooth fondant, no bumps, no aluminum foil covered board), and figure out pricing that allows you to make some money.
Thank you for your honesty. There aren't any classes around here that I can take, I'd have to go to a bigger city. I'm not going to open a business until I'm completely satisfied that everything meets everyone's expectations.
Really, everything you've described so far, might as well be the handbook for how to go into debt and burn out with your cake business. You can stop it before it happens! There are too many stories in here of burnout and failure due to not preparing for what business really entails. Jason has loads of good info on that side of things, and I'm sure he'll chime in sooner or later.
This makes it even more important to impress upon potential customers the true market value of what they are getting. When you issue invoices to customers (since you are already in fact running a business) I recommend clearly indicating the market value of their cake with the limited time discount applied.
Thank you so much!
Thank you for your honesty. There aren't any classes around here that I can take, I'd have to go to a bigger city. I'm not going to open a business until I'm completely satisfied that everything meets everyone's expectations.
But you are in business. You're selling. And every second that you stay open in business, you're training these people to expect cheap and mediocre. And their friends will expect cheap and mediocre. What happens when you're not mediocre anymore? You think those people are going to start paying more? No.
Really, everything you've described so far, might as well be the handbook for how to go into debt and burn out with your cake business. You can stop it before it happens! There are too many stories in here of burnout and failure due to not preparing for what business really entails. Jason has loads of good info on that side of things, and I'm sure he'll chime in sooner or later.
That's why I'm asking for advice from actual professionals. :)
You have a business name. A business FB page. And are selling cakes. How can you justify saying you do not have a business? You ARE running a business. It may not be a well run business..or a profitable business...or maybe even a legal business. But once you accept money for a product then you are in fact running a business.
You have a business name. A business FB page. And are selling cakes. How can you justify saying you do not have a business? You ARE running a business. It may not be a well run business..or a profitable business...or maybe even a legal business. But once you accept money for a product then you are in fact running a business.
AYou need to stop selling your cakes, at least stop selling them under your business name if you intend to actually have a successful business with the same name down the line. Don't start back until you are ready to sell your cakes at full market value and have found the best way to reach the kind of customers you want to sell to.
What you are doing now is only going to hurt you in the long run. You are building a client base that expects a cheap cake, no matter what you are telling them.
You need to stop selling your cakes, at least stop selling them under your business name if you intend to actually have a successful business with the same name down the line. Don't start back until you are ready to sell your cakes at full market value and have found the best way to reach the kind of customers you want to sell to.
What you are doing now is only going to hurt you in the long run. You are building a client base that expects a cheap cake, no matter what you are telling them.
Ok, thank you. :)
The way you are doing things is a big nono. You wanted advice from the professionals. This is the best advice they can give you. This is a hot topic here and it happens all the time (almost everytime) with the newbies. Please use the search feature to look up pricing threads.
The way you are doing things is a big nono. You wanted advice from the professionals. This is the best advice they can give you. This is a hot topic here and it happens all the time (almost everytime) with the newbies. Please use the search feature to look up pricing threads.
I appreciate everything you guys are telling me, very much. Thank you.
ABtw I like your cakes and I think you have talent. Check out what the skill level is amongst your local competition and you may find you can already match what is out there, and even better it. But you have to charge a real price, remember that you are not your customer, and it may be that your friends and family aren't either. Not everyone can afford a custom cake, but there are people who can and those are the customers you need to target.
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