A little background, I worked briefly for the local pie shop. I worked like 3 days, then all 3 of my kids and DH got sick and I couldn't come in so the owner (nice lady) said I should come back when I can be more consistent. I never returned. There is no malice, I've visited her from time to time. So now about a year later I am licensed (she knew about my cakes) I had no way to forsee the opportunity to be licensed. Sorry if I am babbling. I am trying to decide if it is wrong of me to offer pies for the holidays. I don't want her to ever think that I came in there to take anything from her. I'm just looking to bring in some $$$. I hope all of this makes sense. What do you all think? What would you do? How would you feel if the situation were reversed? Thanks!
I think it would be fine. Take her a price list and pics and tell her you got your lisc. and wanted to offer them to her if interested. She will say yes or no, but if you don't ask you will never know and could miss out on some good business.
This is only my opinion but I do not think that I would do it. It would have nothing to do with her thinking that I was there to "spy" on her. It would have more to do with the fact that I would not want to take away a friend's potential income. If someone did that to me I would consider it being stabbed in the back if the only thing I did was pies and she could do cakes. If you want to offer something else, try different candies, cookies, or other holiday treats. As I stated above, just my opinion......
If you're not comfortable then don't do it, but I'm sure your pies will be completly different than hers so I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe just do a couple pies that are extra special and are your signiture pies that only you offer. 
Just give out some sample pies to some neighbors and close friends. You know those mini sizes. Word of mouth will take over. You'll get your business and you won't be stepping on any toes. But I must agree, 3 days does not make you a spy. She knew the talent was there when she hired you. Hang in there, it will all work out!!!!
That's kind of a tough question. I guess it depends how good of friends you are and how many other businesses are in your town. I wouldn't call you a spy though. If it were me, I personally would be worried about stepping on her toes, so maybe take the advice from ChrisfromNOLA and have a few signature flavors or just make sure what you are selling is different in some way from hers. Then you are not "stealing" her business. You are totally on your own. Good luck!
Thanks all! We are not really friends but I think I will not do them. I just don;t want anyone to ever think I was tryign to hurt them. Of course, now I gotta figure out what to do for the holidays. I have been told it is near impossible to get cake orders.
There's no great secret to pie. What could you possibly have "stolen" that you couldn't learn from a cookbook or from watching someone who knows how to do it?
Thanks all! We are not really friends but I think I will not do them. I just don;t want anyone to ever think I was tryign to hurt them. Of course, now I gotta figure out what to do for the holidays. I have been told it is near impossible to get cake orders.
I think you have made the right decision and one you can live with. How about seasonal cookies or candies? If you make gumpaste flowers you may try this. We had a holiday boutique at our local community center, I made up single gumpaste Poinsettias in red, white and pink, sold them for $10.00 each and raised $200.00 for the center. People were able to make their own desserts at home or even purchase them and top them off with a pretty Poinsettia.
I wouldn't do them either. I think it would be seen as "stepping on toes" no matter what your intentions were.
Why don't you do decorated gingerbread houses and/or do-it-yourself kits (baked pieces, icing ready and candies). They are appropriate for the season, different, NOT pies and would be a welcome to any busy family.
If you wanted to get really specialized and make a bigger profit, how about offering gingerbread houses that are detailed like the homes of the customers? Name on the mailbox, same colours used, etc. They can even bring you a photo to copy some basic details! 
How about hostess gifts like cookie mix in a jar? brownie mix in a jar? homemade hot chocolate? bundt cakes wrapped in beautiful cellophane with a twig of pine cones on top?
Thanks all! We are not really friends but I think I will not do them. I just don;t want anyone to ever think I was tryign to hurt them. Of course, now I gotta figure out what to do for the holidays. I have been told it is near impossible to get cake orders.
maybe if you offered specialty flavored cakes....not necessarily decorated to the nines..but just simple cakes people would want to take for dinner??? Or some of the specialty cakey type things like those pumpkin rolls with the cream cheese icing in them YUMMY those are a pain to make for normal people and they would definitely buy them from you!! Or you could always decorate some small square cakes like presents and hand them out to people you know that have connections (meaning they know people and would talk about your cake a ton and get you some orders) people always like freebies!! I think most people would be willing to pay 10-15 dollars for something special that they don't know how to make when they show up at family's houses for the holidays!! so maybe focus on smaller things that don't cost as much.........sometimes they bring in more money than the more expensive items because people start to think "hey it's only 10 bucks.....I should get one for all my sisters" and so on....... 
It sounds like you made the right decision for you - the most important person. (I do agree, I do not think I would go into pies especially if you live in a small town).
How about chocolate/candy coated treats. I have just started doing some (sorry no pictures posted yet) it is fun, fairly simple and people have been really impressed. I use them on my cakes and cupcakes, but you could do some things alone (there is a thread recently posted with pics of marshmellows dipped in orange with jack-o-lanter faces - adorable!)
I also join in the Cookie suggestion - cookie bouquets can be very seasonal and festive (and work as great centerpieces).
You could also try tradional pie flavors in baked goods (pumpkin pie bread, apple pie cake etc). If the pie lady does not do turnovers, you could do those or strudels. Maybe bundcakes with 'fillings" or holiday cupcakes (with our without fillings).
Good luck
Three days a year ago? I think she'd get over it - I wouldn't offer the EXACT same flavors at the EXACT same prices as she does though - I'd want to make mine unique. You may make yours more unique by decorating the tops - or make some different types of flavors.... or I like others suggestions of trying to do seasonal candies or cookies or something like that - but if you want to make some pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving - I don't see how she could think you had "stolen" that idea or recipe from her..... make some pumpkin pies! And make yours BETTER! We live in a society that thrives on competition - people can choose her pies b/c they are used to them and they like them - or they can choose to come to you for something new and perhaps they will like that particular pie better - and she may have a better lemon pie or something like that - but all in all, I think you're free to do whatever you want as long as you don't use HER specific recipes, ingredients, etc. Good luck!
