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13 Replies Last post: Sep 16, 2009 9:52 PM by countryboy

Advice and help

Sep 12, 2009 5:37 AM

Click to view creativechef's profile Professional creativechef 4 posts since
Sep 9, 2009
Hi everyone.I luv cooking and i would like to start up a home based delivery business.
I could say that i have the start up money but that would be lieing, all i have right now is a strong desire and the faith to succeed.I am a graduate of a culinary school and upon graduation i could not land a promising job in my field. I recently got layed off a job that was really something i hated but i kept it due to the fact i liked being able to pay my bills. Now i am getting a little worried and was about to give up but my wife told me that i have come too far and not to give up on my dreams and desires.
My passion and gift is to cook , heck i cook a different dish every other day for my favorite customer(My wife)!
well this is my story and i could use some advice and other encouragement towards achieving my goal.
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Click to view LUCKIEST's profile SCORE LUCKIEST 7,926 posts since
Aug 6, 2007
1. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 8:03 AM
Advice and help, Welcome Byron and good luck

You are from Louisiana, Great food, Great chefs

Advice. Start small, contact local restaurants, churches, caterers halls and offer samples.

Develop a business plan and contact your local SCORE Office. SCORE is FREE

Let us know how you make out, LUCKIEST
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Click to view creativechef's profile Professional creativechef 4 posts since
Sep 9, 2009
2. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 9:18 AM
in response to: LUCKIEST
thank you so much, and i will keep u posted.
Click to view DomainDiva's profile Mogul DomainDiva 1,731 posts since
Oct 10, 2007
3. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 9:19 AM
The first thing you need to do is to read the book: The Martha Rules by none other than Martha Stewart. How she started her business, including turning down venture capital money is discussed in detail. She started out catering.

After you have done that....approach any local chamber of commerce, find out when their meetings are and show up with some goodies. Trust me people that bring food and their business cards are remembered! Contact party and event planners, the holidays are coming up and while no one may be spending huge amounts, money will still be spent. You still have time to get some of it. event planners are going to be looking for competitive pricing this season. This is the perfect time to 'burst upon the scene'.

Have some cute brochures made up that target the holiday season and head over to the wealthy neighborhoods, be sure to put words like 'competitive pricing in the brochures and then do you home work with other catering companies and then make sure your prices are competitive. Don't have a Sams or Costco card? GET ONE.

Approach stores like Market Street, Whole Foods, Central Market and other places that even sell upscale cookware, offer to do cooking demos using their products, give a simple recipie on a card with all your contact info on it...even if it is something like foo foo french toast.

Recruit family members as well. Good luck you can do this!!!!

DD
Click to view creativechef's profile Professional creativechef 4 posts since
Sep 9, 2009
4. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 9:27 AM
in response to: DomainDiva
you have definitley lifited my spirits with this advice.I will be at the bookstore today!!!!
Thank you
Click to view DomainDiva's profile Mogul DomainDiva 1,731 posts since
Oct 10, 2007
5. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 9:45 AM
in response to: creativechef
Makse sure its Half Price Books if you have one in your area. I could not survive without them.
Click to view creativechef's profile Professional creativechef 4 posts since
Sep 9, 2009
6. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 9:58 AM
in response to: DomainDiva
Books-A-Million.
Click to view MoveForward's profile Mogul MoveForward 148 posts since
Aug 13, 2009
7. Re: Advice and help Sep 12, 2009 12:20 PM

I read about a women who found a unique way of turning her
struggling catering business around. She now has a number of
part-time assistances and a waiting list daily! She found a niche
and is stiving, plus this would also give you a guarentee client
base that in turn would give you an assure for turning over money.
You maybe able to start with a Sam's wholesale or Costco
credit card (those are still easy to get), or make a deal with
a grocery.

Concept:
Although I do not remember the exact name for her company,
the concept is; "Pick up your child, Pick up your dinner".

This is how it worked:
At the begining of the month parents throughout daycares receive
a calender of dinners or entrees they can select. Each day different
choices for take-home full meals, entree's, side dishes are on the menu.
The parent checks off the days they select and on this day the
family dinner is waiting on them to take home with the child.

She has become to popular that she now offers a line of products
you can purchase all with her logo. For example: Pouches,
ziplock containers that freeze, etc.

If you want to know more I can contact the industry association I am
with and see if they have information on how to get a hold of her.
The assoc. magazine issue she was 6 months or so ago and I do
not still have this.

One thing I do remember, she started out with one daycare, gave
out week menu. The daycare's get a percentage so this is also
a great fund raiser for them and a great marketing tool for them.

Best to you!
Click to view HomeBizGrowth's profile Professional HomeBizGrowth 3 posts since
Sep 13, 2009
8. Re: Advice and help Sep 14, 2009 8:37 PM

Hey CreativeChef,


Let me tell you something, I of all people can relate to your situation of being downsized over and over again.


