I am at this crossroads of sorts. I am 24 years old, I am married, I have no babies, and I have absolutly no idea where I want or need my life to go!!! I thought I was lacking something, so I joined the Women's Auxillary. Then I thought maybe its spiritual guidance I needed so I am taking some RCIA classes at our local Catholic church. I live in a tiny town so that is the sum of activity in my life. Then there is my many jobs, I am a nanny 3-4 days out of the week. 1 day a week I clean 4 huge houses. Then I make cakes the rest of the time. The only time i am truly ever happy is when I am decorating. Everything leaves me when I decorate, its my meditation, my calm before the storm my DH says, my life. I think thats what I really want is to open a cakeshop but in this one horse town 5 have failed in the past 5 years. Thats what stops me. I don't know what I am looking for really, just guidance I think. I have thought about opening a restaurant so I can also sell my cakes. This town only has 2 restaurants that are worth eating at 1 is closed in the evenings and the other one is mexican, so I thought perhaps a restaurant that is always open might fly here. Again I just don't know!!! Anybody have any encouraging words....if I made any sense at all??? Thanks everyone!!!!

Hi, you are making alot of sense. I undedrstand just what your talking about and I hope that I can comfort you in some way. Not to make this a spiritual post but I believe in GOD and everything that has to do with anything is because of him. Now, I honestly believe that you should take a spiritual stand on this one, so that you will no longer go in circles. If baking and decorating helps you release and you believe in your heart that this is what you want to do full-time, then GO FOR IT!! You can not base your success on others and their fasilures. Maybe the venture then were exploring did not work because, first and foremost, it was not tin the will of GOD for them to do. Maybe their heart wasn't in it, who knows. But, what I do know is that you should start to encourage yourself and embrace what you love to do, FOR YOU!!. It sounds like your DH is very supportive so take that and grab your dream and make it happen. You won't know what you got until you try to use it!! I hope that I have helped in some kind of way. GOD BLESS and GOOD LUCK

Agree...you cannot base your decisions on other's failures. Maybe they didn't put their heart and soul into it. Maybe they have no idea how to properly market. Maybe they thought it would be "fun" to sell "a few cakes and pastries" without realizing how much work it was. Maybe they thought they couldn't get the price they needed because of the "I live in a small town" type of thinking.

I personally think a restaurant is a higher risk than a bakery. Higher overhead .... more food to buy and prepare "on spec" .... have to have a staff on site "just in case" someone comes in to buy a $1 cup of coffee...more start up expense with tables and chair and napkin holders.

Start your biz plan. It takes a few months anyway. THat helps you look at it from a biz point of view and not a passionate point of view.

I'm pretty sure Sugarflowers wouldn't mind if you PM her. She lived in a small town (she's since moved) and opened a sandwich shop and sold her cakes and desserts from there. She may have some pointers for you.

Best of luck with whatever you decide you'd like to do!

Deanna

Agree with indydeb about the high risk of restaurant failure. Have you thought about a small bakery/coffee shop. Maybe do some soup and sandwiches? That would give you an outlet for your cakes and doesn't take the same start-up expenses of a restaurant. It's also something you could start without having to hire a bunch of employees...maybe just you for a short while or someone part-time until you get up and running. Good luck to you!

I really feel for you, I too live in a small town and have thought about opening a business. The thing is this your cakes are great. You could start looking into grants, there are grants out there just for women who want to start businesses. A restaurant is going to be much more costly and it sounds like what you really want to do is cakes. So in my opinion you should stick with what you love. I wish the best to you.

You sound like an awesome young lady. I wish my daughter had half the wisdom you sound like you have.

I agree with the previous posters so there's not much for me to say except good luck.

Ahhh to have known my heart's desire at 24!!!

What better time to follow than with no babies and a supportive hubby?? Of course there's no such thing as "perfect timing" but this sounds like it's pretty close.

I agree with everyone else - in their advice and in wishing you the very best of luck.

simplysweet, your cakes are great!

I think that idea about starting more of a bakery/sandwich shop is a great one without the overhead of a restaurant.

I live in North Little Rock but I've never driven between Huntsville and Fayetteville or Springdale but I think it's just over 35 miles. Is that right? Even though Huntsville is small (I've been there but it was many years ago), I think you could market to Fayetteville and Springdale. They are growing so rapidly and with rather affluent people. I think that if you market correctly, people would be willing to order cakes from you from both of those towns. It might be a long daily drive but you could even think of opening your shop in one of those towns instead. Just a thought and it's alot to think about when you're 24. I know many people that drive 35, 40, or 50 miles to work each day. It's not my preference but some people don't mind.

I do believe that we always needs spiritual guidance and so my advice to you is to pray and listen to God. He will guide you. Many blessings on you and best wishes. I know you'll find the right thing to do.

I know where you are at. I had a cake business that I spent years building up to where it was finially making really good money. Only because no overhead and still long hours (it was at home and loved it).

I've seems people get in and think they can just do "what they like" but in a small town getting a acceptable prices can be hard and you can work yourself to death to break even. Also keep in mind soup and sandwhich sound easy but get help. The prep time and lunch hours take away from you CAKE TIME.

We moved about 4 years ago and now have to start all over again. and work other stuff to make up the lack of customers here and there. Now I'm seriously looking at going farther and opening up a shop. but looking to go with another business to partner up with go into beside or checking into the grants/loans and offering some retail for other cash flow and no prep or shelf life.

I say go for it!!! but do the research and with no little one's yet you would have the time to dedicate the start up and get it going before you start a family. Look at what you town doesn't have and could use locally and get in with what businesses you have and find a way to network or offer business specials type of things. Wish you all the best. Good luck and God Bless.