3 days is not enough, I would think, for you to decode all she knows of the pie business. Who knows, perhaps your recipes give a totally different texture to the crust, or perhaps you have your own signature recipes that's completely different from her pies. I think you should do what you know how to do best. Why should you hold yourself back? You've worked your way to the top, why let 3 days from the past stand in your way? That's all part of business, being able to sell what you have to offer. If everyone held themselves back because someone beat them to the punch, then we'd still be living in the past. That's what you call progress, moving forward. You need to move forward and be a part of that progress. Opinion coming from a person amazed with our contributions to progress in this world.
I agree with patticakesnc! You'd be letting her know you plan to do this, and giving her first choice to order from you. That's win-win!
Cheers, from
SwampWitch
Wow! Umm, as far as cake orders, I have been told by decorators that cake orders all almost nonexistent and the holidays are always their slowest time. This is my first season so I was trying to get some ideas. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe with the other expenses people don't really buy decorated cakes? Thanks for the ideas though. I am planning a holiday flyer to include some other desserts so hopefully that will work. If anyone else has ideas please post or PM me.
3 days is not enough, I would think, for you to decode all she knows of the pie business. Who knows, perhaps your recipes give a totally different texture to the crust, or perhaps you have your own signature recipes that's completely different from her pies. I think you should do what you know how to do best. Why should you hold yourself back? You've worked your way to the top, why let 3 days from the past stand in your way? That's all part of business, being able to sell what you have to offer. If everyone held themselves back because someone beat them to the punch, then we'd still be living in the past. That's what you call progress, moving forward. You need to move forward and be a part of that progress. Opinion coming from a person amazed with our contributions to progress in this world.
I really like what you just wrote!
You were told the holidays were a slow time for cake??? I think your potential competitors are trying to steer you away. Go for cake!!!!
there isnt anything wrong with you offering pies. you have to do what you have to do. you were not there long enought to "steal" from her or anything. if you went in there with that intention to learn and then open your own using her recipes then there would be a problem. if you have your won recipes then go ahead. good luck. maybe you can tell her your plan and explain to her that you are not using her recipes and see what she says. she may just be fine and dandy with it. business is business.
I might be misunderstanding the question but to me, the three days have nothing to do with it. Why would you try to sell pies to a pie shop? (Forgive me if I sound like a smart a$$ - I am not trying to.) I guess my thinking is I would never go into a bakery to ask if I could advertise my baked goods since it wouldn't make sense for them to do so, financially.
Or did I miss something and you offer pies that she doesn't and wanted to offer them to her for re-sale in her shop? Or perhaps she makes pies but you offer other baked goods..... 
I might be misunderstanding the question but to me, the three days have nothing to do with it. Why would you try to sell pies to a pie shop? (Forgive me if I sound like a smart a$$ - I am not trying to.) I guess my thinking is I would never go into a bakery to ask if I could advertise my baked goods since it wouldn't make sense for them to do so, financially.
Or did I miss something and you offer pies that she doesn't and wanted to offer them to her for re-sale in her shop? Or perhaps she makes pies but you offer other baked goods.....
The holidays are an excellent time to offer wonderful homemade cakes and other treats. You might not get as many orders for traditionally decorated sheet cakes, but I have friends who bake cakes like crazy during the holiday months...they can barely keep up with the demand. They do chocolate and caramel layer cakes, spice cakes, pound cakes, Italian Creme cakes, etc..
You could always add cake balls to your list! Yummm! 
I appreciate all the responses. CakeDiva73, I was asking if it would be wrong for me to sell pies after working for her. I don't want her to think I was trying to take from her by working there. That's all. I was not and would not go in and ask her about buying anything. Our businesses have no other overlap. Does all that make sense? 
Lenette - I'm sorry, yes, I misunderstood. No, I don't think you should feel as if you were not allowed or were somehow in violation of anything (moral or otherwise). If you were her apprentice for a year and then quit and opened your own shop down the road, that would me another story!
You go right ahead! And as you and I both know, you cannot 'learn' pie-making in 3 days 
some people have been trying for years and still can't do it! I wish you the best of luck
I really think you should offer what you want to offer. If you want to sell pies go ahead and sell them. I live in a small town as well, and I would do it. I mean there are other people that decorate cakes in this town and because we are a such small town I know them and they know me and my family, but I'm not going to stop decorating because that would offend them and think I was trying to take from them. It is what I like to do. Grocery stores sell cakes, pies, candies, everything around here, but people like to have choices. You can offer different flavors or just put at the bottom of you flyer that you do make pies of any flavor if anyone is interested that way its not like you have this whole pie section but that you do make them...maybe some people want pies but don't like the ones this other lady makes. You never know. You know you aren't stealing her ideas and that is all that really matters. You can't please everyone and you can't control what people will think of you...but you still need to do what makes you happy! That is just my opinion Good luck!
I say go ahead and do the pies, you only worked for her for three days, she is the one that let you go, so I say it is her loss. There are many bakery's out there competing for business. Do you think they are saying to themselves, "well maybe I sould'nt make this because so and so is doing it? I doubt it. I am sorry to say, it's a business, and you have to make your money too! I say go for it!
could you call her and offer to help w/ her holiday rush -- both as a way to say "thanks" for her help and understanding and for a cut of the profits of course.
and then offer to help w/ any future rushes as well?
and then offer that she could refer cakes to you??
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%