A cake maker sets off on the Cake making journey usually from the point of training (skill acquisition). While in the process of skill acquisition, all the intending baker sees is how to make fine Cakes. She/he day-dreams of constructing/moulding/carving/piping wonders with/on Cakes, depending on the area of interest. The last though on their minds is that it is costly to produce one. When they are through with a level of training, they are concerned about how to experiment what they have learnt. Let me say here, that to a Cake maker, a Cake job is just an opportunity to practice their skills; hence the price is never the matter.
When a Cake maker has done a number of jobs and is satisfied with his or her improvements, the next agenda is to acquire another skill. If he/she can get the money to do that, it will be just fine, but if not, frustration sets in and they feel stranded. At that point, to them, business is not good. Eventually, everyone around a Cake maker is suffering as a result of the enormous sacrifices that they have made to support him/her, they begin to exert pressure and there are only 2 options available to the Cake maker……to quit or to get help.
A Cake entrepreneur (let’s use the word ‘Cake-preneur’) usually also sets off from training (skill acquisition), but with a big picture of a destination in mind. While in the process of learning, all the Cake-prenuer sees is how to sell fine Cakes. He/she starts thinking of which friends or relations would be their first customers, how much one Cake will cost, how to move from selling one Cake to hundreds of Cakes. Depending on how ‘big’ they can dream. Right after training (or even at time while still at it) she sets about getting customers to try her hands on being an entrepreneur. She has it in mind that to succeed, she has to make profit, however little at the beginning. To a Cake-preneur, the skill(s) acquired is a tool to make money, they don’t mind selling the same design over and over, as long as customers are paying for it (they would rather work on their marketing strategies and service deliver).
When a Cake-preneur has done a number of jobs and is bored of repetition or has saved enough for advancement, they go for an additional skill acquisition. Usually, due to the need to deliver and to make money, a Cake-preneur is ‘pushed’ to being selt-taught, innovative and creative. The growth of his/her business is what calls for additional skill acquisition, he/she doesn’t plan to learn sugar flowers when he/she cannot even sell buttercream skills. The comparison of current state with desired destination is what exerts pressure on a Cake-preneur, quitting is not an option, but he/she still has to choose between figuring it out alone or getting help.
In summary,
-there are similarities between a Cake maker and a Cake-preneur: the Love for Cakes; the desire for improvement;
-and there are differences as well: The size of their dreams; the direction of their affection (one to making, the other to selling);
- the Cake maker will do well if he/she pursues a professional career (i.e seek to work either as a freelance or full-time employee); make it a point of developmental duty to participate in exhibitions and/or competitions; create time for personal practice (which stirs up creativity); have a goal set and map out strategic plans to achieve the goal; work closely with a Coach or ‘manager’ to navigate to the top of his/her career;
-the Cake-preneur will do well if he/she enrolls in a business school; have an understanding of the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial lifestyle; have a business Vision and Mission statement; consider other business paths in the Cake world that are probably un-explored or under populated; set realizable goals daily to move ahead; work closely with a business consultant to navigate to the top of his/her field.
A close study of individual lifestyles would lead us to the direct recognition of which group we belong to. Have you discovered yourself? What group do you belong to?
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Have a happy Cake life.
