[momoreg]

Thank you, Jeff. I wish you the same. You have taught me a lot about business ownership, etc., and I know I speak for a lot of others here as well, so I hope to see you keep posting here, and not just reading!!

Happy New Year

[Shimmer]

This might not help at all, but you might know that I work at a high-end grocery store here in Carmel, Indiana (and yes, there is such a thing). I have had so many people lately, obviously with money to burn, mourn the lack of pastry chefs in the area. They talk about how all they can find are cake decorators, and that those people aren't interested in doing upscale desserts for private purchases.

So, maybe you need to move here? I'd work for you! I would mop, do dishes, whatever you needed!!!

Really, though, is your heart in the cake decorating, or would you rather do more of a pastry/bakery thing? It just seems that once you had a name in cakes you might have so much business it would be difficult to branch out. I obviously know nothing about it, but that's how it seems to me.

But anyway, in the Indianapolis area, ever since the Rosalyns bakery closed, people roam the streets in search for anything resembling her chocolate eclairs, etc. I hear stories weekly. Also people searching for Pierre's cakes, a roving pastry chef who was employed at my store briefly and found such a following that people would go anywhere to get a cake by him, if they only knew where he was. So here is a (relatively) big city with a huge need.... and we're only 2 and a half hours from Chicago.....

~~Shimmer~~

[panini]

Shimmer,
You are right, its funny, the younger generation ask me why my eclairs are in a cold case. " The ones at the grocery store are right out on the self" I tell them because they have real cream in them, they just cock their heads like puppies.
We have people drive from different counties for our cakes, and in Texas you know a block is 7 miles long!!
I promissed myself to attend the Indy this year, is it anywhere near you? I actually have a restored pace car from the '66 Indy, thinking about driving it, would you have a place to park it?
panini

[W.DeBord]

Ah, but the question you should be asking is "why did your Rosalyans bakery close?". If it was sucessful they would have sold it to many on lookers and made a nice profit. But if they didn't and closed their doors then the answer is their business was dead.

Jeez, I could only pray to have a "name in cakes" where it would be difficult to branch out. When you have nothing, anything that actually makes money keeping you doing what you love is a good thing.

It's not as simple as "there's a need" otherwise there would be bakeries in each strip mall instead of nail salons.

[Anna W.]

W. DeBord- at the risk of sounding corny and repeating a previous reply- you ask the questions, you make your decisions wisely, and then you just jump (or, in this case, bake), believing that if you bake it they will come and eat. I am not a business maven by any means but have run three modest ones up to this point, all profitably. I have not yet reached millionaire status but have proved you can get what you need without a boss or a "regular" paycheck. There is just a point were you have to for it.

[Shimmer]

Panini- of course I'm close to the 'Indy'- all roads lead to it, in a way. But close might need definition. I drive over an hour to get to work, so close is relative.

Wendy (I think that is your name, W. DeBord)- Rosalyn's closed because the owners died, passed it to their son (it had been passed down for generations!) and he decided he didn't want to be burdened with the responsibility (he was 23 or something) and closed it despite the uproar it created in the community. He selfishly refused to sell it to anyone else either. So it wasn't that the clientele went down, or that profits were bad. It was an entirely selfishly motivated reason.

You seem disheartened already. But don't get that way until you've tried! All of these problems you're finding are simply hoops you have to find the best way through. You have so many years of experience and skill, and you're gifted! That means more than bare statistics any day.

~~Shimmer~~

[W.DeBord]

I'm abit embarrassed, I do sound rather whiney..and a few other unpleasant adjectives.....

I appreciate the kind words Shimmer (and others). I do need to work on being more positive. My best excuse (if you'll buy it) is I'm a perfectionist (and a quirky artist)....I always want to figure things out (if possible) ahead of time.

But I am working daily toward opening my own wedding cake business. Hense forthe this thread...and a couple others.



P.S. Side note....Panini, while exploring other bakeries I bought a couple eclairs at my favorite cannoli shop. Oh my, I never knew you could make choux paste tough? It was like shoe leather, wierd! Then they filled it with Instant PUDDING. I was shocked.........at a bakery!