My background maybe in the IT Industry and yours in the culinary, but the one thing that we have in common is being victims of being downsized.


I'm still an IT professional with a wonderful company because I enjoy it (with two college degrees) and a home business growth coach, another passion of mine.


First of all, don't even think about giving up on your dreams, because you'll have to live with that for the rest of your life...


Wondering If you should've or could've.


Keep in mind that your dreams and talents will make room for you if you continue to pursue them with an unstoppable conviction.


Never let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do something...


Control your own destiny!


I've met soo many people who have become extremely bitter because they gave up on the pursuit of their dreams...


You've probably have met some of them in your lifetime, if you have, do you recall how unpleasant it was to interact or be around them?


If you give up, you will become them and others will view you the same.


I know opposition, hardship, struggle, and the list goes on...


But I have an unstoppable drive and because of it, I'm on my way back up and I'm on a mission to help other home-based business owners along the way.


I'm dedicating the rest of my life to helping the working class to build multiple streams of income via the Internet because I know some of the best resources and most reputable companies out there, Period!


Have you thought about creating information products, starting a membership site, creating a content website that provides cooking tips, recipes where you could place Google Ads that people can click on to generate yourself passive income, and the list is infinite?


If you haven't, you may want to consider developing those multiple streams of income.


That way, you will be able to build your business around your passion of cooking and have fun in the process.


Don't get me wrong, you will still have to put the work in, but the rewards will be worth it, right?


Anyway, I'm signing off.


Let me leave you with the most powerful quote that I've read in my life:


"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race"

  • Calvin Coolidge


"If Creating Automated Cash From Home Is Important To You Without All The Hype, Then You Must Read This Letter!"

http://budurl.com/makemoneyfromhome1

Click to view nickybibye's profile Professional nickybibye 6 posts since
Sep 15, 2009
9. Re: Advice and help Sep 16, 2009 7:25 AM
I am so happy to have found this thread. I am obviously new here and I am just checking out this and that to see excatly what this site has to offer me. And low and behold boom here it is....some great advice. The thread starter somewhat said excatly my situation and what I want to do and already some great information was provided. I look forward to reading even more. Thanks for this....

Roxanna~
Click to view MoveForward's profile Mogul MoveForward 148 posts since
Aug 13, 2009
10. Re: Advice and help Sep 16, 2009 10:31 AM
in response to: nickybibye

Nickybibye....best wishes on your new journey as a business

owner.

Click to view TheSoloGuide's profile Mogul TheSoloGuide 109 posts since
Jul 7, 2009
11. Re: Advice and help Sep 16, 2009 12:57 PM

Byron:


I recently sold my fine dining restaurant so I do have knowledge f the industry. My restaurant was in AZ so some of the rules regarding the health department may vary, but I imagine that they are pretty similar.


First, you will need to square away a commercial kitchen. Unless the laws there are different the health department will shut you down unless they inspect and authorize the kitchen that you will be working out of.


Since there are a number of struggling restaurants out there, you may be able to find one (either as a stand alone or in a hotel) that has some free time and space that you can lease from them. This will help get you over the hurdle with the health department. For example, if you find a restaurant that only serves dinner, they should have free time in the morning for you to get your work done.


Obviously you will need to make sure that you have a current food handlers manager card.


When you say a delivery business, what type are you thinking of? Pre-packed lunches for kids? Pre-packaged dinners that dual working families can throw in the oven or microwave because they are too busy and too tired to make meals on a nightly basis? Are you thinking only desserts? If you can give a clear definition of what exactly you want to create and deliver, I can offer more suggestions.


In the mean time, there was a recent story about a woman in NJ, Angela Logan, that was in foreclosure and decided to bake cakes (Mortgage Apple Cakes) to save her house. Here is the link to a blog post that I wrote about it which includes a link with more information:


http://thesologuide.com/1207/angela-logan-mortgage-apple-cakes/


Read the article for inspiration and insight.


Plus, I suggest that you check out the other pages on my site / blog that will give you free information for starting your business as a solo entrepreneur (the link to my blog is at the bottom of this post).


After reading this, let me know if you have any further questions.


Hope this helps.


Doug Dolan

The Solopreneur's Guide

http://thesologuide.com/

Click to view nickybibye's profile Professional nickybibye 6 posts since
Sep 15, 2009
12. Re: Advice and help Sep 16, 2009 2:19 PM
in response to: MoveForward
Thanks MoveForward....I need all the best wishes I can get!

Roxanna~
Click to view countryboy's profile Authority countryboy 11 posts since
Sep 15, 2009
13. Re: Advice and help Sep 16, 2009 9:52 PM
The first part in starting a business . Is well. then drive .Push your self hearder then and boss ever has .never give up.