So what is Anna’s Indulgence Dessert Bar anyway?

It was my pastry business, a reality that was the result of many years of dreaming, and planning fueled by passion, determination and a mountain of hard work. A business that would never had taken place if it wasn’t for those chefs and pastry chefs who took the time to share their skills with me from the beginning, Larry, Vickie, Peter and Suzanne. Thank-you.

I accomplished the goal of turning my little dream into existence.

The reality of owning a business came to an end in June of this year. Yes, I made the decision to close my business.  I’ll admit, I’ve been rather quiet on why I closed. It was a very personal and very difficult decision to make. I knew once I got the ball rolling, there was no turning back so I had to be sure. It was no ones business as to why I closed. I’m aware that people like to talk. I also know that those who talk the most or are the loudest have the least amount of anything good to say.

After working non-stop for 5 years within the business, spending thousands of dollars to keep the business moving forward and many sleepless nights; I came to the heart wrenching realization that I no longer wanted to be a business owner. So I did something about it. I closed the shop, spent some time getting back to my old self and started focusing on the next step.

The point of this entry is not to have a pity party.  It’s about my experience of being a business owner. I’m going to attempt to shed some insight on things that nobody ever tells you about with having a business. For those that dream to someday own a business, I will never discourage you from trying. I think you should. The lessons that are gained from owning a business, one will never learn in any classroom.  These life experiences are invaluable.

Here are some hard truths that I learned in no particular order:

Having a business is one of THE hardest and most stressful jobs on the planet, next to maybe brain surgery.  Not everybody is cut out to be a business owner. Just because you have a skill at something, and maybe your good at it, doesn’t mean being a business owner is right for you. The problem lies with not knowing what you are suppose to know when you need to know it. It will always cost something whether in time or money to get in the know so to speak.

Having a business is very, very expensive.  If you think your start-up costs are high, you haven’t seen nuthin’ yet. Once you open the doors, you have to keep paying for things just to keep the business going. It never ends. You have to ask yourself if you are prepared to make some major sacrifices (lack of pay cheque, little free time, added stress etc) not just for the short term, but potentially for the long term. There is no guarantee that it will be worth it in the end.

Nobody will care about your business as much as you care about your business. An exception is family and close friends. Thank-you and I love you. That doesn’t mean you won’t receive support and encouragement from others, but at the end of the day, are they investing into your great scheme? Once you leave their sight, your business venture leaves their mind, usually for good.

Location is very important, but it’s not everything and once you actually open, it becomes secondary to what you actually sell.

The prime location is gold, but you have to be able to afford this golden location before you make one dollar. Landlords usually want some guarantee that you are committed (in the form of 1st and last months rent and a signed lease agreement, anywhere from 3 to 10 years) before they hand over the key to your space. Never forget that to them, it’s business and if you have a bad day or slow sales, rent still has to be made.

In my case, I had a great landlord, I was lucky. Most business owners; when looking for their location get caught up in traffic counts and how visible their business is from the street, but unless you can afford rent from $2000 a month and up (that’s usually before utilities) you need to keep looking.

Everybody (including those who have never dared to own a business) have an opinion about what you should or shouldn’t do with your business and will share it with you whether you want to hear it or not. “Why don’t you sell doughnuts?”, “How come you don’t give out free refills?”, “You should really have a slushy machine for your customers.” That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hear out valid concerns or suggestions. It’s also important to remember that most people mean well and really do want to help.  You will learn pretty quick what to take to heart and what to let go.

No matter how hard you try, or how obvious it may be, there will be some people who will never get what you are trying to accomplish with your business or even why you are trying to do it in the first place. These people are dead weight and will never spend a dime in your business but will think nothing of wasting your time. You need to get rid of them as quickly as possible.  You have to learn this out of necessity.

There is a misconception that one goes into owning a business because they want to be they’re own boss, not have to answer to anybody and do what they want. I hate to burst the rose coloured bubble here, but there will be many people you will have to answer to (your banker, your landlord, your customer) and there’s little time to do what you want because your time gets filled with the millions of tasks that take priority.

In the time since I closed Anna’s Indulgence (hard to believe it’s been almost 5 months now), I’ve had time to reflect on the business and on being a business owner. I didn’t realize until just recently, that though it was my choice to close and though I don’t regret the decision to do so, I’m going through a mourning period. I am mourning the death of a friend. Not a pleasant thought, but true. 

After all, it was a dream of mine to have a business. I picked out all the equipment for the business. I drew up the plans on where to place all said equipment. I had a great work table.  That was my dessert case.  I had an amazing floor mixer.  I didn’t have to share my walk-in freezer with anybody (fellow pastry chefs will understand this). I picked out the wall colour (Banana Split) and made sure the shop looked classy and inviting. It was my showcase on what I could do. It was all mine, right down to the floor tiles and the hot water tank.  I was happy there, it gave me peace.

Then something changed.  I believe it came down to burn out, very common in business owners. Not just physically but mentally and emotionally.  I have never doubted my career choice as a pastry chef. I love the creative aspect of the job the most.  If I could have been left alone to create, design and just to play, maybe I would have been happier.  There were things I could have done better but I also knew deep down, that unless I had the passion for my business, it wasn’t going to work. Somewhere the passion died and I felt like the business was choking me.

In the end, people will think and say what they want about Anna’s Indulgence Dessert Bar. I have no regrets about opening Anna’s Indulgence nor closing her down. It was a very expensive way to learn some lessons. I do miss the business but not enough to go back.  Although the memories are good, they are still raw and bittersweet. 

For those who have a businesses, I wish you nothing but success. I know how hard it is and how hard you work at it everyday. For those who wish to someday own a business, may you find the courage to go forth and make your mark.

Stay tuned for my next entry; The Three Foot Mermaid Cake and Why I don’t Like Some Reality Food Shows.