Hi there, I am new to this website and I am very glad that I have found it. I am a stay at home mom of a 11 months old baby boy. I love, love, love cooking. It gives me the greatest pleasure in the world. I have always wanted to do something with it but I was not sure exactly what. I would love to start my home business doing cookies and sweets. I am not sure exactly how to go about it and what steps need to be taken. I am sure I need to have some sort of permit or a license but I am not sure. Would you help me please and do you think it is a unreasonable idea.
Thank you in advance...

Hello Ivelina:

It's a great idea. Everybody loves good things from the oven. Speaking of the oven, if you want to sell to the public, you'll need to bake your stuff in a commercial bakery.

You may find one in town that you can rent during the night. If you can, the owner will have all the licenses and permits you need. You can try restaurants that close down for the night. Everything else you can do from home.

Beyond that, you'll probably need a local business license and a health permit. They're cheap.

excon

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello Ivelina:

It's a great idea. Everybody loves good things from the oven. Speaking of the oven, if you want to sell to the public, you'll need to bake your stuff in a commercial bakery.

You may find one in town that you can rent during the night. If you can, the owner will have all the licenses and permits you need. You can try restaurants that close down for the night. Everything else you can do from home.

Beyond that, you'll probably need a local business license and a health permit. They're cheap.

excon

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Thank you very much for your response. It sounds very easy to do and I am thinking that it is probably harder to get started. Do you think that a business license and a health permit is all I need in order for me to start? I am not looking to have a huge business. I am invisioning just a small home-based business that will make people and me happy.:)

Hello again, Ivelina:

Well, of course, it depends on your local laws, but you probably don't need more than that. Yes, it sounds easy, and it is - if you can execute. And, therein lies the heart of most business problems. They have great ideas, but can't execute.

You'll need some supporting characters. I'd definitely hire a CPA. In the first place, HE can absolutely tell you what licenses you need. I would NOT ask a bureaucrat what licenses you need. Additionally, he'll help you start up your books and get you going right. Plus, he's NOT expensive to hire. Really.

You'll need packaging. The commercial oven isn't going to be cheap. You'll need to at least produce enough product to pay for itself. Then you'll need to make the rounds of the grocery stores every day.

I don't know. It ISN'T easy. It's a lotta hard work. But, it's fun and profitable if you do it right. I LOVE business.

excon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello again, Ivelina:

Well, of course, it depends on your local laws, but you probably don't need more than that. Yes, it sounds easy, and it is - if you can execute. And, therein lies the heart of most business problems. They have great ideas, but can't execute.

You'll need some supporting characters. I'd definitely hire a CPA. In the first place, HE can absolutely tell you what licenses you need. I would NOT ask a bureaucrat what licenses you need. Additionally, he'll help you start up your books and get you going right. Plus, he's NOT expensive to hire. Really.

You'll need packaging. The commercial oven isn't going to be cheap. You'll need to at least produce enough product to pay for itself. Then you'll need to make the rounds of the grocery stores every day.

I dunno. It ISN'T easy. It's a lotta hard work. But, it's fun and profitable if you do it right. I LOVE business.

excon

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Thank you very much Excon,

This has been my dream for a long, long time but of course I am scared to start it. Everybody has ideas but not everybody is working on them and making it happen. I am going to take your advice and researched my local laws some more deeply. Thank you very much again...

Hi Ivelina,

A great work from home business is baking cakes for weddings and parties. I know two people who have been successful doing this.

There are currently ten states that allow home-based bakers to sell their baked goods directly to the public. The states are: Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and, Virginia. Just think that recipe you've been hoarding may be just the ticket you need to create profits from your kitchen!

How to Operate a Home-Base Bakery Online Micro Course is currently offered by the Wake County Public School System Lifelong Learning Program, Raleigh, North Carolina; and is now also available online through the Learning Design Group, LLC located in Durango, Colorado.

The course curriculum will cover the compliance regulations for your state along with information on the basics of recipe development, food storage, food safety and sanitation; practical benefits of advertising/marketing, (press release design/alternative media submissions) branding, selling products online and more. The 10 week online course begins Monday, October 13, 2008 and ends Monday, December 15, 2008. Registration begins Wednesday, October 8, 2008. Course fee: $295.00
Go to their website to get more info:Learning Design Group