Growing a business is never easy, and it’s particularly complicated when your stock in trade is artisanal baked goods. There are only so many hands that can craft the stock, so there are only so many units you can sell, and thus only so much money to be made. As far as I can see, the only way forward in the profits department is to (a) raise prices or (b) broaden our range of offerings to include something that’s more easily scalable.
From what I can surmise, running online courses is where it’s at. If we can just get enough people interested in French baking and cake decorating, we might just have ourselves a business plan that doesn’t require endless toiling over a hot oven, and a little thing that I like to call ‘rolling pin hands’. Not that I don’t love those things, but I didn’t spend years completing vocational qualifications with the best pastry chefs in France to wind up living hand to mouth. Granted, the stuff that’s going from hand to mouth is mind-shatteringly delicious, but it’s probably not doing any favours to my cholesterol levels in the long term.
What I’m really interested in is passing on the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years – you know, become a leader in my field. I think I’ve got what it takes to cut the mustard seed and gruyere mini-bruffins, if I do say so myself. What I’m not so hot on is time management. Professional development may be required in that area, if my track record of failed sideline ventures is anything to go by.
I mean, the festival catering cart lasted a few months, and the airline cookie deal was arguably a success. Neither of them really had staying power, though, and I believe that’s down to my inability to manage my time effectively. If I can just get over that hurdle, I’ll be well on my way to becoming a respected leader in my field. Oh, and profits. They don’t call them profiteroles for nothing.