3 Practical Tips For Starting A Home-Based Bakery
Starting a home-based business has many advantages. For starters, you don’t have to secure office space, making it a convenient option for entrepreneurs with limited capital. Moreover, you determine how flexible your schedule will be while worrying less about transportation costs. You can start your home-based bakery if you are fond of baking sweet delights. As of 2020, approximately 168,890 U.S. bakers were earning an average of $14.93 hourly. If you’re wondering how to start, here are some practical tips to help you out.
1 – Create a feasible business plan
Every emerging business should have a business plan, and your home bakery is no exception. A business plan shows your potential investors and partners that you are committed to building your brand. Moreover, it helps you brainstorm strategies that will push your business towards growth and development. If you’re thinking of going long-term with your bakery, you’ll need this vital document to record your milestones. Assumptions are not the best way to run your business, and a good business plan will help you determine if your assumptions are valid or obsolete. Furthermore, it will help you determine if you’re ready to handle your bakery.
Experts advise that you begin your plan with a cover letter that reveals your idea and proof that it is viable. It’s also prudent to include your executive summary, to sum up your analysis, outlining them in points. Be sure to include your competition analysis, indicating their strengths and weaknesses and critical risk factors to your bakery. Your financial projection is crucial in your plan, so keep this in mind.
2 – Obtain the required licenses and permits
Before starting your home bakery, you need to determine what licenses and permits are required and how you can obtain them. These documents are dependent on geographical location, making it vital to obtain the ones applicable to your state. For instance, you’d require health and safety permits, sales tax permits, home occupation permits, and general business licenses. You can contact your local zoning board to ascertain whether you can operate a bakery from your home. Afterward, you can apply for a zoning permit.
A food handler permit is also necessary to ensure you’re operating within safety standards. Nowadays there are training courses online, that will help you get the food handler certificate within a short amount of time. During the courses, you can get an overview of food safety issues, regulations, techniques, which will ensure how to maintain a safe environment while running your bakery.
Certain baked goods may not be permitted in your bakery, so you must conduct your research to prevent run-ins with the law. Operating without registering your business can cause problems, so it’s best to do this for the best results. By all means, research the needed bakery operating rules to ensure that your home bakery is legit.
3 – Develop your marketing strategy
Although you may have the nicest baked treats, your business wouldn’t grow without customers. This makes it essential to develop your marketing strategy. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can leverage for your business success. For instance, you can form alliances with local restaurants and cafes to sell your products or work with flyers. As the world becomes increasingly digital, getting a good website for your business becomes necessary. By all means, ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and is easy to navigate. It’s best to include a QR code to quickly help your clients access your website.
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