Ok- please send some good cake vibes my way.... I dropped off my business plan and loan app today with the bank to get the big loan to get my storefront open!!! i'm so excited and nervous. I'm hoping that the cake I'm doing tonight (a donation to the local Susan G Komen event 150+servings) will be good karma and help with the loan.

Best of luck with your new business venture!

How exciting, good luck! I wish I had the balls to open up my own bakery. I just love baking and any crafty things. I hope all goes well for you and I'm sure it will

Keep me posted, and I think we could be shoulders to lean on... Next week is my week to drop that stuff off!!!



If you worked as hard on yours as I have on mine, you will be sure to get it!!

We're still in the process of working on ours. It's so overwhelming!!!

Good luck!!! Tons of hopeful thoughts being sent your way!!!

This is a really exciting and scary time for you. But focus on all the good things and try to stay positive. Good Luck to you and all the best with your new business!!!

I know what it feels like to be worried and excited at the same time as opening your own storefront. It will be awesome!!

Best of luck!! Keep us updated.

Sending any and all good luck to you!!!

The greatest luck to you!!!
I have been thinking about taking that big step. Please be sure to let us know how it goes!!!

GOOD LUCK!

I just did mine a few months ago, and now have to go back for MORE money! Ugh!

Anyway, remember, no news is good news, so I'll pray for you not to hear anything for about 10 days!

How exciting! What a wonderful time in your life. Getting to see your dreams take on a tangible form.
Please keep us updated. It is always fun to hear good news.
Congratulations on your new business.

-Debbie B.

Congrats!!! Keeping my fingers crossed for you....

WELL??????????????

don't leave us hanging!

thanks for the good cake vibes!! i plan on keeping everyone posted. the bank guy is showing it to his SBA loan officer on monday, so we should know what kind of chance we stand. When we turned it in, the business bank officer said that it was a good plan, the business looks like a great opportunity (there aren't any bakers on my side of town, all are about 30 minutes north and my town has a distinct difference between north and south siders, almost a rivalry). He said it looks better than 50/50. He said most food service type businesses are a less than 2% chance of getting approved. We'll see!!!

It sounds like the banker had a really positive attitude about your new business. That's good news.

good luck to you!!!!!! did you write your business plan yourself or have it done for you??

I am interested in reviewing someones business plan too if you have it available.
I am far from applying but would like to see what it should look like.

I did th business plan myself. it took so much time. the biggest issue was getting the numbers down. i'm not comfortable with projections on something that i've not done. i was able to talk with several other bakers to get ideas about how many cakes i might do per week, but still felt uneasy. i also go a lot of info from here!
as a side note, my donation cake turned out to be my first cake disaster. i'll post pics later, but it was so bad. because it it was a donation, I can't even give them any money back. oh well, i'm sure it tasted good.

Congrats and best of luck. I hope you get it!

How did you decide on your projections did you try and over project or under project to be safe?

I wish you the best.

after visiting a few bakeries (one locally even gave me a tour of her kitchen!) I was able to get an idea of how many wedding cakes per weekend is an average. Then, I used my pricing and came up with a number. Then I looked at the expenses that I had figured and compared. Luckily, the amount of income exceeded the amount of expenses!!

Oh that is the way it should be of course!!! Cakes go out MOOLA comes rolling in by the fondant bucket fulls!!!

If it had worked out with expenses too high for income would you have had to just fib or "adjust" a little to make certain it all worked in your favor to make it happen for you? Or do go realistic and show the bank it can work but this is a more realistic impression of the actual.

Good luck, I truly hope you get your loan. Nowadays with the economy going the way it is, loans are being squeezed and there isnt much the banks are willing to lend, especially with so many bad loans surfacing. The fact that the banker was optamistic is a great sign! Usually they have a pulse on the file, so to speak. Good luck!

The very best of luck, I also am working on mine. One thing I wanted to
mention is I am working with the SBA in putting mine together, I was so
delighted to find this very useful and free resource in my city, just a thought

I've been working with the SBA as well. they were able to provide me with some very helpful excel templates.

GOOD LUCK GOOD LUCK . I believe in karma and you should have some good karma coming back at ya!!! Best of luck!!

How does going back for more money work, btrsktch?

I'd be terrified to ask the loan officer who loaned us money for our biz for More Money! Do you have to show you are making a signifigant profit since the time you took out the first loan? I'm curious, i'm not ready yet...but there is a world of improvements that I could make to my shop that would actually help me to make more money in the long run!

Jill,
When did the bank say they would be getting back to you?

-Debbie B.