Hi, Mollie, I am basically a newbie also – I’ve only been doing this on a regular basis a little over a year and I LOVE it… I started by taking the basic Wilton courses, which led to meeting other teachers and cake designers who also offered classes in cake decorating and flower making and I’ve never looked back.
Starting a cake decorating business is not an easy task, but it is very fulfilling once you get going. The first thing I recommend is deciding on the image you want to portray – fun & funky designs, classic cakes, traditional, weddings, children cakes? Once you have an image in your head, then work on a name for your business – this is tough because all the good and clever names are taken (LOL) – then go ahead and print business cards. Next, do your homework regarding pricing – call around your area and find out what your competition is charging – this is so you can have an approximate idea – you will need to adjust your prices according to your specific needs. It is important that when you price your work, you take into account the cost of your materials, the per hour rate you want to pay yourself, the decorations you provide to your clients, the packaging, delivery, etc. Again, this is tedious work, but necessary if you want to be successful – don’t be afraid to charge a fair price for your work – once you are known as the lady who charges “cheap” prices, it will be hard to change that perception. Start at a fair price and go up from there as you get better.
The best advertising is word of mouth – give your family and friends your business cards – let them be your agents! If you know of any fundraisers, offer to donate a cake; many churches require couples to attend marriage preparation classes – talk to the priest or pastor and offer to raffle a bridal shower or wedding cake among those couples; drop off business cards at florist shops in your area – they often work with brides. Offer to bring a mini-cake so they can taste your work while you build a rapport with them. If you have children in school, donate some goodies; let your neighbors know you are considering starting a cake decorating business and invite them to a “neighborhood” cake tasting – the point is getting your name out there.
Last, but not least, practice, practice, practice – watch as many videos as possible, bake your recipes over and over; decorate dummie cakes; make sugar flowers and figures and store them for later use. The best advice I can give you, as you start in this journey, is to NEVER practice on your clients – that is not the time to try out a new method, or a new recipe or a new buttercream decoration. Your clients deserve your best work because they are hiring you to make their day special.
I’m still learning and I know that if I want to achieve success, the learning process never ends.
Best of luck and I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can.
DJ - Fun Fiesta Cakes
