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[addisdan]

Progress of Start-up Venture - Week 7

The first mini cheesecake batch I made went by very fast to couple exciting customer I had, which come out to be just 12 mini cheesecake with 3 different flavor and looked good, so I have to make a second one because it wasn’t enough for the customer I already promised I will have it ready as well, I also made hand written flyers and drop it of in few house around my neighborhood mail boxes near me , and got call form couple of them, it was very exciting, because I also got a chance for the first time, to take my new pup( max) for a walk, who is really sick now and breaking my heart, anyway hope he gets better soon.

I was thinking to create a Facebook or Instagram account when I start, but word of mouth for now is working good for me, also if I go any bigger, I have to get health and safety license and insurance, and a whole lot of other requirements and I don’t want to have any problem with rules and regulation, it is definitely something I would like to get in to eventually, however the customers I have should keep me busy, plus I have to keep in mind with my fulltime job, how to manage my time between bake ,packing, and deliver, it all time consuming, at the same time very satisfying, there is nothing like knowing you are one step to the right direction.

[addisdan]

Where will I get the money?

        When I start the course, I use homemade baking as my research focused , it was just a learning method which also made me to look the idea of baking for leaving and to make it in source income very appealing, and if I where to keep homemade baked good as my first start up business, I will definitely need some helps, both from financial and labor help, from what I have learn so far to get someone investors to put their money in to bakery is not easy attraction, with that being said I will use my own money and  I have my dad who is always supportive in to being my own boss attuited, that will be my “love money”, have who actually don’t like to start a new business but are willing to invest and have made offer and I know once am ready to launch my business I will have them investing, which will help me keep my Startup toward a good direction.

  The baked good business idea will be made in my home kitchen and sold either online and delivery or pick up, however with some family and friend help if it pick up and turn to bigger success and I have to open a bakery shop and have to buy most thing that is needed, from stove and larger raw material, I have to turn to a bigger investor ,I have found one of my favorite investor group: Start Up Canada Program which helps Canada Women Entrepreneurs, both as Canadian and women it is something I appreciate and like to be a part.

[yourtruenature-blog]

[amberthecanuck]

#Entrepreneurship

[addisdan]

never the goal!!! 

[addisdan]

Business Operations Plan

Material needed

I decided for my mini cheesecake to be my signature item, so I will be producing and celling that, but generally to make any homemade baked good, I need to purchase the following product.

o   Sugar

o   Vanilla extract

o   Cholate chips

o   Oats

o   Icing

o   flour

Mini cheesecake ingredient will be….

*  Cream cheese

*  Barriers

*  Secret ingredient 😉

*  Eggs

*  Graham cracker

I am lucky enough to own half of the material that is needed in my kitchen, such as variety of baking tray, oven, etc..

Selling space

I hope the name “homemade” will generally tell people that I will be making my baked good at home and running my business from home, I will continue using word of mouth as on of my marketing tactic and will be start an Instagram and Facebook account to in traduce and attract more people, I gather from my research so far Instagram is one of the best way to introduce baked goods or any food related products. I will be offering pick up or delivery methods to my customers, and I will make sure all products are wrapped nicely and ensure my customer health and safety measures are taken.

Manufacturing, Logistics & Purchasing

I will be purchasing and making my home baked good myself for now, since I have few customers it is much easier to offer consistency in style, but when my business get bigger and am running a bigger kitchen, it will be easier to train someone have some help to save time and produce in mass.

Policies, Processes and Procedures

Most of my baked good will be made upon request, with prefer date and time being clear to avoid any dissatisfaction to my customers, plus I don’t have any food wasted. I will be taking deposit when customer first put in the order and charge the rest on pick up/delivery dates to make sure I do not have any last-minute cancellation.

No return or refund.

Business goals

o   To create Instagram account and have my product posted

o   Have myself invited to few family friends gathering and have word of mouth travel, and give oust some samples

o   Have more customers by the end of week 6

 Licenses and Permits

Kitchen must pass health and safety regulation and liability, such as allergy and food poisoning, also need insurance for fire and any other issues that could happen when using any electric.

