I want to become a professionl cake baker and business owner. Where do I start?
396140
Start with working for a professional baker.  Taking classes is expensive and what if you find out that you hate it after spending a boatload of time and money.\n\nFind a local baker who sells what you want to make.  Do whatever it takes to get a job working there, especially one where you can work on the cakes.  Don't just learn how to bake cakes but also actively observe how the business is run and whether it makes any money.
5234
Vision:  Paint a picture of what ideals you want to strive toward.  How about "To be recognized by the city as having the best baked goods and most comfortable atmosphere of any shop in town."\n\nMission:  More like Marching Orders.  how about:  "To produce and serve quality, fresh baked goods with variety which keeps our customers coming back, particularly the corporate customers  (I am making stuff up here), insuring maximum longterm profitablity.  You may want to add specifics about WHICH customers are important, which aspects of the bakeshop are important (quality food, on time delivery(?), high customer service and happy people, good atmosphere).  You may want to add specifics about which products are important (cakes, morning goods, high-end coffee, etc).\n\nGoals and Objectives, I think you take it down a level toward specific actions:\n\n1) Improve customer satisfaction (+10% as measured by our survey (or something)) \nTactic 1a)  Train all employees on customer service skills.\nTactic 1b)  BE 10 minutes early for all deliveries.\n\n2)  Improve Freshness\nTactic 2a) mark baking time on all goods - pitch goods after x hours\nTactic 2b)  Recommend items that are newly out of the oven\n\n\n3) improve profitability\ntactic 3a)  Measure production and wasted goods; reduce waste\ntactic 3b)  Put a marketing program in place to market to local businesses, and increase sales\n\n\nJust some random thoughts .. hopefully mine plus others will give you a start!  Best of Luck.
391771
Be a professional currier.\nYou sound like you are ready for your own business.\nLook around, find a need in your community, and fill it and you will have plenty of business.\nIt is very satisfying to have your own business, especially if you have a good manager and it does not require you to be there all the time.
886574
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nI recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* How to Start and Run a Successful Consulting Business by Gregory F. Kishel, Patricia Gunter Kishel\n* The Consultant's Quick Start Guide: An Action Plan for Your First Year in Business by Elaine Biech\n* Getting Started in Consulting, Second Edition by Alan Weiss\n* Successful Independent Consulting: Turn Your Career Experience into a Consulting Business by Douglas Florzak\n* The Consultant's Manual: A Complete Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice by Thomas L. Greenbaum\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
1062055
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nI recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* How to Start & Manage an Air Conditioning & Heating Business by Jerre G. Lewis, Leslie D. Renn\n* The Business Plan for Your Air Conditioning and Heating Company by 125aday.com Publishing\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
1028158
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nI recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\nCatering Specific:\n* How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, 5th by Denise Vivaldo\n* How to Run a Catering Business from Home by Christopher Egerton-Thomas\n* Start and Run a Catering Business by George Erdosh\n\nBakery Specific:\n* How to Open a Financially Successful Bakery by Sharon Fullen, Douglas R. Brown\n* The Baker's Trade: A Recipe for Creating the Successful Small Bakery by Zachary Y. Schat\n* Baking for Profit: Starting a Small Bakery by George Bathie\n\nIndiana Specific:\n* How to Start a Business in Indiana by Entrepreneur Press\n* How To Incorporate and Start a Business in Indiana by J. W. Dicks\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
121154
Not too early, I suggest that you find a mentor. Talk to people who are already in business, especially in the type of business you want to own. Even try to get a job or be a apprentice in the field, so you can learn the ins and outs of the field. They can tell you the ups and downs of the business and guide you in getting started.\nGood luck and be persistant.
248151
Go to your Secretary of State website and look for information on how to start a business in your state. They will have all the information and contact information you need. The permits and licenses you need will depend on whether you will run it as a home business, or you will actually rent an office for your business.\n\nTo give you more information on the business, you can read the article "Starting a Janitorial and Cleaning Service Business" at http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol95/janitorial.htm The article contains information on startup strategies, operational considerations (prices, manpower, finding suppliers), and marketing the business. \n\nFor detailed information I suggest you read the following books:\n\n- Janitorial Service Businesses : Strategies for Promoting, Estimating, and Bidding Cleaning Services \n- The Janitorial Contractors Bible \n- Introduction to Janitorial Service Contracting : How to Succeed in Your Own Cleaning Business \n- Cleaning Up for a Living: Everything You Need to Know to Become a Successful Building Service Contractor \n- Introduction to Janitorial Service Contracting : How to Succeed in Your Own Cleaning Business
538638
Since your question is not too specific, I will make my answer as general as I can. \n1. decide what kind of business you want\nThis might be stuff that you are interested in doing. It might also be something that you might be good at. Perhaps you just want to find something that will provide you with a living.\n2. Learn as much about what you want to do. Read about it, maybe there are trade journals you can read. See if there are any trade shows for your prospective line of work. Talk to people in that line of work. You might want to work in your area of interest to get a feel for it before you risk any money of your own. \n3. Create a business plan. Write out all of your ideas. Write down what you want to do, and how you want to do it. Work on the business plan more. If you find writing difficult, you might want to take some business writing classes. Taking some business and accounting classes will help too.\n4. When you have a business plan you think makes sense, try to raise some money. Your business plan will include enough financial information that you will have an idea of how much it will cost to get started. Banks will probably need some collateral or a cosigner. You might try to find an Angel investor. This might be a person who has money and maybe even some experience with your chosen field, or it might be someone with a strong business background. \n5. Find a location. If your business idea is retail, you need visibility. A commercial real estate broker might be able to help you find the location you want. Your business plan will be your guide for this. \n6. Your location might need to be set up for your needs. The space might need shelves, counters, signs, etc. Again, you will use your business plan as a guide.\n7. Your area might have laws that require licensing or other requirements. Figure out what these are before trying to operate.\n8. After you begin operations, update your business plan. It is almost guarenteed that you will make some mistakes along the way. Don't let that get you down, learn from it. \nThe business plan is not something you finish, it is really a way to collect your thoughts and expirences and make some kind of sense of things.\nI hope this helps at least a little. Good luck.
