View Poll Results: Should I go on the internet with my candy?
click here if you think I should open a site.. 4 80.00%
would you buy gourmet gifts to have shipped to your w ife/kids/family? click here for yes 1 20.00%
would your company be interested in corperate gifts for customers, workers etc? Click here.. 0 0%
Should I just X the idea, its just crazy 0 0%
you think it would be a god idea but not sure it would work.. 0 0%
Voters: 5. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 07-25-2004, 07:36 PM
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Default Gourmet Candy Gifts

I make gourmet hand painted chocolates, truffles, bon bons and gift baskets.

I used to sell these in my store, but have closed my store as I could not make it work in such a small town.

I have been thinking of taking this to the internet. And also trying to get some corperate accounts for baskets and things.

I have a girl that works for me at the house and she is getting ready to have a baby, she said she is willing to work with me on piece work. I would also like, if this got big enough to use this to make a living and get the heck off the road.

I make hand pianted chocoates, I have over 400 different molds, I have 3 dirrerent sizes of 18 wheelers, and I also make up dozen roses and wrap them like you would get a real dozen from the florist for the exception that these are eddible! I have like I said over 400 different molds. I do baskets, have you ever seen the ones with the candy arrangements? They are really cute, and better than flowers. Flowers die, you can eat my candy! And its gourmet also.

So I am asking for your opinion on this to see what you would think of this......
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Old 07-26-2004, 05:49 PM
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The internet is just the market for you. Just make sure you work with a reputable company to get your site built and out there for the world to see. You might check with CAD (the owner of this site), as they do business websites for all kinds of clients, too.
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Old 07-26-2004, 08:41 PM
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Default online sales

We once apon a time had a site. When I first got into this hard and heavy, I started selling on ebay at fixed rate prices, pay pal will eat your lunch!
I then designed my own site and it was very nice. I did it all myself. I enlisted with a company to process credit cards for me and they went under, and I lost some serious money. And I still had to hold true to my customers orders and send out what had been ordered and paid for. That was the end of that.

I opened a store front. We built a building, first rule in hiring a contractor, never pay the pompas ass up front. The day before we were to open the doors, there wasnt even dry wall up on the walls. Needles to say I ended up working for 45 hours strait threw so that I could A: finish the inside another lady and I alsone who knew nothing about drywall, B: had to open without fully looking the way I wanted to look and C: lost my arse! The figure was $7000 on the work and it ended up costing me 8 times that in the end after the contractor stole the check book from my car, I had a building that was not finished, paid for materials I never saw, had to pay for checks I did not write.

Long story short, I closed it after 2 months because I had to come on the road and had no one I could trust with my day to day business. I never could get off the ground because I started in the hole so bad it wasnt even funny.

So the other day I was sitting here and I have been getting emails like mad from customers that want and need my stuff for birthday parties, family reunions, weddings and gifts. I have been hating so much that I had to close.

So here is what I was thinking. I have a girl that is great as far as working for me, and can work better if she didnt have to be there all the time like we did when we had the shop going.

I was thinking if there were a way that I could start a new site, advertise on trucking sites, and have it to where maybe I could accept comcheck, t-check, credit cards, check on the internet and things like that.

I could take one of those mobile shed units you see, the good ones made from real wood and I still have all the equipment, I never got rid of my stoves, fridges, freeezers and things like that, I know I could put a little money into it and get it FDA approved like I did in my old shop, theres nothing to that.

We still cater and I have been doing that from my old building but that is 30 miles from my home. I could work the week I have off every month and my help work the other 3 weeks that I am on the road.

What I am looking for however is I would love to get into the corperate side, where all I do is arrangements and chocolates and things for larger scale companies. For happies and I know that they send things like this to customers and stuff.

I know I can promote myself, I have good skills at talking to companies and people in general. I guess I am just scared.

So please all you truckers out there, and recruiters and, wifes and, kids and just everyone, let me know if you think that I would actually be able to make a living at this. I want out the truck again so bad. I love my job however, I have 2 kids and I need and want to be with them, but I have a child with major ADHD and his doctor bills and meds are over 2K a month and I have to work to pay for those.

I want honest and open opinions as to know if this would work or not, would you order things like this? Would you buy my sutff? I do really good work, I get a lot of weddings and things like that, when I get out there and promost my business, that has had to take a second seat as I work a lot on the truck now, more than anything in this world I love to cook and decorate a party. I lvoe the thrill of seeing a party go off well or to get a email tellinmg me how beautiful my work is.

I guess after my run of bad luck with the store and that contractor, I have a low self esteem. Where would I look to get the business that I need?
We have actually thaught of getting me a catering trailer, and going mobile with it to fairs and things like that and to be able to cater on the spot for my parties.

So all your input is needed here people! I love this line of work, just scared to get back out there on that horse and ride! Were not in the finacial position that we once were. Its harder this time to just stop working and go full time with this.

So please let me know what you think, dont just vote, tell me what you think. I dont have any picsof my work with me on the puter here on the road but I will try and get some if you wanna see my work, you can give me your honest opinion.

Ms Tweety
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Old 07-26-2004, 09:24 PM
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Default sample....

To the left I have changed my picture to show a sample of what it is I am talking about that I do. Now maybe you can understand what a hand painted chocolate bouquet is. The picture is of a vase, and the roses are all hand made and painted. I use floral to add to it and what you get is a bouquet that you can eat, not just wilt away!

Let me know what you think. I also make regular baskets, like this one.
And I have lolipops that I hand paint. Also have 18 wheelers, these are neat. I have one that weighs in at 2 pounds and can be make any colors you wish, and have smaller ones that are wrapped in foil, and are bite sized! These are so cute!

I have over 400 different kinds as I stated before and can be made into any flavor you like, milk chocolate or vanilla!
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Old 07-26-2004, 10:41 PM
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Mstweety:

My daughter liked the bouquet and she said a chocolate 18 wheeler would be cool... I can see her now, she's hyper enough before a chocolate rush!!!

Anyway it would be a great adventure and a good opportunity for you.

You just amy get enough folks from this site buying up all the chocolate, which is fine I like vanilla myself!!!
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Old 07-27-2004, 01:35 AM
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Default Thanks Doc...

I can see her now too, I have one that has ADHD really bad, when he gts into mom;s stock he is a handfull!

I will see what I can do here, I have sent a emial to the admin of this site and we will see what I can do about doing a test run with this if I am allowed when the weather gets cooler!

I am catering a major party, on the 7th, its my own so its like I am wokring for free, lol. I am having a luao for my husnads 34th birthday, and ,y help I was talking about that wants to help me with this will be working his party with me so I will talk to her and tell her that I am wanting to do a test run in the fall and make sure that she is game.

Theres a lot of work to this and I know she can do it. Not to mention the lines at the post office! lol

Lets say if they will allow me to post my site and all that I will get a site together and I will get something together around say November and see what we can do with it.

I will start to work on a site here in a few weeks and see what I can come up with. I take all mypics myself, I love digital photography and I will get something together and let you all know when I can get this up and going.

Mt next step is trying to find a company that will let me accept credit cards and comchecks, efs checks and things like that.

Have anyideas on how I could do that?

Ms Tweety.

I hope that I can get this going lol...

I talked to my dipatcher today about it and they are all intersted in the office, next thing is to get corperate on the bandwagon!
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