{ Set them free.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

{ freed on 22:51

Feeling sort of excited that my business is finally getting started. At the moment still in search for a shop space and waiting for some agents to get back to me. Things that have taken the next step-logo done, website mock up done. Next up, going to print my logo on stickers. Now business is operating from home kitchen, small but surely sufficient. Have been slogging in the kitchen whole day just preparing for tomorrow. Tomorrow's going to be 1st delivery!!! 9am! Have been giving samples to dear and bro's office and got back god responses. Come April, going to start taking orders on weekly basis and earn some cash! What have I learnt so far-muffins, swissroll, carrot cake, brownie. Next up, cream puffs and eclairs! Going to be a challenge!

Cant wait for this weekend to come sooner but neither do I want it to end so soon, especially not when one gets to have fun overseas! Guess this is going to be my last fun trip! Once business starts officially, I wouldnt get the chance to go overseas at whim and fancy and there will not be any long long 14days kind of trips for me. At max 5 days with the weekend.

Besides baking, what else can I do but play and hang out in the kitchen, creating and inventing new dishes. Pasta and stews and other other stuffs. I have even begin collecting all my creations in a recipe book. Purpose-so that next time when i am busy and tired, dear can refer to my book and cook for me! whahaha..when will that be? Soon? *Hint* The last time I ate food cooked by him was 3 yrs ago!

Setting a dream! A food dream!

Monday, March 08, 2010

{ freed on 18:49

Freshly baked Cranberry muffins

Freshly baked Orange Chocolate Chip muffins

Cranberry, Orange Chocolate Chip & Red bean muffins

Just Sunday was Muffins 101. Learning the ropes of how to bake uber yummilicious muffins!
Not only looking good but also tasting good!
What do I do with so many muffins in my kitchen, well will be asking dear to bring them to work to offer some for tasting and collecting feedback for me on the flavours and texture. Also the muffins will be his breakfast and tea for a period of time! At least healthier than him snacking on biscuits.

Dinner with family friends from London was terrific! Super funny dinner especially with all the Hokkien jokes from Uncle Terry! I will remember "bak kwa", "knicker knocker", these are fitter" etc...simply enjoyed their company!!! Hope to find the time to visit and stay with them in London this year, but doubt will have the time once business starts.

Now at the stage of sending business proposal to the building's management and negotiating rent. Today just went to site visit again, jotting down competitor's prices and factor costs. Then went to Ikea to but some steel shelves for the kitchen, also on the look out for fittings for the shop. Got to budget the fittings and decor of the shop, cost efficient and useful!
More or less these nitty gritty stuffs have been penned down and discussed already, just need to look for suppliers. Next up, planning the website!!!!

Saturday, March 06, 2010

{ freed on 23:40

Life this week has been rather packed, not just with activities but because my brain has been working and churning and analysing many factors and issues about my business plan.

Finally came across a shop unit that is has the prospects and fulfils my requirements, somewhat there, only concern is the rent which is slightly steep and will be eating into my profits. Putting what I have learnt for the past 4 years in SDE, true enough, tested and proven that LOCATION, LOCATION and still LOCATION is a very important aspect. After seeking out this important and only factor LOCATION, there is also a price (rent) to pay and yes, SWOT analysis comes in handy too. Human traffic, competitors, transport network, roadworks, ERP gantries (are a headache, because zooming in and out of it doing delivery increases my transport cost). Doing a pro forma, my equipment cost is going to be a hefty sum, which needs to amortise say 2 years, my ingredients cost and all other miscellaneous cost, just in search for my breakeven cost!

On friday went for tea time with mum at Jones (my new hangout place), sat there for 2hours, discussing and breaking down to details, considering alternatives......there is a whole lot more of planning. Our opening hours, waking up at 3am (?), weekend to operate or just production (?).

Time with dear hasn't been much and fulfilling this week as he has been super duper busy with parliament stuff, but he still tries to meet me. We went to Brewerkz, guess beer and buffalo wings are a good partners in helping relieve stress, especially with a BURP to end everything! No movies nor strolls this weekend too, having his DnD on saturday and me having baking training on sunday and another dinner with an overseas family friend. Wondering how much time we will be spending and seeing each other once my business is in operation, given my "weird" working times (sleep at 8pm, wake at 3am).

Coming week will be penning down more details, monitoring human traffic on different days of the week, more test baking.

A joy....searching online on home decor, given 5 years to plan how I want decorate the house! :)