AOh give me a break, no one is picking on you. This is a perfectly reasonable situation for a business owner to wonder about, and you insert some ridiculous "smh" comment, and start picking apart someone else's replies in a nearly paranoid manner, completely derailing the thread. Bizarre, really. And why don't you go ahead and block me if I bother you so much.

AI totally support having a secret shopper deal to check up on the goings on while you're away. Actually, it's a good idea to do that every so often while you are there as well. I'd want to know how my own performance was received by customers.

A

Absolutely. You certainly are demanding, from insisting people share their pricing methods and getting angry about being turned down to the point that a moderator has to scold you, and insinuating that no more discussion is necessary on a thread that isn't even yours. Again, interesting and quite relevant situation to discuss, and anyone is welcome to contribute their ideas. If SMH is a business model, or short for a decorating method, my apologies.

They do have the opportunity to "steal" my customers.  Do I think that they have or will?  The point is - I don't know.  My employees are not "trained" decorators - they are helpers.  I am basically training them myself so that I can rely on them more extensively.  I am willing to invest in these young ladies because they are enthusiastic, trainable, and reliable.  They are both young ladies, who live at home and are also part-time students - they are not supporting a family, neither do they need this job, or any freelance work, to make ends meet. 

 

Thank You marieandtwannette for clarifying your thread. I was just trying to offer a reason why someone might do caking on the side by using my reasons as an example. I have never tried to undermine any bakery owner that I have worked for by stealing customers or recipes. We never had access to any of their famous recipes and worked from the back of the house. One is famous for her world class cheese cakes, the other for her French Patisseries. But as I said before, I can only speak for myself.

 

When I hired the second person I did not realize she was making cakes from her home for customers, it has only recently come to my attention.  As for the other employee, I am unsure if she is freelancing, but I would not ask one employee to sign a non-compete clause without asking the other.

 

If you think that either one of them is capable of stealing your customers, I really think that you should have a meeting with your employees and let them know how you feel about the situation. If it means having them sign a non- compete clause, at least if everything is on the table, you will have a better peace of mind.

 

Wishing you much success with your bakery!

This thread is a good reminder not to go to work for a cakery - a long time baker couldn't win by doing so.  Better for you to hire someone who's never even seen a pastry tip.

Oh my goodness, what is happening to this forum? :(

I think it depends on the circumstances, if they were already decorating and selling cakes BEFORE you hired them then you hired them with this knowledge (or should have asked when you employed them)  however if they started taking on clients and selling cakes AFTER they started working for you then that is a touchy subject.

 

If you work in different decorating fields, ie, you only sell Bakery style off the shelf cakes and they sell specialised wedding cakes that you had no intention of selling then I don't think it is fair to say that they are stealing your business, however if they are selling the same style of cake or they knew that you intended to expand into that style of caking, where they could have referred the client to you (and they previously didn't have a business) then yes I think they are crossing boundaries.

 

Only you and your employees know the full facts of what has happened in this instance so you will have to make a decision based on all of that information. In the end you need to do what is right by your business, whether it be firing these employees and being more thorough in picking your next ones or coming to an agreement with your current employees, but they too most likely will do what is best for them.

 

Good Luck.

AI was reading another thread and was reminded that lots of people only read a little bit here and there, so for anyone who didn't want to read my full explanation after Enga called me a liar, I just want to succinctly say, I am NOT a big fat liar.

Thanks :)

AI doubt anyone with a shred of sense would assume otherwise.

i think you guys need to stop putting words in enga's mouth, using them to build a case amongst yourselves and make her defend herself for inuendo--.it seems like you're wanting to maintain a punching bag--let's be respectful because some of you are looking pretty shoddy--

 

if she's not the kind of poster you like then ignore her--stop the attacks--flag her posts if they are wrong in some way--let the mods handle it--

 

 

 

A

Thanks. Mim and AZ - You don't know how much I appreciate that.

Regarding the putting words in someone's mouth, I think you may have missed a post.

before i posted i went back and read where enga pointed out/asked about the employee thing--so i thought i read everything but since your post i went back and did a word search on each page and howsweet, you are the only one who used the word 'liar' that i can find--and while of course you are not a liar--i still don't see where enga said you were--i see where she asked about it--but maybe i did miss one, i don't know--

 

even though jamie insists she is not picking on enga to the point that she brings up previous threads in order to cast negative aspersions on enga, if she and mimi will simply ignore her the board would be a better place

 

have a great day everyone

AI fully admit I'm the only one who used the word. But if someone points up at the sky and says, see that bright thing that hurts your eyes when you look at that's shining down warmth on us? I'm going to say, yes, I see the sun.

