Jeez, How do all of you professionals out there stay so professional, and poised. Or have any of you reached this point of frustration as well?? I would love to hear stories. You know misery loves company. Sorry so lengthy!


im not a professional, but if i dont go to the gym for my minimum hour 6 days a week.. the s**t is gonna hit the fan. seriously, never underestimate the power of endorphins. =) that.. and caffeine.. sweet sweet caffeine.. the saviour of all saviours.... mmmmm

lol i know! i notice a huge difference between days i do go to the gym, and if my son is sick and i cant there.. i get dangerous scary. hahaha.

also helps to work off all those cake-alories. =)

Yeah, I know what you guys mean about working out. I run marathons. Between training I try to run at least 20 miles a week for maintence and this week I have not gotten out there like I usually do. Jeez, can you tell! I did do a 6 miler this am though and I'm already feelin much better. I must be stressed because I swear I could have gone another 6 miles! I didn't want to stop! But, unforntunately, aside from my little cake business I also have a regular 9-5 and had to get to work! Thanks for all of the friendly advice and stories. Keep 'em comin!

I don't understand the problem if your best friend is going to have others contribute to the food at her SIL's shower. A bunch of different desserts contributed by different people and one of them will be made by you.
This is your best friend, so I assume you will be going to the shower.

Are you being best friend or professional baker, how is your decision going to affect that relationship?
Are you going to be comfortable going if you decide A or if you decide B?
Will your best friend be comfortable if you decide A or if you decide B?

It's not for her best friend....it's for that persons SIL....not for her. And her best friend came to her for a business transaction, not as a friend. So, friend or no friend, she really should keep it as a business transaction. I would have been ok with the other desserts simply because I don't do those desserts but when the friend said she was putting a cake with the cupcakes I would have to draw the line. If the cake sucked then I would end up getting blamed for that no matter how good the cupcakes were.

Cat

It sounds like the OP has decided not to do this, but here's my 2 cents--

1. It's a business arrangement, so in your business do you do desserts if there will be desserts made by other people? If not, don't do it.
2. If you do small desserts then you're going to run into this a lot, and you're not always going to be able to control whether there will be desserts made by other people there. You have to decide whether the little desserts are worth it to you if you know that's a possibility.
3. Even if you have in your contract that no other cakes are "allowed" at a function that you bring a cake to, that's completely out of your control unless you stay the whole time and monitor everything that's served to the guests.
4. Asking for a price breakdown for small desserts is basically asking for a menu, or an order form. Not rude, but it does tell you that they're working on a budget.

When I had a bakery we had a clause in the contract.....we did all the deserts....very rarely did people have just cake (wedding or otherwise) at their event....BUT know that I'm a hobby baker I can't cater to every little desert that they want served ( especially at weddings), so I just supply the cake. The final choice is yours, and if you have a bad feeling about this then don't take the order. Go with your gut, it's usually the right choice. (ask me how I know LOL)

If this is a good friend and ex-business partner, then I think you need to sit down with her and have a heart to heart. Let her know how this is affecting you. I think she will understand and help you to come to a sound decision on whether to accept this order or not.

This was your best friend?? And you are for one, charging her to rent a cupcake tower?

You should be grateful to have a best friend...while mine was alive, I would never ever have charged her to rent a cupcake tower. Where's the give and take of best friends?

You are being way too harsh, in my opinion. She obviously needs to watch her costs, and you are blowing it way out of proportion.

Excuse me!? How rude are you!?! The cupcake tower is part of my business, it is a formal one that I purchased to rent out. I payed $250 for it. If she wouldn't be renting it I would be renting it to someone else, so to counter my loss, YES!! I am charging her to rent it (at a discounted rate---but not that it's any of your business!!!) I did NOT ask for an opinion on this matter and I do not appreciate your rude comment. This was not a question of what I should charge or not charge for. We are both business owners (my friend and I) just starting out, so she does fully expect to pay full price for anything she orders from me. With the execption of her own children's birthday cakes, which I do compleltely for free---not that it's your business either!!! She is a photographer and she charges me (as she should) full price for all of my pictures. And I do not expect any special discounts. So before you log into a forum start being extremely snarky and judgmental, and offer advice that I did NOT ask for maybe you should read the OP. This is not HER bridal shower, it is her sister in law's and she is just a bridesmaid helping plan the shower. She proposed HIRING me for the desserts to the others!!

vtcake, how long has it been since you lost your friend?

It obviously still hurts a great deal.

I don't know if this would be appropriate or not, but in the spirit of compromise, might your friend consider putting up a cute little sign next to the stand saying something like, "Delicious mini cakes provided by..." ? I'm sure that, having been in business with you as you said, she would understand your desire not to have your name and rep attached to other products you didn't make. If the shoe was on the other foot, I'm sure she wouldn't want her professional photo in the same display frame as a random blurry snapshot. Maybe it would help to have the distinction made that you were not responsible for the quality of the other desserts. Just a thought. Hope everything works out for you!