Does anyone run a craft based business from home cakes/gift hampers

[bigeyes]

I have toyed with the idea of doing bits and bobs to work from home to top up my part time income from two days work. I dont need to but feel I 'want something' for me. I have considered:

Making and selling cakes - you are allowed to do this on an occasional basis from home via carboots

Selling stuff on ebay - gifts watever I get from wholesale section and breaking it down

Preparing gift hampers and selling them on line and to local area.

I know its tough time and I have a business bakground so know basis of whats involved in setting up for Tax etc but what are your thoughts?

Does anyone do any of the above?

Starting a new client in town tomorrow - first full day of work since beginning of Dec! It is an hour's travel there - but they are in the process of moving to another town closer to me - so will just have to suck it up and travel!
Just googled Spring Fair - and it was beginning of Feb - drat!
But I also saw www.thewholesaleforums.co.uk - might be a good source of info/stuff?

HI everyone,

Tracyk's right we've met on threads before and we do a similar line in work, thanks for your suggestion on my other thread, i'll take a look at that this week when I get some time.

it sounds like lots of you have been busy planning and this thread has some great ideas on it

maple, this post of yours struck a cord;

By MaplePecanPlait on Sun 15-Feb-09 19:54:27
Hi Big Eyes

Thanks for hints on VA/PA stuff. I think the key is finding the clients as you say and then I will be away. Also can hopefully control how big this gets (may not be an immediate concern ).

I too am anticipating world domination and keep thinking 'but what if I get too many replies and too much work' I think I may be thinking way too much and just need to get my name out there and see what comes up! I think my ability to overanaylise situations often stops me from moving forward so I will try and curtail that from now on!!

Hope you all achieve one thing today

My thing to achieve is to get my HMRC online agent thing working because I need to do some work for someone and can't because it's mucking me about

ps, does anyone else find themselves strangely attracted to the stationery section of shops buying things 'just incase' because now i'm actually doing the self employed thing I can justify buying it?

Or is it just me

Morning all,

Oh Eddas I had letterhead mock up done by reprographic technichan in the school where I work last year! So yes I relate to - wanting the bits n pieces!

Well done maple for ringing, I waited two days for my call back - Oh getting that appintment is liberating.

Dubh - thank you ever so much for sharing these links - I guesswe not in competition with one another yet!

Who was it said about travelling and getting produces of olives details -tell me more, how would I go about this.

My big news today is I have just got off phone with Abbey and registered to open BUSINESS ACCOUNT (eek!) Its all done over the phone and through the post, manage it online. Open it with just £50, free charges on transactions for ever! - I checked all the comparison websites first and this seemed to come up all the time. However you dont have a counter service or a small business manager like you would at Barclays say. But you get free help from Business link for a year anyway.

Sorry long post - but its all happening, on here and out there in RL! - happy tradng ladies

Missed spring fair?

I am on a roll:

Have pre registered with HMRC for beng self employed - I think!

Have rung business rates section at council to check I dont need to pay these.

Have rung business support teanm at council and they've advised me about Business Link (alreay done this) and about town Library has a database with postcode profiles and marketing info on. He also told me about a possible grant I may be entitled too! (eek)

Keep making calls girls....

Started my new client today - turns out he only wants me for 4 hours a week - hardly worth trawling into town for! Plus I had 2 and a half hours to kill before lift home. But I did resist spending my mornings earnings in House of Frasers! It was hard though.
Am going to try and get something else - 3 little clients - isn't enough work/££

Hello all

I had a call back from Business Link today who left a message as I was out of range in the Think Tank with the DCs in Brum today doing half term stuff. Total chaos there so not the place to speak anyway with about 9,087 children screaming their heads off.

Confession - went in to Selfridges on way back and fell upon Paperchase so bought a notebook to make my business notes. I admit that I am a stationary addict.....pathetic.

Big Eyes - I am the one with the Italian connection. I can find out about olives and possibly honey for you when I go over at start of March, maybe easier to import through a wholesaler though, thinking about it??

oh dear Tracy, better than nothing though I suppose

maple, that made me giggle about the notebook I didn't think i'd be alone I've picked up allsorts, post-its/folders/ring binders/paper/sticky labels(for the folders) little bulldog clips/staple remover all essential stuff for a bookkeeper/admin person pity I only have 2 clients pmsl!

BCTBE (I just type your name as bigeyes) you have been very busy, well done you! Thankyou for your thoughts on my thread about lists of businesses, veyr good idea. Trade fairs also a good idea. Although DH works in a plumbing centre so I really ought to take advantage and whack up a poster in there! I did do some before but it wasn't quite right, but with some mn advice i've probably got it more taylored to catching the eyes of people needing help. I may also chat to the one of my client's to see where he'd look for someone offering my service. The other person replied to my gumtree ad so I know where they'd look!

Will keep thinking, I need to do the advertising as cheap as poss

OMG Eddas - do I need a staple remover???