[W.DeBord]

back more on topic...I need help finding a site...I was wondering if anyone can guide me thru computorland? I spent over an hour yesterday just trying to find them.

There's a bakery I've been trying to check out. It's called Sweet ThAng, located in Chicago. I've been there personally...their work looks nice (it's definately high-end priced, I was quoted at 5 to 15 dollars a serving), they have some very creative wedding cakes on display. But comunicating with them is difficult, everyone has a thick accent and their purposely vague quoting wedding cake prices.

Anyway, I'd love to look at more of their work to get a better feel for what their doing (High-end, which is what I want to do). They told me their web address but I can't find it anywhere!

It's: www.sweethang.com and then they said if that I've tried works. Is there anyone who can help me find them, PLEASE? Please, please..........

[KyleW]

The other site that popped up on Google was www.sthang.com. It did not work either.

[Anna W.]

Wendy, I have found that there are those bakers/decorators who will share info and those that hoard. For those that hoard: Do you have anyone you know of in thier mid 20's to 30's who could go in and pose as a bride? Take in a couple of martha pics or something and get quotes? See what type of policies they have, etc? They already know who you are so you couldn't go in as a bride but you may want to consider it in the future.

[panini]

Anna, Anna, Anna, I can't believe that you would impersonate a bride to be!!!!!
Actually, when we first started many years ago, my wife and I could get away with that. Now that we are old hags in our 40's, we can't even get away with the second marriage thing.
We are one of the bigger players here in town and we have found that most will share information, those that don't usually won't be competition. In fact we network to the point of referring
back and forth. Networking is the key . If you have a quality product you will find others of similar quality and help each other.
There is always enough wedding business to go around. The loners will never grow. We have found that customers really, really, like a good referal and will usually come back to visit. We only work within a 12 sq. mile radius and our referal bakeries loves us. In fact right now one is on 2 week vacation and we had booked all of their business.
That being said, you can best believe that I know exactly what is being done at ALL my competitors.
pan

[Anna W.]

I am in total agreement on the networking thing and although I have tried with other decorators in my area only one was willing to share knowledge. The rest had to be gathered ingognito. Now, these places aren't out of business yet, but have proved not to be competition. There are not that many people in this town (Cleveland) who are willing to do custom work- not even some of the big shots so I have carved my own little niche- I do all the stuff that nobody else wants to bother with, which suits me just fine because I never wanted to do production work in the first place. I network whenever I can (or get my secret weapon husband to) but occasionally you have to use stealth technology !

[panini]

Anna, Spoons, have great points about the florist, photo, and the custom cakes. We actually design each cake with the bride. Its a bit more labor intensive but you actually get to know your clients.
Question, do you guys get thank you notes and thing like that? I can't take credit, for my wife does all the tastings and consultations, but we actually get to know these couples and after years its really nice to do their anniversary cakes, baby shower, baptism cakes and kid b'day cakes. We also have our couples serve the whole cake and we make them an anniversary cake the first year in trade for some pictures of their cake. This works really well for our portfolio. The pictures we take are usually naked before the florist. Buy the way, we don't touch fresh flowers nor do we refer florist. Another whole thread!
Also, you should not limit yourself to personal networking. There are great sources of professional networking. We attend networking lunches, these include party planners, catering people from hotels, caterers etc. Look into NACE, RBA, places like that in your ares.
pan

[Anna W.]

I do get thank you notes and the best customers always come back. I do all the consultations and tastings but hubby is in the food business, and being a salesman, he is really good at selling me!In the north here, I have noticed that the saving of the first tier is not as big a deal as it is down south, but when requested, I prefer to do as you do and give it to them on their anniversary.

I have never checked into these networking lunches but it sounds like a good idea.

A question for you, panini, how do you approach a caterer or hall for the first time? I have had mixed results with this and wonder what the rest of the world does. Have a rather prestigious one coming up this month and want to be prepared. Also interested in how you and your wife run your business as hubby and I have been throwing the idea around. Do you have a large shop? Who does what? Etc.- if you have the time.

Ditto on the flower thing.

[m brown]

Panini
great ideas! i have been thinking about a portfolio and will now contact past customers for a picture of their cake, saving me big $$$$.
Thank you for your wisdom!