starkvilledailynews.com
So, I have talked a lot about cottage food laws, and anyone who loves to bake gets excited about the possibility of making money baking at home. Believe me when I say I can sure identify with that.
The real challenge though isn’t simply getting approved to bake at home. Since the inception of
cottage food laws, that can be relatively easy.
For many people, the big hurtle lies in how in the world do you get the word out. Let’s face it,
you only have so many friends and family, and most of us feel uncomfortable charging them.
So, then what do you do? Selling for many people is “the monster under the bed”.
It is not rational, but it is a reality. We know that someone saying no thanks will not deliver
deliver a fatal blow physically, but for may that does not help. Since you put so much time and
love into your craft, it hurts our pride. Getting out in front of people is tough.
The good news is that there are places that let you take your homemade baked goods and
legally get them in front of an audience. I want to share with you a success story that was
recently published in the Starkville News. Many communities offer similar venues, and
I encourage you to check them out.
Troy DeRego has been a vendor at the Starkville Community Market for four years.
DeRego owns DeRego’s Sourdough Crackers on Main Street, and said the weekly market is where his business began. DeRego began baking at his house under the Cottage Food Laws in 2013, and brought his artisan breads and sourdough crackers to the Starkville Community Market to sell.
“This market is probably the main reason why I was able to start my business,” DeRego said. “It gave me a chance to test out my products and meet new customers.”
Because of the opportunity to sell at the Community Market, by the time DeRego opened up his store on Main Street, he already had a customer base and knew the products that sold best.
“I think for any small business, if they can get selling at a market like this, it is definitely the way to go,” DeRego said.
If this gives you an inspiration to get started, I would love to cheer you on.
