A Great Idea For A Start Up Business

Business By ziggytarheel Updated 16 Sep 2008 , 5:44pm by costumeczar

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ziggytarheel Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 8:46pm
post #1 of 85

I just posted this in response to a topic in the cupcake forum, but I have been meaning to post it here.

If you have the means and your laws allow it and you could make it work, how about a traveling bakery? The first part of this article talks about a woman who is selling cupcakes from her Airstream, parking it at Farmer's Markets and various events. Clever, fun, and a way to start on a part time basis. In North Carolina, you can be licensed to bake from home, so that makes things a bit easier. But if you have a way to bake legally this could be an interesting way to help promote your business.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2723/story/1162547.html

84 replies
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snarkybaker Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 9:09pm
post #2 of 85

Guess who I am going to have to sue icon_confused.gif Tanya used to be a baker here and signed a non-compete.

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OhMyGanache Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 10:17pm
post #3 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by txkat

Guess who I am going to have to sue icon_confused.gif Tanya used to be a baker here and signed a non-compete.




Ooooooh... ouch. icon_sad.gif

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MichelleM77 Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 10:31pm
post #4 of 85

Is she doing this on her own or through her new employer, Washington Duke Inn. I hope for her sake it's through her employer. icon_smile.gif

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snarkybaker Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 11:37pm
post #5 of 85

She actually left here to go back to the Washington Duke because, as a big corporate hotel entity, they had better benefits than I do. I get that, but it looks like she's doing this on the side, and I'd bet money shes using my recipes.

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indydebi Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 11:37pm
post #6 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichelleM77

Is she doing this on her own or through her new employer, Washington Duke Inn. I hope for her sake it's through her employer. icon_smile.gif




The article said:

Quote:
Quote:

For now, Catolos will keep her day job at the Washington Duke Inn, but if DaisyCakes really takes off, she said, you never know.


which makes it sound like it's all on her own and not thru the employer.

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snarkybaker Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 11:47pm
post #7 of 85
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OhMyGanache Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 11:51pm
post #8 of 85

How long did she work for you?

If she's not actually using your recipes, would you mind then?

Just wondering, because I had an employer who wanted me to sign one, but I refused because I already had intentions of starting my own business. Good thing I didn't sign it, because I didn't last 6 weeks with those tyrants! LOL!

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snarkybaker Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 11:56pm
post #9 of 85

She worked for me for a few months, long enough to poach a good deal of inside information. I paid her exceedingly well ( over $18.00 an hour), and was more than slightly put out by her quitting in the height of wedding season. She signed a non-compete that says she cannot use my recipes for profit, or open a business with a similar concept within 30 miles of my bakery.


It was very interesting that she almost every day would ask "where are you getting...." or something close. It alway gave my husband the heebee geebees.

I'm feeling a cease and desist coming on....

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janelwaters Posted 8 Sep 2008 , 11:58pm
post #10 of 85

OUCH! how specific is your non-compete - miles, years, etc???

sometimes they are air tight and sometimes its a worthless piece of paper - I certainly hope that yours is the good one!!

GOOD LUCK!! what a nightmare!

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littlecake Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:04am
post #11 of 85

dang that sucks....after getting things to a science, someone to do that to ya.

people suck

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Mac Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:06am
post #12 of 85

You go, txkat!!! I'll stand behind you!

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maryjsgirl Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:18am
post #13 of 85

She has a website http://www.eatdaisycakes.com

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snarkybaker Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:18am
post #14 of 85

The part that frosts me is I was completely reasonable. The non-compete only says, not my recipes, not within 30 miles or 24 months. So in a year and a half, she could have opened where she is, or she could have opened closer to Raleigh, but it looks as if she chose to totally disregard the help I gave her, so she's going to get a letter from my lawyer.

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kayla1505 Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:36am
post #15 of 85

as long as shes not usng your recipes, which she has no right to , i dont see what the problem is letting her do her thing on the side

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snarkybaker Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:39am
post #16 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by maryjsgirl

She has a website http://www.eatdaisycakes.com




Holy S$%^! Those are my recipes alright. The vanilla bean in the cupcake is a giveaway. I'll bet she's using my scone recipe, too! Right down to the company roasting my coffee.

I'm going to have to send one of my spies over....maybe I'll have them bring rats ( kidding....kind of icon_mad.gif )

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Justbeck101 Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:47am
post #17 of 85

With the miles part, it seems like that would not count because it is a traveling business? Just a thought.

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Justbeck101 Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:50am
post #18 of 85

It seems that this would also be illegal..."Popât-Art"

It is the same as pop tart....Same idea, same name.

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indydebi Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 12:56am
post #19 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by kayla1505

as long as shes not usng your recipes, which she has no right to , i dont see what the problem is letting her do her thing on the side




Then you don't understand the concept of non-compete agreements and why they exist and why they are important.

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kayla1505 Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:04am
post #20 of 85

I dont, but than again I'm not a business owner. I'm not saying its ok for her to steal her recipes or her ideas. But if she wants to open her own business and do something differant, whats wrong with that?