Have you got a local freebie paper - we have a town paper and a church mag where small businesses advertise. I know it's a bit small fry but you might pick up a couple of low key clients.

I am raring to go but waiting to speak to Bus Link before I head out in to the ether!

CAN'T WAIT - WANT A YUMMY ABBEY BUSINESS ACCOUNT TOO!

Register for a trade fair and you'll get sent info for them all. The Summer version of Top Drawer is Pulse, here.

i'd say it was essential!

we do have a village mag,so i'll find out if I can put an ad in there. I knwo they've said they get lots of people asking to advertise and have to limit it so there aren't too many, but no harm in asking

sorry im lurking
you have all got really good tips & ideas.
Have you thought of working together as each of you has different talents.
accounting,organising,secertarial(im not),selling,pa,craft etc.
your buisness would take off whilst covering a wider area too.
You could make it like a franchise and encourage others with other skills you might need.
You could recruit & sell on mums net too.

p.s ive had an Abbey buisness account for a few years now, its a great asset and have never had any problems,I even use the paying in machine at the local branch.

Good luck to you all on your ventures and remember the good days always make up for the bad ones!

do you have a family grapevine near you i think they are fab for adverts!

I've got a couple of extra hours work a week from my existing client. Their girl that does the credit control is going off on Mat leave at the end of this month and I'm going to pick that up for them. I can get an itemised phone bill and recharge it on to them and I can connect over the internet to access their live accounts data.

Eddas - Might be worth you asking your existing clients if they have anything else they need you to do??

Hi - welcome to kids and cads, thanks for your input the tips just keep popping up.

Well eddas - I hope you've kept all your receipts from your stationary purchases they must be worth a good old claim against the tax!

Tracy - oh fatal having time to kill near big shops! Keep going though, looking for more clients.

Eddas - thanks good luck

I am pleased to hear good feedback about abbey business account thanks kids, My pack has just arrived already!

Maple - My little DS loves machines and I thought about going to the Science museum down there, then thought nah! You may be interested to know Maple that I have had a call about doing a fair in Brentwood from Aztec events it is in November tables cost £130 standard pitch - extra tables £8 for two days - you can register on-line. I have registered for some trade events 'the great west country'.We could end up sharing!

Well ladies I am going away for the next five days and will not have internet access. I will catch up with you all when I get back. My appointment with Business Link is next Wednesday so I will be working on my draft plan, as I want to have something down on paper.

Sorry long but bye for now x

Have a lovely time Big Eyes!

I have got an appointment with a business advisor on Monday morning so really looking forward to getting going.

Still feel that my PA idea might just be a load of ........ and need to be alot more confident. Hoping that the Advisor will give me some advice on the viability of this idea.

Will jot down all my ideas and take them with me.

Can you google some other VA's Maple? and then see if they hve submitted accounts to companies house yet and see if they're making a profit??

Havn't thought about that Tracey as didn't imagine that VAs would be incorporated, more of a sole trader thing?

Will look in to it though. thanks

Mape are you around, how did your meeting go

Hi everyone else I juts got back today. Hoe you are all well. x

hello - have you al gone and made millions never to return! lol silly me - what are you up to? Maple advise me for tomorrow i have my business link appt

hiya bigeyes, did you have a good time wherever you were?

I haven't made much progress But to be fair i has been half term so never the most productive of weeks

I have re-newed my add on gumtree, am toying with the idea of putting an ad on here since most of my work can be done by post/email/phone so really doesn't have to be local.

I think my main issue is advertising, and since I can't afford to actually pay for any i'ma bit stumped some good suggestions on here already, but ....oh I don't know, I know you need to speculate to accumulate 'n all that but I don't have any spare money, if I did I wouldn't be trying to get work!

Hi eddas - I am aware of how little I have done cos of half term visit! I had a good time and spent far too much on food and drink!

Cheap advertising - yeah its only £30 for three months on here I think which isnt too bad if I am corrent. Alternatively have you thought about just keeping it very simple and printing some simple neat posters or A5 posters and putting them on notice boards where ever you can nearby.

How about going to one of these breakfast meetings some only cost £10, to network and see what comes of it?

nice to hear from you

Hi
Business Link meeting was really useful. I spent an hour with an advisor who gave me some really good hints and direction for my business. I am now booked onto their start up course in the middle of March.

I am going along the lines of freelance PA in the corporate/commercial sector and will be aiming at women top earners who hopefully are very cash rich and time poor.

they advised me to look for a domain name and then think about a website and business cards but will hold back on these until I have done the course, however I am itching to get going and have done some research homework for them in terms of competitors and pricing. Also need to talk to an accountant about how I am going to set up (probably not a plc yet )

Good luck Eyes - it was enlightening rather than scary in any way......

thanks maple - someone at work recommended vistaprint.co.uk - business cards are free you just pay delivery - i dont how this works but my source says he's used themfor al sorts!

Oh ive just looked up my preferred domain name and its not regitered! I am very pleased about this.

Maple did you take any documents with you like anything about your idea written down or just talk.