Am I Good Enough? And How To Get Started...
Business By yellowjacket Updated 19 Aug 2006 , 3:41am by kjgjam22
Hi everyone,
I'm relatively new to cake decorating...I started about 6 months ago, and I've done it almost exclusively for family. I think it's so much fun and I'd like to be able to do more cakes. The problem is, if I make to many cakes for my family we'll all weigh 500 lbs! So am I good enough to start selling my cakes? Please look at my photo album and be brutally honest.
If I should practice a bit before selling my cakes, is there anything specifically I should work on? If I am good enough, how do you get started? I feel really funny about selling cakes to my friends (I'd rather do them for free!), so who else can I market to and how?
Another question I have about getting started is how much should I charge? I've looked at the price matrix and it seems so overwhelming and tedious! I do mostly use IMBC which is more expensive because of all of the butter, and I bake from scratch. What would you charge for any of the cakes I've done?
I'm open to any advice and suggestions!
Thanks!
Your cakes are beautiful! I can't belive that you are asking if you are good enough. Well, here is affirmation from me. I'm not as good as you are, and I have started selling my cakes. People don't expect perfection...and I don't charge a lot. They just like to get cakes more original than from the grocery store or Wal Mart. I give good prices and get paid to practice. That way, I don't get broke or fat. 
I've looked at your cakes- THEY'RE GREAT!
However, you have to be careful about "Selling" your cakes, because at some point you have to call yourself a "business", and then you get into licenses, fees, rules, regulations, etc.
I just want to encourage you- if you enjoy it, then go for it! You are great!
Hi,
I just looked at your photos, and the way your cakes look, I would say you are way more than good enough..yes, really, your cakes are beautiful. Maybe it's time to do cakes for a profit..I am not in the business for the reason that the state I live in does not allow people to bake from home and sell them..but I'm happy just doing them as a hobby for now.
You are good to go ..!! 
I'm not an expert but I saw your cakes and I loved them! Your work is very clean. If you feel you need more practice ( i don't think so) and since you don't feel you should charge friends and family for your cakes, you could bake some for them and have them advertise for you.
About price, i've read here that you could take whatever you spend x 3, (some people do x 2).
You have beautiful cakes. I just started within the last year taking it seriously and have started receiving monies for some of my work. They cake from referrals from the friends and family I did free cakes for. I am not sure how to officially start my own little cake business but I intend to look further into it. I have no doubt there will be people asking to buy a cake from you.
Here is other conversation about a cake business in Missouri
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-34452-missouri.html
Thanks so much for the encouragement and kind words! I'm probably just too critical of my cakes...others may not expect perfection, but I do! I think I will start spreading the word that I will sell cakes. I've had people ask, but I've always said I don't. I'll just start slowly at first and see what happens. I'll have to look into becoming legal too, so thanks for that link, Joann.
I guess I need to print up some business cards/calling cards to hand out. Should I do a brochure too with pictures and prices? I'm open to any and all advice!! And I don't have a name, but right now I think I'll just put my name and contact info on a business card with a picture of a cake.
Does anyone have a cute picture/clipart of a cake?
Thanks again everyone!
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=347477#347477
Here is a link to a thread about forming a cake club in Mo. There are a few from around the KC area that you might compare notes with as to what to charge for your cakes.
Your neatness in your work really is impressive. Keep up the good work.
Diane
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