Warning: preg_match(): Compilation failed: invalid range in character class at offset 4 in /home/customer/www/sidehustlehq.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/pinterest-pin-it-button/includes/simple_html_dom.php on line 1364
Warning: preg_match_all(): Compilation failed: invalid range in character class at offset 4 in /home/customer/www/sidehustlehq.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/pinterest-pin-it-button/includes/simple_html_dom.php on line 684
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/customer/www/sidehustlehq.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/pinterest-pin-it-button/includes/simple_html_dom.php on line 691
Warning: preg_match_all(): Compilation failed: invalid range in character class at offset 4 in /home/customer/www/sidehustlehq.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/pinterest-pin-it-button/includes/simple_html_dom.php on line 684
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/customer/www/sidehustlehq.com/public_html/wp-content/plugins/pinterest-pin-it-button/includes/simple_html_dom.php on line 691
The food service industry is a difficult arena in which to do business. Quite a few people go into it without first considering how competitive the restaurant, café or bakery field can be. It’s very possible to make a generous profit from a cupcake venture, but you’ll need to keep your wits about you in the first year to avoid becoming another business failure statistic. Starting a cupcake business is an easy way to break into the industry without risking too much startup capital, if you know what you’re doing.
The Long & Short of It
Running a cupcake business isn’t all fun and games, and you’ll have to come up with a serious, viable business plan before you embark on your journey. If you’d like to run your own cupcake bakery, you should get used to the idea of early hours, tight margins and distribution issues. It’s a rough business in which to thrive, but it rewards those who are creative and think outside of the box. If you’ve got what it takes, however, you can carve out your own piece of a $6 billion industry that’s particularly kind to independent entrepreneurs.
Running a cupcake business isn’t all fun and games, and you’ll have to come up with a serious, viable business plan before you embark on your journey. If you’d like to run your own cupcake bakery, you should get used to the idea of early hours, tight margins and distribution issues. It’s a rough business in which to thrive, but it rewards those who are creative and think outside of the box. If you’ve got what it takes, however, you can carve out your own piece of a $6 billion industry that’s particularly kind to independent entrepreneurs.
Getting Started
You’ll need to decide whether your venture will be a home-based business or bricks-and-mortar. Commercial real estate with the right facilities such as ovens, storage and the like will be relatively easy to come by, but it’ll cost you. Alternatively, a home-based cupcake bakery is cheaper to get off the ground, but will eat up space at your house. In addition, you will need to comply with state and local laws and regulations. If you’ve got your recipes worked out beforehand, the only real issue will be promotion and marketing. Fortunately, the web makes this easy through social networks like Facebook and Google+.
You’ll need to decide whether your venture will be a home-based business or bricks-and-mortar. Commercial real estate with the right facilities such as ovens, storage and the like will be relatively easy to come by, but it’ll cost you. Alternatively, a home-based cupcake bakery is cheaper to get off the ground, but will eat up space at your house. In addition, you will need to comply with state and local laws and regulations. If you’ve got your recipes worked out beforehand, the only real issue will be promotion and marketing. Fortunately, the web makes this easy through social networks like Facebook and Google+.
Managing the Day-to-Day & Expansion
Monthly fluctuations in the price of input materials and labor costs come with the territory, and you’ll need to keep track of the bookkeeping with programs like Quickbooks. If you’ve moved beyond the capabilities of a one-man or one-woman operation and need to hire some employees, be forewarned that the small business owner is at a disadvantage to large corporations when it comes to tax breaks, medical insurance and benefits. Think carefully before stepping up your business to the next level.
Moving Forward
Once you’ve gained some traction and acquired a few steady, loyal customers, it’s time to start thinking long-term. Building a recognizable brand is the best way to cushion the blows that come with changing consumer tastes and unstable markets. Think about expanding beyond cupcakes into other baked goods, as this will give you flexibility if local demand shifts and you see a downturn in your core revenue. Though it’s hardly a cakewalk, a cupcake business can be a thoroughly satisfying way to own a business and prosper in a tough economic climate.