[addisdan]

Creative Advertising Exercise

[addisdan]

customer persona

my primary customer person are people like Jen with big family, and with so many celebrations to be had. I met Jen and her family at house party I was invited to, she is in her late 30s with big family but no time, and have 3 young once, after trying one of my mini cheesecake in that party, she ask if I could make her about 24 cupcake for daughter 5th birthday that was coming up, she was happy with the idea, it can be delivered or one of the family member can pick it up.

My secondary customer persona is Dave and his wife Laura from Toronto, they have so many friends with sweet tooth and they love the idea of giving out sweets as a gift for holidays, and since they get it all warped and presentable, they have found it time saving and easy, at the same time it gave us a chance to introduced the product to others.

[addisdan]

local competition

there many bakery that sell in store or deliver, however there are only few actual home bakers that I found from my search, however most large or small store front bakeries started from their home kitchen to selling to people around them to having bakery shop, which I understand we all have to start somewhere.

For my local competition I found this there bakers, one use Facebook account as a direct contact with their customer and promote, and two of them have evolved to much bigger bakery and offer delivery with in the city and one even nation wide.

 Heather's Homemade Baked Goods: she does not have an official website, but fully contact to her customers and promote her product though her Facebook account, with 200 followers, heather mostly sell her baked good in her local farmers market @cobourgfarmersmarket

I thought her porch delivery Idea goes well with our current pandemic situation. The price goes from average $2 to $8 per piece, of course it all depends on which baked good that people order, like cookies, cake, pie and so on, Heather takes special occasion order, such as birthday,  I could not find her price for the bigger order on her Facebook account, which I assumed its based on the order type and size.

Prairie Girl bakery : is one of those bakeries who believe in offering the customers the best test and mange to do everything from the scratch, also if their customer is not happy with order they got, they are willing to give full refund and replace the order. Prairie girl bakery logo scream cupcake and sweet, with their colorful logo, it easy to attract anyone with sweet tooth. The price range from $2 per cupcake to $32 to 6inch homemade style cake and $48 for 9 inch cake.

The owner, Jean Blacklock, is from Saskatoon, proud of her Prairie roots.

Sweet flour: Kim Gans, has always been inspired by her mom baking and fall in love with it all, she want to share it with entire country, started her business by selling cookies on her front lawn to team of two, has now expanded into 30+ in-house bakers, which is very inspiring. Sweet flour is specializing in cookie & cookie dough and offer delivery across Canada.

Sweet flour offers wide verity of baked goods from cookie, birthday cake , and holiday gifts , the price range from $5 to $65, which I thought very reasonable, for amount of love and care they put on it.

[addisdan]

[addisdan]

ok! if you never had a CHEDDAR AND CHIVE scone with nice cup of coffee , here is Ur chance to try .. yyuuummmm 

[addisdan]

my mini cheesecake are to fancy and testy ...simple and easy baking i have ever done, but amazing outcome. caramel  topping is my first choice ;)

[addisdan]

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths 

well from my first job ever, which was customer service in most busiest area, until now i have always work with people and find my way around in to understanding people and learn behaviors. i can comfortably tell you that am a people person, and i feel that is one of my biggest strength. i have always been in to seeing others satisfied in the service that i provide, also my full attention and the honesty in my sells skill have gained me more customer appreciation, which i find rewarding, and for a while now been interested to opening my Owen business, which it take more than just understand oneself, and others.  am also a hard working person which always motivate me in to using that energy to work for myself and bring my dream to life, and i know i have so much to learn and it may take longer even, but that fact i have a clear vision of where am heading is also my strength. 

Weaknesses    

FEAR! is my enemy, as well as most other thing that i may have to overcome. i always think , “what if i fail?” which had hold me back from getting in to things am capable of. i have no background in to any businesses, even number/math,i actually start learning budget and saving latter than i should have, but they say “better late than ever” so here i am trying to learn and see myself through. i have so much to learn, from writing a business plan, to knowing the right area and to even overcoming my weaknesses  and move forward.

 thank you 

addis