How to Start a Small Cake-Decorating Business

Start a cake decorating business.

Opening a business is no easy feat. With a drive to sell and a passion for sugary, beautiful cakes, you are on the right track to owning a business that delivers cakes for all occasions. Your small business model will need to be refined to the market in which you are opening so that you are utilizing all that it has to offer you.

Instructions

1. Establish a reason for wanting to embark on such a career. Decorating for friends and family, taking a cake decorating class, helping a family of cake decorating and art majors who also like to bake are some of the ways a person may decide she has an interest in icing cakes for presentation and function.

2. Set up a portfolio of designs that you can show to potential customers. Design several cakes and take pictures that will show them off. Take notes of what goes into each cake. Create a list of options that your client will be able to choose from. These lists will include the designs, cake recipes, and icing types.

3. Find a space where you can do business. Because of the nature of this business, you will need to have a kitchen with running water. The space can utilize a space for client tasting and reviewing of designs, or it can be more of a warehouse where the cakes are made, while the meetings happen elsewhere. Contact your city offices to determine the kinds of licenses and tax permits that you will need. Inquire about the zoning of your business, and what kinds of buildings you can rent for a cake decorating business. Find out about specific health permits that you will need in order to have a business that deals with food.

4. Cover your costs. Be sure that you have enough money to invest in your overhead costs and still support yourself. You will need to consider the costs of the building, materials, employees, utilities, travel expenses and marketing materials. Once you have the funds to invest in your business, you can start purchasing the necessary goods to open up shop.

5. Market yourself. There is a lot of information available on how to market your business for a low cost. Utilize the internet and all it has to offer in order to get the word out there. Facebook, Twitter and Craigslist are all great marketing and networking tools that are very user-friendly. Market your business in a way that will have your community wanting to purchase your product. This will take some research and general knowledge of your local demographics.

6. Open for business. Begin taking and filling orders. Your business will grow if you offer a supply that is in demand. Put a lot of time and energy into customer service and providing a quality product.

References

• Earle Nes Cakes: The Business of Cake Decorating