Starting up a cake business

curiouslass

Hi All,

I am just looking for some advice from anyone that has experience in starting up their own cake business. I currently do all novelty, wedding and bespoke cakes for all occasions from home for friends and family and thankfully my orders have grown in the last 2 years so I would love for this to become an actual business. I have always wanted to set up my own business, and started doing cakes on the side of my regular 9-5.30 Mon-Fri office job. I am set to go out on mat leave in a few weeks but I would love to start accelerating the cake business to a proper business in the new year, taking advantage of the time off the day job I will have.

I am planning to go to my local enterprise board in the new year and get business advice, however am wondering if anyone has first hand advice on the steps I need to take to turn this kitchen hobby in to a legitimate business. I know the novelty cake business is saturated at the moment, however I constantly keep up with trends and styles to keep my stuff current, and I feel I can actually turn it in to a viable business given the right direction.

My only reservation is funding! I do not have a pile of savings and am most concerned with being able to pay my bills if I go out on my own (hence why taking the mat leave to really think about the business aspect of it all)

Appreciate any help

Thanks

Merger

curiouslass wrote: »

Hi All,

I am just looking for some advice from anyone that has experience in starting up their own cake business. I currently do all novelty, wedding and bespoke cakes for all occasions from home for friends and family and thankfully my orders have grown in the last 2 years so I would love for this to become an actual business. I have always wanted to set up my own business, and started doing cakes on the side of my regular 9-5.30 Mon-Fri office job. I am set to go out on mat leave in a few weeks but I would love to start accelerating the cake business to a proper business in the new year, taking advantage of the time off the day job I will have.

I am planning to go to my local enterprise board in the new year and get business advice, however am wondering if anyone has first hand advice on the steps I need to take to turn this kitchen hobby in to a legitimate business. I know the novelty cake business is saturated at the moment, however I constantly keep up with trends and styles to keep my stuff current, and I feel I can actually turn it in to a viable business given the right direction.

My only reservation is funding! I do not have a pile of savings and am most concerned with being able to pay my bills if I go out on my own (hence why taking the mat leave to really think about the business aspect of it all)

Appreciate any help

Thanks

I haven't any experience myself, But I could give you the email of a friend of mine that has only recently gone through the Board Bia Food program? If that is any help. She isn't a boards user.[I don't think anyway :D ]

curiouslass

That would be great Merger, thanks

PLL

All I know is that you will have to contact the hse regarding a business that sells food, they will have to inspect the premises.

storatory

Check out the Food Safety Authority of Ireland website. I can't post a link but its (fsai dot ie / food_businesses/starting_business dot html)

You can get your kitchen at home approved, I don't think you would have to make to many changes to get it approved.

Once you have a food handling cert and Environmental health sign-off, you could bake cakes and try selling them at farmer markets, along with getting basic website setup to take orders and also have a facebook business page.

Check out the revenue site for how to register as a sole trader as well.

Good luck

daviecronin

Ya as other posters said I would recommend the first stop should be the enterprise board they're always a great place to get ya the right info and what you have to do etc! They will say to get in touch with the food safety authority to get everything inspected and you might need a HACCP cert aswell I'm not too sure on the exact details! Also definitely have a FB page to get out there!

pedronomix

The very first thing you need to do when looking at starting any business is to establish whether you can get sufficient business to sustain the business. You need to know how much you can sell, at what price and at what margin. You also need to know your costs per unit and your own costs for your wages overhead etc. Then can you command a the selling price you need competing against people doing it on the side like you do now? I know at least 3 people doing what you are doing now with novelty cakes, as a sideline, a crowded market. A problem that the cup cake craze highlighted.

Are you really in a position to deal with a new baby and starting a business at the same time?

By the way the Enterprise Boards boards have been disbanded, they have been replaced by the LEO structure. Do not be spurred on by mindless, inexperienced advice that is proffered on public forums such as this. You should try to get an experienced business person to be your mentor and blunt commercial critic.

dublinwp

I would advise you first before wasting your time and money on anything else - find a way to get clients.

Without clients your business is not viable.

Get a facebook page do small PPC campaign with proper customer avatar with CPM and you will know if there is a demand or not. Even take deposits on cakes through paypal. One thing is interest, completely different is paying for goods.

Then you can buy equipment and go get advice and whatever.

Start small and scale after. you are on a right path, but do your math.

Good luck