Recently, a "friend" said that I was over charging for a cake that I made from scratch to sell. This person said she could bake much cheaper, who doesn't have a business or does baking as a hobby either. I felt that she had no idea on what it really takes in going in pricing for a cake or other baked item. I know that the Cake Boss program that I bought really helps me get things in much better perspective on my pricing. I know what kind of profit margin I need to have in order to start gaining. It's just when these other "friends" or those that think they can get by on a cheaper price and knock you down a couple of pegs really bothers me....I want to do a blog on small home baking business and want more insight from other bakers like myself. 

AThere are already a ton of them out there. You know what you're doing, brush it off. Its not the last time you'll hear something like that.

Yes, brush it off, but…hmmm…what is your friend's line of work?  

My sister is a graphic designer and she used to design promotional items for corporations (mass mailings and such.)  Her former roommate once told her "oh…I just throw that stuff out, it's stupid."  My sister is very polite, her roommate is still alive.

Thank you AZ! It's also good to hear other's experiences too....

The friend works part time in a nursing home the last I knew.

This is NOT TRUE, but I'd be inclined to tell her she's overpaid because, you know, nursing home workers are paid to just sit there.

If she was a close friend I would invite her over to bake and decorate a cake...from the shopping to doing the dishes and the figuring the costs. If she was an acquaintance I would ignore it. If it were simple everyone would do it....

AI would say if you let things like this bother and you feel knocked down a few pegs because of it, you may not have the necessary disposition to be in business for yourself. You're going to have to toughen up.

Not in a million years would I invite someone over to prove to them how hard I work. If a close friend can't accept a quick explanation, what kind of friend is that? And what kind of friend wants you to make less money? Where is the "way to go"?

If you're selling high end decorated cakes, and you're like most of us, your friends and acquaintances can't afford your product. It's doubtful they have the slightest clue what the price should be.

I'd have told her she gets paid too much just to "wipe someone's butt." 

And I thought I was the mean one! j/k I wiped my mother's butt for three years for free. In my opinion they are way under paid for what they do.

AJust tell her that sure she could bake a cake for less if she was only paying for the ingredients and working for free, but a cake like yours takes time and skill, neither of which are free.

Well, considering she doesn't have a cake business and doesn't bake for a hobby either, I'd say something like "Considering that you don't have a cake business and you don't bake for a hobby either, your extensive experience is showing, and you don't know what you're talking about."

I'd tell her to suck it and move on. seriously.

MBalaska that's good advice! In a well put kinda way... 

AI would say "okay. Do it."

This is what I'm looking for, input from other bakers like myself. I know I'm not the only one in this boat, but it does make a difference to know it....thank you Sweet!

BTW~~ I'm still learning how to reply to comments so please forgive the scattered mess! I used to work in nursing homes manner years ago before taking care of my mom before she died in 2004, I'm making more money now than I did then....but it's because I'm doing things differently too.

AYeah I didn't mean that literally, I just meant it as something jerk-y to say to shock her into realizing that she had said something jerk-y.

doesn't sound like a friend at all if you have to block her. Just delete her and say adios!

Man, some people have really jerky friends. I don't have time in my life for people who don't value what I do. Or at least the ones that don't have the tact to keep it to themselves. 

Shrug it off, be glad she will never be your customer, and just delete her from Facebook and probably your life all together, since she already sounds like a goofball. 

Glad to hear it. Nope, I've never had anyone be that rude to me regarding my job. Now I'm SURE that people have said it behind my back. "Can you BELIEVE what she charges for CAKE?!!!" But I've never had a friend post or tell me to my face, (or facebook as the case may be.) 

I've had potential customers say that or something similar and I say "I totally understand, good luck with your event!"

My own family tells me that I charge too much and they only pay cost.  My niece once called me for a first birthday cake for 50 people.  I gave her my price for the rainbow layered (every layer a color of the rainbow) plus rainbow matching icing.  Her reply was "well, I had someone who said that they could do it for 35.00.  I just wanted to give you the business to help you if you could do it for less."  Well, I am over booked EVERY weekend and loosing money is not really a help.  Thanks, but no thanks!  My reply to her was that I would decline because she had such a great deal!  

Many of my customers don't think I charge enough.  You just can not please everyone!  

Unfortunately not enough to make another across the board increase.  They are kind enough to give nice tips.  The gesture in itself mean more to me than an extra 5 or 10 cents more per serving.  They let you know that they value you and your time when others may not.  

AHere's your sign.

My a-hole brother-in-law used to ask me "how's the sucker business" every time he saw me because he's super cheap and thinks that if you spend any money on a wedding you're an idiot. I finally got sick of hearing his mouth, so I told him off and pointed out the fact that he works for a vitamin company selling snake oil to people, so who's in the sucker business? He shut up about it but it took me really chewing him a new one to get him to zip it. Some people just have to have a boot up their butt before they realize that they're being jerks, you can't "nice" them out of it.