My first customer order: a personal story

  • Article

Not quite my first order, but Small Biz's No2 daughter (D2), who went into business this week at aged 13 and got her first order 2 days later. The excitement, the pride and the job satisfaction was immense, and even if it tails away to nought over the next few months it won't matter because she's already gained immeasurably from the experience. It also brought sharply into focus some key points about going into business, which are easily dealt with from the cosy comfort of the office, but aren't quite so comfortable when you're getting your hands dirty with real work.

  • Motivation.  Why do want to go into business? There's no right or wrong here, whether it's money, you hate your boss, you've got a great invention etc, as long as you actually have a reason - and not just because you can't think of anything else to do. D2 is saving for a world challenge trip next summer.
  • What skills do you have? It's a little tricky at 13, but cake-making is always in demand with time-pushed parents and grandparents. Again, there's no right or wrong, just recognise what you can do well and what you enjoy doing.
  • What resources do you have? If you want to restore cars, find just one beaten up old banger to start with and go from there. We invested in a couple of good cake tins and some durable plastic plates for carriage.
  • Cost everything! Ingredients, gas or electricity, time (inc delivery), packing & carriage, decorations, promotions.
  • Promotion. We're in the process of setting up a free Office Live website, but in the meantime, leaflets produced with Office Publisher were rolled off the printer, and then D2 delivered them along our road. She's also produced a price list with examples of cakes on offer, which she's packing into every order - word of mouth is the key marketing tool for a business like this one.

Although she's fortunate in that she doesn't have to make a living out of this, she is nevertheless approaching it as if she were - and this too is important. If you don't take yourself seriously you can't expect others to..

Lastly - you're never too young or too old!