Am I stark, raving bonkers? 🤤: My dearest friends... - LUPUS UK

LUPUS UK

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Am I stark, raving bonkers? 🤤

Charliebear68 profile image
22 Replies

My dearest friends,

It has been ages since I posted, I have been reading your posts and keeping up to date that way but a lot has happened since I last posted.

As you all know, I lost my job in March due to my bad flare up. I have since been diagnosed with UCTD, hEDS, fibro and possibly APS...but I am on the road to getting these under control thanks mainly to you guys ❤ So, I bet you're wondering about the question in the title? Well, after losing my job and having lots of time to think, we (my darling B and I) have decided to open our own business together. I'm a pastry chef by trade so we are taking it steady. We are doing gluten free celebration cakes (dairy/egg/etc.) Website to be sorted but we'll be launching at Liverpool Allergy Show in November so I'm a little bit stressed! Am I bonkers? I have to admit that I'm bricking it. I'm already a bit tired but can't switch off. I really need to do something as boredom setting in - also need some sort of income!!! Sorry to be bleating on but am I nuts? I am not the best at pacing myself - I'm off to sew (wonderweb!!!) 30 feet of curtain...

Nuts? But still smiling 😂

Charlie xxx

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Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68
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22 Replies
onamission profile image
onamission

Hi Charliebear68 first of all I would like to wish you and your partner all the best for your new adventure.

I'm sure it will do very well I have 2 beautiful granddaughters age 3 years and 18 months the 3 year old had a allergy to dairy was taken off all dairy for 6 months and the gradually started to reintroduce dairy now she is ok. The 18 month old is dairy and egg this was dam near imposable again taken off dairy and egg went in to hospital for the egg challenge and is now on the slow road to reintroduce and when that's over its the milk challenge.

I would of given my right arm to treat them with a cake or treat all we could get them was biscuits from the free range aisle and paid a fortune for them.

It might be worth you contacting hospitals to get your name out and I know Asda, Tesco and Morrison's do a wide range of stuff but most have egg in

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to onamission

Thank you! I completely understand how frustrating it is - I'm lactose/glutenfree and thats bad enough. When it's children, you fret constantly. Let me know how you get on.

C xx

onamission profile image
onamission in reply to Charliebear68

The frustration is when you find something without egg they put milk in it my daughter has to read the ingredients on everything

Rubylu profile image
Rubylu

What a marvellous idea. I do hope it succeeds. Try and schedule in some ‘you time’ for the both of you and ‘rest tome’ for you. It’s a valuable discipline to implement, but might be necessary to avoid stress and unnecessary fatigue etc...

Good luck. One step at a time.

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to Rubylu

Lol! I am terrible at time management when it's for me but B is great at 'telling me off!!'

Thank you xx

nanagill profile image
nanagill

Hi Charliebear, yes I do think you're a bit crazy!!!:) But you know what? I also admire you for having a go and I wish you every success because it's a great idea. Good luck.

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to nanagill

You have made me laugh! I love your honesty😘

C xx

Maribics profile image
Maribics

Brilliant idea! I'm sure that there's a market out there for you.

I've recently gone gluten/dairy free and finding it hard eating out with friends & family. And if I could sometimes buy a cake or pastry, rather than make from scratch that would be wonderful!

I might pop along to the Liverpool show and visit you, so keep us posted. Good luck! x

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to Maribics

Please do!! Xx

misty14 profile image
misty14

Hi charliebear

Lovely having you back on forum!. I too think your a bit mad to be starting your own business but I admire you for having a go!. Let's face it if you don't try you don't know what you can achieve. I really hope it works well, there's certainly a need for it. Glad you feel able to try!. All the best and keep us posted. X

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to misty14

Great to hear from you 😘

Thank you so much xxx

PMRpro profile image
PMRpro

Yes, probably! All the very very best - there must be a niche to fill there! My brother is a konditor baker (is there an English word?) and since he gave up working for a baker has done it freelance while also being a bus driver! He occasionally gets asked for gluten-free and egg-free and they are so pleased when he coughs up!

My granddaughter is vegan - and celebrations haven't been easy. Gluten-free and vegan is next to impossible - so get in there!!!!!

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68

Thanks a million - I'm going to give it a damn good go! There is so much rubbish food out there, especially if you have an allergy. My youngest is vegan (sometimes!) so most allergies (except nut free unfortunately as I have a parrot who needs nuts) I can cater for. I am a bit caked out though, prefer bag of salt & vinegar crisps 😂

I can't put photos on mobile site - my creations are a bit different! Just finishing a 'dog' cake for the exhibition.

Thanks again PMRpro - great to hear from you

C xx

Wendy39 profile image
Wendy39

Hello!

