"I am so glad I took this class. I got to meet so many great people. Thank you! I really enjoyed all that I have learned. Denay, I can't even get into words the many thanks you deserve. You have opened up so many things for me that I didn't even think I could do. THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
Ronnie Barone
Ronnies' Fresh From the Heart
Raleigh, NC 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am eternally grateful to you for the information you gave me via email regarding the sale of home baked goods at craft and trade shows and at the farmers market. I had no idea this was even an avenue of income for me. We have a flea market in my hometown that is huge!!! I could begin selling there as early as April. The state of Alabama would have this approved by March!!! This settled my business dilemma as well as personal. My husband and I have had our share of arguments on starting my business and establishing a facility. Now I will have a means of earning money and saving towards that kitchen. God Bless you and thank you, thank you, thank you. I will continue keep you posted."
D. Heard
CakeBabie
Birmingham, AL 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have gained so much information from this course! I would have to say one of the first pieces of information that I gained was to scale back on what I was offering. When we began the course I had just finished making gift baskets for Valentine's Day and although I enjoyed it and made my co-workers very happy with the end result, I was exhausted! And with all that I purchased, and the time that it took to make so many of the variations with the amount of orders I had, it wasn't worth it for me as a business. I have also gained more confidence in what I will legally be able to do and how to protect my existing customers, potential customers and myself. Of the many nuggets of information that I gained, I learned of other avenues to get in to the marketplace that I probably would not have considered. From reading Denay's comments, I see that you have to think outside the box; always be prepared to promote yourself; and don't just look for opportunities but create them.
C. Collins
North Carolina 2009
Online Student
-------------------------------------------------------
Hey there,
Tuesday's are not the same!
I just had to write now that my e-mail is back working. We had our reception and it was awesome.
For the first time we were more aware of what we were paying for the food items compared to what we were charging. Once again, we lost money and oh my the realization of it was unbelievable. For instance, we charged $200 each for the vege display and $200 for the fruit display. When all was said and done, we actually spent $560 on the fruit and vegetables, dips, etc. We have never gone back before to compare and boy was this an eye opener. This doesn't even include the cheese display we set up as an extra with 4 gourmet cheeses in addition to the regular cheese cubes. Nor does it include the costs for the key lime shots that were an extra also. They were awesome though and everyone raved about them.
We learned a lot from your class and it is time to finally make some money. This reception should have cost 6,000 but we did not even charge half of that. Now we know thanks to Denay!
Thanks again, miss seeing you.
DD
North Carolina 2009
Reedy Creek Middle School
--------------------------------------
Denay -- Just wanted to thank you for all the information you provided for our class. It really was an informational eye opener. When I get a little more focused and ready to really get started I may take the class over. However, what you have provided me is more than enough for me to think about before actually entering into this adventure.
DM
May 2009
Online Student
-----------------------------------
Hello Denay,
My apologies for not being in touch for a while. I have been a busy bee the last 10 days preparing for a sampling event. I do have some good news to share with you:
1) I have found a commercial licensed kitchen to cook out of.
2) I am in the process of getting the city & state licenses and insurance and all the paperwork needed to become a vendor at our local Farmers Market. I should be all set up there with a booth by October time frame, just in time for the holidays.
3) Yesterday I presented my products at a sampling event that was hosted at someone's house (9 vendors including myself were present, about 50 people attended the party). My products were very well liked. I got some names and email addresses for my mailing list. People likes the fact that they could order online and have it shipped to friends and family nationwide. I provided samples of my products. It was a huge success. The hostess is planning to have another one of these parties in November.
4) My website is finally up and running. Feel free to browse and provide your valuable comments:
http://www.patisserieoceano.com/
I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to you for your training and invaluable guidance. All that I have accomplished so far would not have been possible without it.
Best regards,
Mita
Online Student 2009
Ronnie Barone
Ronnies' Fresh From the Heart
Raleigh, NC 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I am eternally grateful to you for the information you gave me via email regarding the sale of home baked goods at craft and trade shows and at the farmers market. I had no idea this was even an avenue of income for me. We have a flea market in my hometown that is huge!!! I could begin selling there as early as April. The state of Alabama would have this approved by March!!! This settled my business dilemma as well as personal. My husband and I have had our share of arguments on starting my business and establishing a facility. Now I will have a means of earning money and saving towards that kitchen. God Bless you and thank you, thank you, thank you. I will continue keep you posted."
D. Heard
CakeBabie
Birmingham, AL 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have gained so much information from this course! I would have to say one of the first pieces of information that I gained was to scale back on what I was offering. When we began the course I had just finished making gift baskets for Valentine's Day and although I enjoyed it and made my co-workers very happy with the end result, I was exhausted! And with all that I purchased, and the time that it took to make so many of the variations with the amount of orders I had, it wasn't worth it for me as a business. I have also gained more confidence in what I will legally be able to do and how to protect my existing customers, potential customers and myself. Of the many nuggets of information that I gained, I learned of other avenues to get in to the marketplace that I probably would not have considered. From reading Denay's comments, I see that you have to think outside the box; always be prepared to promote yourself; and don't just look for opportunities but create them.
C. Collins
North Carolina 2009
Online Student
-------------------------------------------------------
Hey there,
Tuesday's are not the same!
I just had to write now that my e-mail is back working. We had our reception and it was awesome.
For the first time we were more aware of what we were paying for the food items compared to what we were charging. Once again, we lost money and oh my the realization of it was unbelievable. For instance, we charged $200 each for the vege display and $200 for the fruit display. When all was said and done, we actually spent $560 on the fruit and vegetables, dips, etc. We have never gone back before to compare and boy was this an eye opener. This doesn't even include the cheese display we set up as an extra with 4 gourmet cheeses in addition to the regular cheese cubes. Nor does it include the costs for the key lime shots that were an extra also. They were awesome though and everyone raved about them.
We learned a lot from your class and it is time to finally make some money. This reception should have cost 6,000 but we did not even charge half of that. Now we know thanks to Denay!
Thanks again, miss seeing you.
DD
North Carolina 2009
Reedy Creek Middle School
--------------------------------------
Denay -- Just wanted to thank you for all the information you provided for our class. It really was an informational eye opener. When I get a little more focused and ready to really get started I may take the class over. However, what you have provided me is more than enough for me to think about before actually entering into this adventure.
DM
May 2009
Online Student
-----------------------------------
Hello Denay,
My apologies for not being in touch for a while. I have been a busy bee the last 10 days preparing for a sampling event. I do have some good news to share with you:
1) I have found a commercial licensed kitchen to cook out of.
2) I am in the process of getting the city & state licenses and insurance and all the paperwork needed to become a vendor at our local Farmers Market. I should be all set up there with a booth by October time frame, just in time for the holidays.
3) Yesterday I presented my products at a sampling event that was hosted at someone's house (9 vendors including myself were present, about 50 people attended the party). My products were very well liked. I got some names and email addresses for my mailing list. People likes the fact that they could order online and have it shipped to friends and family nationwide. I provided samples of my products. It was a huge success. The hostess is planning to have another one of these parties in November.
4) My website is finally up and running. Feel free to browse and provide your valuable comments:
http://www.patisserieoceano.com/
I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to you for your training and invaluable guidance. All that I have accomplished so far would not have been possible without it.
Best regards,
Mita
Online Student 2009
Last modified: Tuesday, 1 September 2009, 05:54 PM