Greetings from Retro Bakery...
My name is Kari...AKA The Crazy Baykah from Building a Bakery. I normally blog about what it's like opening your own business and then LIVING the "American Dream." But today, I want to tell you everything that I CAN'T say on my OWN blog...
1) It drives me crazy that people always think they know better than ME about my OWN business.
People come into the bakery every day and tell me that I'm running it all wrong. Apparently, I sell the wrong products ("Why don't you have BREAD?"); I offer the wrong toppings ("Buttercream?? I hate buttercream!!"); I don't have enough for sale ("I can get you a great deal on aprons/cake stands/towels/plates/YOU NAME IT you can sell here, too!"); I should have sugar-free cupcakes ("WHAT? No sugar-free? What kind of bakery is this?"); and the LAST thing they know better than me...I will not survive on cupcakes alone ("You'll never make it with just cupcakes. You need THIS AND THIS AND THIS....").
2) I have an EXTREME guilt complex about serving such calorie-ridden treats.
That's a weird confession, I know. But, I DO! I try so hard to not eat "bad." And what am I doing?? Selling THE most wonderful desserts on the planet. They ARE addictive. I, myself, have an addiction. Now, I'm passing it along to the public. Look at what Ray Kroc did! Retro will probably not be as big as McDonald's....but what IF those fries were never created? Would we, as a society, be better off physically? I don't know...
3) The business is taking a toll on my family.
We're together 24-7. ALL DAY...EVERY DAY! Our four-person, circus-of-a-family is together in less than 1400 sq. ft. every day (whether it's our house or the bakery). We can't get AWAY from each other!!! The girls fight. My hubby and I fight. We ALL fight. And, we're screamers, so I'm sure one day our customers will get an earful (hasn't happened YET, I don' t think). I don' t think we really LIKE each other anymore....and it's only MONTH 5.
4) I feel like I'm totally UNWORTHY of owning and running my own bakery.
It's true that I have been baking for over 17 years...but that was PIE. I've baked the best pies from scratch for almost half of my life. But cake? I've only baked cake and made scratch buttercream for about two years. I'm not a chef. I didn't go to ANY school to prepare for this...and I DON'T decorate cakes. But, here I am, runnin' my OWN bakery? I feel like I didn't EARN it for some reason....like I'm not deserving enough.
5) It's been tough becoming a "working" mom.
I was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years before we decided to open Retro. I don't consider that WORK....even though it is (now that I am a "working" mom, I see all that I USED to do because now NO ONE is doing it at our house anymore!). I would MUCH rather go back and stay home, but I think it's because that was my comfort zone for so long. I know how to do it....it's what I WAS. Now, I have to get used to the NEW me....and the new me does ALL that I used to do PLUS work a 14-hour shift six days a week.
WOW! Thank you for letting me explode that ALL over your computer screen.
Do I feel better? Not really...
But that's me. I'm a roller coaster...I'm a mother...I'm a Crazy Baykah.
LAYTAH!
2 days ago
4 comments:
I'm glad you got the chance to vent a little, even if it didn't necessarily help you feel better. I wish I could offer some advice, but I have none. Just know that I care for you guys and I'm always willing to help you if you just summon me!
It is people like you that keep this roller coaster of a girl on TRACK. Thank you so much, Jill!!!
I can totally relate to everything you’ve said. Well, not me, but my wife. She owns her own business too, a traveling art-enrichment program for children, and she has told me some stories of people giving her advice on how to run her business. Everyone thinks they know better. Once this lady (bitch) was basically attacking my wife with question after question after question; it like she was questioning her ability to do the job.
As for the long hours, I know what you mean. It’s not at all uncommon for Misty to work 12-15 hour days. We thought the whole point of having your own business is so you can make your own hours and have more free time for yourself and family. Ha! Fat chance! While YOU don’t have enough free time for yourself, I perhaps have too much free time because we never see each other.
For what it’s worth, when we were in Vegas visiting Robin we LOVED your cupcakes, the concept and idea behind it. It’s original, creative and the cupcakes taste as good as they look. In fact, when we got back to Tucson we kept pointing out locations in town where we thought a store like yours would do well.
Props to you for owning your own business. I’ve seen first hand how hellish and rewarding it can be.
Anywayzzz…I hope your store lives long and prospers.
I love pie, by the way! Blueberry’s my favorite.
Keith- Blueberry is MY fav too!!! I'm so glad you understand!! It's tough, but at the end of the day, my hubby and I stare at each other and say, "At least it's not someone ELSE telling us what to do." We've been there, done that.
Post a Comment