Wondering if your pun about being nuts was deliberate - when you business is cakes for people with allergies? 😆

It all sounds like it's what you need right now. I can feel your excitement.

I know a few celiacs and I think this is a growing business. One friends husband ordered her a fab 40th birthday cake but she couldn't eat it! Whoops. He was in the dog house.

Just remember to pace yourself. I'm hoping this is possible when it's your own business.

Are you working from home? Or do you have premises?

Good luck with it all.

Wendy x

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to Wendy39

Hello sweetie - I'll try and pace myself chick. I've been reading your posts - what a fab response to your support group! Well done you - so proud of you.

C xxx

Wendy39 profile image
Wendy39 in reply to Charliebear68

Thank you! Lovely to hear from you. 😊 x

Hey this is very exciting news! But then I say this as one who launched a small tourism related business last year and who is now hoping to undertake a PhD if I can get full funding! Maybe not the best at pacing or facing the reality of living with a systemic disease?! X

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68

Twitchy! Bonkers is the order of the day 😲😲😲

C xxx

Lupiknits profile image
Lupiknits

Charliebear, I think you are delightfully crazy! A brilliant idea for something that's badly needed. I hope you both grow a sucessful business, and I very much admire your positivity x

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to Lupiknits

Thanks Lupi xx 😁

Silvergilt profile image
Silvergilt

What a lovely idea! I hope it works well for you! I ran my own businesses for quite some time, and I have a bit of advice here and there:

Pacing yourself is VITAL. Take time off. I'm serious. I ended up putting myself in hospital twice because I overworked during the holiday. Sure, the money was good as that business was very successful but in the end, my health took a massive downturn. If you over-commit, you'll end up working when you really shouldn't. And that's a bad plan. I get you want to be Doing Something and not being employed tends to make people feel they are not contributing, but in the crush to seem 'useful' one can end up setting up for a harsh crash to earth. Go slow, go steady.

Set up easy to track documentation of everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. Recipes, budget, orders, the lot. So if your fatigue starts to kick in you can keep track of information or, if you need to hand things off to someone else so you can recover, you can give all the documents and instructions to someone else to fill in for you, and things will be done to your specs with no huge loss.

Start small. You could just leap in and try and get a shop, loans, etc etc, but when I was making soaps and toiletries, I literally worked from my kitchen. This way I didn't bite off more than I could chew, and could make sure I wasn't losing tons if my health took a hit and I had to stop working for a while. Because that WILL happen. See above.

Make sure you're following the rules! I see you're a chef so you already know a lot about the food industry rules, but there's a tonne of stuff to be aware of. I could have dropkicked an MP once when they gave the oh-so-ridiculous suggestion that disabled people could just "mix up some soap and sell it on eBay for extra money, like Lush'. No. No, no, no. Soap is complicated: you need certification, MDMS files, batch numbers, INCI names, formulation calculations, correct labelling and wrapping procedures...you get my drift. Over 90% of the stuff you see in a farmer's market or on eBay is done incorrectly, and therefore illegal. And Lush is stupidly overpriced. When I set up business, I called in business inspectors, showed them my set up, got my scales tested to within a .0001g, got insurance coverage...all that sort of thing. It might have been overkill but when using products on your skin (and especially if you're making things for consumption) you can't mess about, even if cooking at home.

If your business takes off, get some help! I wish I had done this with the soap business. I needed something bigger, and I needed employees. In theory Access to Work should have helped with a lot of that, but the services was cut and gutted before I was able to get in. I'd be doing it now if I could, but I'd need people to basically do nearly every aspect of everything.

I wish you luck and good fortune on your venture!

Charliebear68 profile image
Charliebear68 in reply to Silvergilt

Silvergilt - thank you so much. Your advice is fabulous and most welcome. I have been down this road before a few years ago and I run myself into the ground. I didn't know I was coeliac and was baking with 'normal' flour everyday. The coffee shop went mad busy so I needed bigger premises and staff. This is when I think the stress, travelling, etc. pushed me over the edge and I had to fold. I am not joking when I say it nearky killed me! I have learned alot from it and will be doing only allergy free celebration cakes to start with - creep and go!

Thank you sooo much! All the lovely comments are encouraging and your sound advice is a reminder to take it steady.

MP's know bugger all about most things and it infuriates me when they 'encourage' people to start a home business. I completely agree, a lot of 'so called' traders don't adhere to any regulations because half the time they don't know they need to! I'm so sorry your business folded - it is the most awful decision to have to make. I still worry about it 😑

Anyway! We survived!! Onward and upward my friend 🤗

I will take your advice and keep you posted - I'm off to dust a dog 😂

C xxxx

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