Start a Local Bakery
If you have always been appreciated for your baking skills and your bakery items are a regular at local feasts and celebrations, start thinking about making money using your baking skills. You can set up your own bakery locally. Starting a local bakery may seem intimidating at the outset, but with appropriate guidance on what to do, right efforts and good business skills, you can succeed.
Instructions
1. Do an extensive research of your area. Know what residents in the area think about a local bakery and what they expect from it. Visit other local bakeries and find out how they started out, attract customers, and operate their businesses. Find out what products they sell and learn how satisfied customers are with their products. This helps you get a basic idea of what your bakery should and should not have. Network with local bakery associations or small businesses to stay tuned about the latest happenings and updates in the industry.
2. Decide whether you are going to use your savings as capital or take a loan. Approach a local bank and get to know the procedure for loan application. You would need a business plan to apply for a loan. Your business plan should provide information on your bakery business operations including day-to-day management, products, marketing, and financial management.
3. Ensure that you meet all federal, state, and local laws on food safety. Visit fda.gov (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) to know about food safety and sanitation rules that you need to adhere to. Register your business with your Secretary of State office. Obtain Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, for identification of your business for purposes of taxation. Obtain essential local permits and licenses, if any, to start your business. Local and state laws vary from place to place. Contact your local health agency for details.
4. Find a location for your bakery. A busy locality with schools, shops, and offices, in the vicinity, would be ideal. Furnish your bakery with baking equipment and furniture. Have regular chairs and tables. Decide if you are going to provide a dine-in option for customers or a just an order-and-leave system, and furnish accordingly.
5. Have a menu that caters to different kinds of tastes. You can have sugar-free, low-fat, gluten-free, kosher, and other varieties. Be inventive in your decoration and introduce new recipes regularly.
6. Prepare brochures, cards, and ads to promote your bakery business. Ask for customer feedback and include them. There is no better promotion than word-of-mouth. Keep abreast of the latest in bakery business and competition to succeed.
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