Warning: Super wording post ahead!
I think it has been some time since I really penned down personal thoughts on this blog. Since I’ve been working really really hard for the past 2 months fulfilling cake orders during the Circuit Breaker, I thought I’ll share something different from the usual. On usual days, I’ll post photos of my cakes, occasional fridge situations and behind-the-scene takes. But of course there’s more to just cake photos, and as any normal human being in any job, I face challenges and frustrations along the way.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my career which essentially is my job, and comparatively to most jobs out there, this suits my character and habits really well. I hold other jobs too but I can ditch a 9-6pm fixed schedule and let’s just say… I’m eternally grateful for that.
But for those who thinks it is easy money, maybe you should think again. There’s a lot of things to consider unless of course, you’re doing this just for fun.
So if you’re curious what goes behind the life of a home-baker (at least for me), you’ve come to the right page. Doesn’t apply to everyone of course, but potentially? Probably. You may probably experience everything below if you’re a business owner too!
You tend to take things personally, especially if it’s a bad review
You feel ultra bad for disappointing any customers, even if its a mild one. When you work for someone, any bad reviews are targeted towards the company, and you’re ultimately just an employee. But when you’re handling the whole business yourself, you’ll start to question yourself: What did I do wrong? Is it my fault? How is it going to affect my brand in the long run? This stress adds up and sometimes you get affected as long as it’s not a perfect score rating.
While I’m fortunate to have a strong rating online, things can never be perfect. And as much as I know that one can never please everyone, I still let bad comments get to me. It’s human nature. But it’s something I have to learn to get over.
Your work never really stops, even when you’re sleeping.
Some see home bakers as having a comfortable life because we don’t have to go for a 9-6 job. Personally, I have other jobs and commitments so baking is never really just a single thing I do. Which also explains why my work never really stops. By nature, I’m a workaholic. I’ve also lost count on the number of times where I had anxious dreams about not being able to fulfil cake orders in time.
One-man job
I count myself lucky as I have supportive family members who give me a helping hand regularly, but for major decisions/ baking/ decorating, I solely keep it to myself. From purchasing, admin, marketing, baking, decorating, logistics, planning, replying enquiries, plus a few misc stuff – I handle everything alone. And sometimes you get rushed for replies within a 1-2 hour time frame. Trust me, at times it can be slightly suffocating.
Customers who don’t understand your situation
I’ve met so many kind people before and this really makes my day a lot better! But I need to constantly remind myself that I can never please everyone, and some customers will have higher expectations than others. I think most importantly, I have to remind myself not to take things too personally and try to understand them from their viewpoint as well.
But of course, behind all these negativity, and the minor challenges that I face time to time, being a home baker has brought me endless joy, and it’s something I won’t regret in life.
Every job definitely has its perks and challenges, and I’m glad I found a job that I’m passionate in.
