Should I do it?

[Rosiie]

I’m thinking of starting my own business in couple months, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’s a cake business and I live really close to my local market, I was thinking of having a stall there and sell cupcakes and cakes, and take orders.

The problem is, I’m in two minds whether I should employ my next door neighbour who’s a friend of mine, she’s also a SAHM.
I’m scared that I’m gonna come to regret it and something’s gonna happen. It would be nice to have someone help me transport the cupcakes and just be there with me in the market and it would only be for 3-4 hours whilst the kids are in school. I will do all the baking, she will just be there with me at the stall for those few hours. I’m hoping to open a shop one day.

Should I employ her or should I just bite the bullet and do it myself?

@Rosiie Pinkpeter Well if you read my post properly, you will understand why it would be nice to have someone there with me at the market.

I'm not Pinkpeter but I've read your post and I have no clue why you think it would be nice to have someone with you other than, well, it would be nice.

That's not a valid business reason to employ someone.

I would hold off until you know that you will be making enough money to support a second wage. Even for 4 hours, if you're paying a living wage that's £34 per week which might eat into your profits (bearing in mind you'll need to pay for stall hire, ingredients, your own time etc as well).

I would start out on your own and then bring her along in time if you think you need help and can afford it.

Good luck OP! I hope you're a roaring success!

I know you’ve said where you are no one sells cakes,but is there enough footfall
Is market sales enough to cover costs.folk have option of online baker
[[http://www.bradfordsbakers.com/butterscotch-cupcakes-6.html buy cupcakes online
.delivered nationally]]

No.

Think of Monica and Phoebe

I wouldn't employ her, if things went wrong it would be very awkward and as already mentioned you may not make that much profit to cover your own wage. If she is a good friend she might want to pop down to the market and keep you company sometimes. Does she have any particular talents? If so you could always encourage her to have a stall doing something different!

You'd be daft to try to employ someone at this stage, you've no idea if you'll be able to make any profit - the last thing you want is to end up losing money, being unable to pay her and it ending unpleasantly.

If you don't want to do it alone, how about going in as partners?

If your business plan is based on "well it would be nice to have company" I don't hold out much hope. How many
cakes will you have to sell to cover your costs, your wage, and hers , selling for 5 hours in a market?

A very simple question, can you answer it?

Pinkpeter Well it would be nice to have someone there with you, wouldn't it? I also said I'd probably need help to transport the cupcakes to the market.

@pinkpeter this isn't dragons' den you could cool it on the attitude

You could ask her as a friend to support you - I wouldn't talk about it as employment tho .

It looks like I'd have to start on my own first, to test the waters. Like another previous poster pointed out , I don't want to promise her to pay something when it turns out later on, I can't afford it.

I know a couple of local people who run cake and cupcake businesses - successfully. But they don't make a fortune out of it, they work solo and they are constantly at it. They do it because they love it - not for the money. They are popular because they have built up an established client base and have a 'style' that people like.

Make sure you have properly costed your ingredients and time. I can't see you making enough to be able to employ someone else right from the word go.

I have my own small, but successful enough for me, business. No no no! Do not employ a friend. It will not work out. You’re better hiring someone younger, that won’t feel as if your friendship means they have a right to disagree with your decisions or tell you how to run your business. I’m constantly asked to consider friends, old workmates or relatives, if I need help, but my relationships are more important than help. Markets can be great places to work and you’ll not be short of company.

Btw, I would also consider doing vegan cupcakes too. The young August I know, who does it, never stops being in demand. Though, vegan cupcakes are a bit more complicated and, contralto popular belief, they need to be really tasty.

This is going to sound awkward whichever way I put it but, if your cakes are such that a mate could be competition (and you haven't mentioned she's a great baker), are they that special that people will pay for them?

I tried to set up a catering business with a SAHM friend, she let me down before we'd even got started and our friendship hasn't been the same since. I know two other small business partnerships between friends, one of them a cupcake stall funnily enough; both friendships (and businesses) hit the rocks.

Don’t employ anyone until you know exactly how much profit you will make. If you employ her, you will have to pay her NMW at £7.83 per hour from April regardless of how much money you make. You could end up doing all the hard work (baking) then handing over all your profit, or worse just your takings, to her. £7.83x 4 hours is over £31!

Oh god iammarge you sound like you know what you're talking about. Yes I'm very nervous, it's a big London market and there's all sorts of people there. I'm the sort of person who overthink and overanalyse everything, I'm also scared I might get robbed? Even though I'm scared and nervous, at the same time I think it will be good for me because it will get me out of my comfort zone and it will help build my confidence.

Did you post about this the other day OP?

LittleMiss nope

go for it! but don't employ your friend. never ever work with friends unless you want to stop being their friend. seriously. i speak from bitter experience.

you have to be there yourself, talking to people. be honest about your cakes and why you love them and people will respond. i think you'll be amazed at what a positive experience it can be.

This is exactly the same as a post this week or tail end of last

As well as having a vegan option, I suggest you also have a gluten-free option (which is protected from cross contamination by the other cupcakes). For people with coeliac disease. They would love it.

Not being funny but there are other implications of employing someone. NI, payroll, tax, pension obligations etc. It is a frigging nightmare.

Are you sure there is no other cake business in this large London market?

And if so, have you thought why not?

What size stall have you secured?