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indydebi Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:13am
post #21 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by kayla1505

but than again I'm not a business owner.




ohhhhhhhh!!!! That explains it. You haven't invested $500,000 like txkat has to build an incredible business. You haven't faced the creditors when sales were slow or when the air conditioning broke down in slow season. You haven't put up everything you own and more to build a business based on your ideas and your concepts.

A business is MORE than a cupcake recipe. It's the idea, the execution, the figuring out how to get it done, the doing it, the maintaining it, the investment, the paying for it, the building the clientele, etc. etc. etc.

And for someone to come in, look around, take notes, and waltz off to duplicate your efforts ..... the law has stated that when an agreement is in place that prevents an employee from "stealing" all of this from you, then said employee can't steal this, the most valuable part of your business, from you.

I don't mean to sound harsh, and we were all in your position at one time or another ... but once you make that big investment (mine was "only" $100,000 .... a pitance compared to txkat!), then I'm confident you'll totally understand where we business folks are coming from.

We're not talking a cupcake recipe here ... it's much, much more than that.

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Monkess Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:15am
post #22 of 85

Good lord, this is disgusting. Why are people not original in thought and sneaky instead?

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Mac Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:26am
post #23 of 85

So true, indydebi--
I only rent my kitchen for my legal cakery. Still had to PAY to get all the certificates, inspections, insurance, advertising. AND IT AIN'T CHEAP FOR ALL THAT!!! Nope, didn't ride anybody's coat-tails for me.

Txkat--send that letter. We also have a special occasion cake business here and her lawyer had her put a no-compete clause in her hiring package. You don't sign it, you don't get hired!

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Mac Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:29am
post #24 of 85

ooops--inpatient me!

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kayla1505 Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:33am
post #25 of 85

ok thanks for explaining , I wasnt asking to stir up trouble but becuz I didnt know.

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FromScratch Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:50am
post #26 of 85

Oooooh.. Kat that sucks. I hope that the letter from your lawyer is enough. That would piss me off ROYALY..

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Cakebelle Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:55am
post #27 of 85

This is so unethical. People have no regard for others anymore.
Txkat you should totally do what you think is best.

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OhMyGanache Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 1:59am
post #28 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by txkat

She worked for me for a few months, long enough to poach a good deal of inside information. I paid her exceedingly well ( over $18.00 an hour), and was more than slightly put out by her quitting in the height of wedding season. She signed a non-compete that says she cannot use my recipes for profit, or open a business with a similar concept within 30 miles of my bakery.


It was very interesting that she almost every day would ask "where are you getting...." or something close. It alway gave my husband the heebee geebees.

I'm feeling a cease and desist coming on....




It does sound like she was fishing for information...

And I certainly didn't mean to discount what she's done. I was simply asking what the situation was and whether you were angry about your recipes, or that she was operating a similar business.

As for non-competes, I whole-heartedly believe in them. However, I myself, would never sign one. If I had, I'd be screwed right now. LOL! Although, I was honest from the beginning with my employers what my intentions were from the beginning - and they benefited from me more than I benefited from them the 6 weeks I was there - I fixed their white cake recipe, eclair recipe (she couldn't figure out why they wouldn't rise!), etc. All I got from them was grief. Heh. (I'm just glad I never wrote down the TRUE white cake recipe the way I fixed it... I bet they're wondering why they still can't make it perfect the way I did. hehehehe)

Good luck to you txkat! You have worked hard and invested a lot in your business - and you don't deserve to be stolen from if that's the case. Go get her! icon_wink.gif

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cous2010 Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 2:03am
post #29 of 85

I was reading this forum just to see what was happening, but I can't resist from posting a reply. For the life of me, I cannot understand why people representing our wonderful professions and hobbies would be so nasty to each other. I understand why TxKat would be angry, with absolute cause, but what I can't understand is the harsh words exchanged with someone just wanting to add their input.

I too, am not a business owner. That doesn't make me, nor others, unaware of the suffering and hard times that small business owners go through. A simple explanation of what a Non-Compete contract is, and its purpose would have done.

TxKat, good luck with your endeavors. May justice be served where appropriate.

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OhMyGanache Posted 9 Sep 2008 , 2:09am
post #30 of 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by kayla1505

but than again I'm not a business owner.



ohhhhhhhh!!!! That explains it. You haven't invested $500,000 like txkat has to build an incredible business. You haven't faced the creditors when sales were slow or when the air conditioning broke down in slow season. You haven't put up everything you own and more to build a business based on your ideas and your concepts.

A business is MORE than a cupcake recipe. It's the idea, the execution, the figuring out how to get it done, the doing it, the maintaining it, the investment, the paying for it, the building the clientele, etc. etc. etc.

And for someone to come in, look around, take notes, and waltz off to duplicate your efforts ..... the law has stated that when an agreement is in place that prevents an employee from "stealing" all of this from you, then said employee can't steal this, the most valuable part of your business, from you.

I don't mean to sound harsh, and we were all in your position at one time or another ... but once you make that big investment (mine was "only" $100,000 .... a pitance compared to txkat!), then I'm confident you'll totally understand where we business folks are coming from.

We're not talking a cupcake recipe here ... it's much, much more than that.




Ouch Debi... that was harsh. icon_sad.gif

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