Okay I have been doing cakes for a while now (on and off) and consistently for the past year, I am opening up my home based business the end of this year.
Most cakes I do are for functions I am attending or for really close friends whom call me right away and let me know how wonderful it was.
This weekend I did a cake for an acquaintance and although I was invited I couldn't stay for the shower....I dropped the cake off Sat morning and was in constant agony until a few minutes ago when I got a facebook message that they were very pleased. The stress was HORRIBLE...just sitting here waiting wondering if they hated it or not. Does this get better and easier with each order? please tell me i'm not alone here.
Once you've been doing it for a while, you get to the point where you already know the cake is good and that it will hold up through the party, and then you don't need the reassurance from the customer.
You are not alone. Many decorators worry about how the cake will be received.
That being said, if you are going to open a business then you really can't "agonize" over every cake. Most of the time you aren't going to hear back if they liked the cake. You can't sit around stressed out waiting to hear if they liked it or not. You need to have confidence in your product and move on to the next order.
You are not alone. Many decorators worry about how the cake will be received.
That being said, if you are going to open a business then you really can't "agonize" over every cake. Most of the time you aren't going to hear back if they liked the cake. You can't sit around stressed out waiting to hear if they liked it or not. You need to have confidence in your product and move on to the next order.
Here! Here! Applaud! Applaud!
Putting it bluntly: Get over it. It's a cake.
After awhile, you WANT those suckers out of your sight. 
You are not alone. Many decorators worry about how the cake will be received.
That being said, if you are going to open a business then you really can't "agonize" over every cake. Most of the time you aren't going to hear back if they liked the cake. You can't sit around stressed out waiting to hear if they liked it or not. You need to have confidence in your product and move on to the next order.
Here! Here! Applaud! Applaud!
Putting it bluntly: Get over it. It's a cake.
After awhile, you WANT those suckers out of your sight.
Yep.
I agree with don't assume everyone will give you their feedback!
I designed my wedding cake, drew a picture, colored the fresh flowers, picked the flavors and was very impressed with the decorator's exact replica of my drawing. But I never wrote or called to thank her! I went on my honeymoon and never thought twice about it because it was delicious and perfect...just like I expected it to be. 
You may end up hearing from those that are unhappy instead. Yikes!
Good luck with your new venture!
i never even thought about the fact that I didn't ever call or send a thankyou note to the lady who did my wedding cake. Of course while the cake was wonderful she had pissed me off the week before the wedding. Thanks all for your encouragement...I will try to let loose a little...(maybe a glass of wine after each cake...LOL just kidding)
Oh my god! I am so neurotic about my cakes. 1/2 the time I just want them out of my sight, the other 1/2, I am obsessing about every single freakin thing!!!!!!! Grant it, I have only sold a few, but I have made enough to drive me crazy. The wise indydebi is correct, you do have to learn to let it go (or as DH asked me the other day "Are you going to have a 'episode' every time you make a cake?" After I threw buttercream at him, I really did feel much better.)
I am still learning to let it go...I am hoping to be able to someday. 
After awhile, you WANT those suckers out of your sight.
I just did an "order" for my sister in law who wanted a frog prince on a storybook cake for a bridal shower she was throwing. I was a little stressed about it because it consisted of a few things that I had never done before. But then at one point I thought, "you know what? She's not paying for this, she asked me to do it and I said yes. She knows I'm a busy girl, so she's going to take what I have to give her and be done with it. If she doesn't like it, she can go to a real bakery next time."
I got the cake done with minimal hang ups (some cracking in the fondant, but nothing major), I drove it over to her place the night before the party, sat it on her counter and said "whew! Glad that's over with! I'm gonna go get some sleep!"
So I was very glad to get that thing out of my sight!
Oh my god! I am so neurotic about my cakes. 1/2 the time I just want them out of my sight, the other 1/2, I am obsessing about every single freakin thing!!!!!!! Grant it, I have only sold a few, but I have made enough to drive me crazy. The wise indydebi is correct, you do have to learn to let it go (or as DH asked me the other day "Are you going to have a 'episode' every time you make a cake?" After I threw buttercream at him, I really did feel much better.)
I am still learning to let it go...I am hoping to be able to someday.
Seriously! I think my DH secretly dread it and holds his breath and walks on eggshells every time I get "creative". While I love caking and having that artistic outlet, I too am prone to "episodes".
Once you've been doing it for a while, you get to the point where you already know the cake is good and that it will hold up through the party, and then you don't need the reassurance from the customer.
Yep, that...
There are a few cakes I do still worry about (if I had trouble with them, or they have a risky structure) but once 24 hours has passed with no customer feedback I'm fine, because I know I'd hear about a complaint immediately!
It's my experience that no news is good news. Usually only the complainers call back and 99% of the time it's because that's their personality. You know the type... nothing is ever good enough for them. People love to tell you how horrible something was but they very rarely take the time to compliment you on a job well done. Just keep your head high and believe in your work. Congrats on opening your own business!
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