suddenly unemployed ... advice on new business venture

[AndyB1989]

hi guys,

ive just found out from a phonecall with a recruiter that i am now unemployed .. he rung me up and said "i understand you are looking for a job" i said "i thought i was on holiday for a week thanks for the heads up"


turns out my boss is completely spineless and clearly didnt want to fire me himself and wont actually answer my phonecalls ...


anyway that being the case im considering it to to be the push i needed to set up my own business making and selling cakes as some of the guys in the live chat know i make wedding cakes mainly for friends and family but am considering moving into making wedding birthday and celebration cakes and also providing a fresh local catering small event catering business .. buffets for parties bbqs for school fetes etc etc its stuff i get roped into all the time anyway so i know i can do it.

https://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/25292_385486482487_808532487_3772910_8383329_n.jpg

https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/25292_385486452487_808532487_3772905_7580547_n.jpg


https://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/25292_385486492487_808532487_3772912_4832463_n.jpg


and as for the buffet table stuff it was my job at the last place to do and make salads and canapés all the time so i have lots of recipes in my head and have a good idea about costings.


obviously i will need to register a ltd company
set up a website
get public liabilty insurance
have a lock on the kitchen door that keeps the cats out ..
etc etc

but i like the idea of being my own boss and people are born all year round so if i can grow it quick enough the trade is there ..

[Hex]

Best of luck in your venture.

Dont be too quick to raise your head above the parapit regarding sole trader and ltd company (obviously ltd company has advantages but other downsides like additional paperwork)

Ensure you keep your accounts right and get a good acountant that isnt going to want your first born for realtivly simple accounts.
____________________
The BCF's very own Party boy! Though he's getting old and feeling it!
Monkey hanger, Born and bred
My little photo portfolio

[Skudd]

Very nice, but get a back up job until the job you want takes over.
Good luck.
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[AndyB1989]

[Sparks!]

[AndyB1989]

6"2 19 stone rugby playing bouncer

[Hex]

[colin1]

I'm your typical "It'll never work" guy, but I'll try to temper my pessimism to say, maybe get a part time job to support yourself and do the cake business in your free time, until you know you have enough money coming in. I've heard it can take a while for businesses to turn a profit, and some never do.
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[sulphur]

Do it! Especially with wedding cakes. I know that when I got wed last year, looking for a proper nice cake was ridiculous. A 3 tier cake was around £180, but a "3 tier WEDDING cake" was around £500. Loadsa money to be made in them, and your cakes look awesome! lol

Good luck!

[angryjonny]

Assuming you're doing this from home, food hygene standards will demand a little more than flowery tiles and formica worktops. I'd expect (not researched myself but I have a friend who is currently setting up a bakery type business) you'll need stainless steel worktops / splashbacks etc. It might work out more cost-effective and/or convenient to rent a small industrial unit rather than converting your own house... even if it's just so you can have somewhere that you can put half a dozen ovens.

Check your deeds to your house etc - there are usually rules prohibiting running a business from home. You'll get away with it while you're in a small way though.

[D O G]

[colin1]

[panrider_uk]

[CaNsA]

[Clanger]

We (me and other BCFers) have a friend who set up in recent years as a chocolatiere... https://www.scioltibotanicalchocolates.co.uk/ it started out slow, she had the garage converted into her chocolate kitchen...and she started selling to friends and their friends (because her choccies are 'divine').

She now has had numerous radio and tv interviews and goes to big shows and events and markets and she is massively busy and is totally loving the whole experience.

Drop her a line, she will be fine about speaking with you (I'm sure) explain you want to start out and ask for tips.
____________________
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Easter Bunny]

[Rogerborg]

Good luck with it, but unless you've got very deep pockets I'd start the process of getting compensation from your current employer (formal grievance for lack of notice and unfair dismissal -> tribunal -> cha-ching), and sign on until there's money coming in.

It's not even particularly deceitful to do so: you can "work" up to 16 hours a week without effecting benefits, and anything beyond that where you're seeking out customers is exactly what you're supposed to be doing while claiming "jobseeker's allowance" or whatever they're calling it these days.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Scooty]

[swampy]

[Marmalade]

[Kiwias]

There's a lot of good advice on here for you, and wow i guess a huge amount for you to think about. My advice is to try not to take to much notice to reasons why you cant make this work and try and focus on what you will get out of this venture when it does work, more on a self satisfaction level, that tends to drive people more than money. Try and give your business a point of difference (even a small one) to separate you from your competitors, and maybe narrowing your target market once you find the market your business is doing best in. Advertising will be key. Big Step, Good luck.
____________________
Well-trained reflexes are quicker than luck.

www.SweetAsTour.com

[Wabby]

If you need a website doing, or any advice on SEO, SEM or the likes, drop me a line mate!

Good luck with the business. How local are you to Lincolnshire as I could do with a decent cake shortly.
____________________
What restriction?

[blurredman]

[Ichy]

[Chalky.]