It's fewer words. I know no one thinks I ever try to use fewer words, but I do and that's what made made an opening for attack.

howsweet, i getcha-- you shed some light on your background--we've all worn different hats and i'm glad that got cleared up--

ADidn't Enga bring up a bunch of old posts just to prove a point? I remember, it wasn't that long ago. So she can do it, but no one else can? Hm. Interesting how that works around here.

Oh how the contradictions abound for some who happen to sit in judgement of others.

 

Some of you may have noticed that I have been absent/quite as of late.  I am just so sick of the pure total BS.  

 

I am amazed at how words and intentions get twisted.  I am even more amazed at how some people just can't help but come stir the pot to make turmoil when there really isn't any.

 

I watch as honest, solicited feedback is touted as "bullying."  Good solid advice is criticized as being too harsh.  These same people have no problem bashing and lashing out when they see fit.  It's tiresome and borish.

 

Who decides the caliber required to post?

 

In short, I guess I could just say "Pot, meet Kettle."

 

It has honestly gotten to the point where the crap outweighs my desire to be helpful.

 

/Le SIGH.

AAt the risk of sounding unprofessional and maybe even flaky I am going to bring up the classic "go with your gut feeling" notion but not as a stand alone.... more as an add on

These kinds of issues fall under the category of Intellectual Asset Management. Recipes, customer lists, pricing structure and techniques that establish your market difference should be guarded as confidential. Consulting with the small business administration can point you to low cost or even free resources for managing these pieces of your business.

 

You can put many safeguards in place to avoid freelance competition, but in reality, people will do what they want, even if the consequences are high. The best safeguard for you will be protecting the information in the first place.

 

And if I knew they were competing in their spare time, they would be gone. No question.

AOh gimme a break. I don't care who said SMH, I would have asked the same question in the same tone regardless of who said it. And I actually gave some input and opinions to the topic as well. What is your role in this discussion? Doesn't seem to be anything other than playing moderator and telling other members what to do. So, seems to me like you need to follow your own advice. And referencing past threads and comments...again, what you said, maybe leave a moderator to decide if that's appropriate or not? Again K8, maybe the block button would be a good idea, save yourself from seeing my horribly offensive posts.

A

So true. I gave up on the "sole provider" clause for wedding cakes partly because of this. And partly because I'm just not that hung up on worrying that my cake might be mistaken for Aunt Betty's sheet cake, or cupcakes from the dollar store. I'm not going to pass up a potential pay check just to ensure I'm the only cake at the party. Fine if others do, I'm just more interested in creating a nice cake and getting paid, even if they're gonna serve some of the guests something else. If I took on an employee, they'd just be support staff, cleaning, answering phones, etc. My obsessive side couldn't accept that someone else could possibly put a stripe on the right way. I'd be hovering and getting in their way, and they'd quit...lol. :D

AAnd I can throw out something like "why don't you leave me alone K8?", but that doesn't mean you're in fact doing anything to me, unless I just want attention and want other people to [B]think[/B]you're bothering me, and causing trouble. But I don't need to do that, if I have a problem, I take care of it without whining or making a mountain out of a molehill, or acting like there's something personal behind comments I make (just using an example of how I [B]could[/B]react, not accusing you or anyone else. The quoted piece above was reworded from someone else's post upthread, to make it appropriate for this reply.

Jumping back in, because something is ringing in my head, and it's much louder than the last thought.

 

If there is business out there to be won, a good employee worthy of their paycheck should be endorsing your store as the go-to location. If someone needs a cake, they should be handing out your card and saying "Hey! Come by the shop, we'll take great care of you!" No way should they be diluting the market and pulling work for themselves while drawing a salary from you. Maybe if they were actually HELPING to build your business, they would be able to become full-time employees. They're hurting you and possibly hurting themselves in the process. In addition to being underhanded moochers.

 

Are they working in licensed kitchens? As employees of yours, there may be liabilities on your end. Are they paying taxes? Consult with an accountant so thier work can't fall under the heading of sub-contractors, the IRS is kind of picky with those things.

 

Ooh, I'm fired up now. My blood pressure is going up the more I think of it. They have access to your business, you train them, you pay them, and instead of bringing customers, they take them for themselves. I'd bust them down to floor scrubbers for a week, then fire them both.