1002173
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nI recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* How to Start and Operate an Errand Service (Revised 2nd Edition) by Rob Spina\n* Start Your Own Personal Concierge Service (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Ups) by Entrepreneur Press\n* The Concierge Manual, Second Edition by Katharine C. Giovanni\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
1148795
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nI recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* The Savvy Studio Owner: A Complete Guide to Setting Up and Running Your Own Recording Studio by John Shirley, Richard Strasser\n* Make Money with Your Studio: Setting Up and Operating a Successful Recording Studio by Tom Volinchak \n* The Studio Business Book, Third Edition by Mitch Gallagher \n* How to Build A Small Budget Recording Studio From Scratch: With 12 Tested Designs (TAB Mastering Electronics Series) by Michael Shea\n\nI also posted links to some free articles in the source box.\n \nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
90996
Begin by paying attention to your skills and aptitudes.  Is there a market for what are naturally good at? Can you identify a need or a problem in your area or within a group that your skills solve?\n\nThen you need to take a few business courses.  Look for adult education courses.  I took an Entrepreneurial Assistance Course through a local continuing education program.\n\nYou need to learn about marketing, basic forms of business - sole proprietorship, LLC, Corporation - you need to know something about basic accounting and record keeping, you need to know that no matter how marvelous your idea is and no matter how many people are lined up at your door for your service or product - it will take you a minimum of 3 years to make a profit.\n\nYou will have many start-up costs - equipment, phone, advertising, letterhead, website, transportation, classes, trade magazines.  You may need the services of an accountant.  If you decide to incorporate, you may need legal services.\n\nVisit your local Chamber of Commerce.  Many chambers are affiliated with SCORE - which is a group a retired business executives who give advice for cheap or free. Many chambers also offer cheap or free seminars to members to educate them about local business practices.\n\nYou may also need to register your business with your town or county.  If you are planning to put a sign out advertising your home business, you need to check with your town about the laws regarding business signs in residential areas.\n\nYou may also want to contact the Small Business Association.  In many areas, they have micro loan programs to encourage minority and women-owned businesses to get off the ground.\n\nBeyond that, working from home has several challenges.  You need to be able to work alone, you need a dedicated work space and a separate phone line. You'll need a place to keep your inventory and your business records.  If you have children or pets, you need to be where their sounds or noises do not interfere with your business.\n\nIf you are working at something that involves customers coming to your home office, you need to learn about having the appropriate insurance coverage.\n\nSole proprietor businesses are at particular risk, because your personal assets are fair game if someone files a lawsuit against you.\n\nThe best way to start a work from home business is to educate yourself.  Do not be in a rush.  If you need to make money sooner than later, work at a wage job, and start your home business part time, so you have cash flow while building your business.
143305
Become a wedding cake maker.
1071987
Call up event planning companies and tell them you want to get into it.  You may need to volunteer your time first. . . . .thats what all wedding planning and event planning professionals say. . .  you may also want to volunteer for charity events or other functions so you get experience.\n\nPlan parties for friends and famliy!  Thats another good way to get into it and build up a portfolio of centerpieces or other thngs you have made yourself.  But after you get all that, call up companes and let them konw you want to help them so you can up your experience and eventually you'll get a job with them when they see how awesome you are!
995253
Yes to all those questions.\nYou can start by working in a bar and taking careful notes about what is happening there.\nYou should also enrol in a Bar Course and a Small Business Course.\nRunning a bar is a very difficult and challenging business...and there is much more to it than buying some wine and opening up shop...The legal part needs to be learnt too...and the accounting and Taxation laws.\nNo business is easy for the owner...believe me
1077048
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nI recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* Becoming an Architect : A Guide to Careers in Design by Lee Waldrep\n* The Survival Guide to Architectural Internship and Career Development by Grace H. Kim\n* Architect? A Candid Guide to the Profession by Roger K. Lewis\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
223798
The first step is to know what you want - what your goals are, what is your schedule and how much time can you give a business. Then find out what business would fit into your goals and lifestyle. \n\nI suggest you research and read. Here are some resources to help you start out your home business:\n\nPowerHomeBiz http://www.powerhomebiz.com\nEntrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com\nInc.com http://www.inc.com\nBusinessknowhow http://www.businessknowhow.com