Day Jobbing and Night Baking: Your Business Plan

Recently updated on November 6th, 2017 at 05:38 pm

Hello, and welcome to the very first edition of “Day Jobbing and Night Baking,” a new NDF Blog series dedicated to giving friendly advice on how to run your side business while maintaining your 9-5 job. What qualifies me to write this blog? Well, not much, other than the fact that I’m doing the exact same thing that you are. I’m starting my own small business – a baking business to be exact. And, since I still need to pay my rent and bills, I’m starting this business in my spare time after I’m done working 40 hours a week here in the NDF Marketing department.

So the majority of my baking is done at night, hence, the title of this blog series.

To Begin

You need to develop some sort of plan such as the who, what, when, where, and why of your business. It would also be incredibly beneficial to include a list of goals and objectives in this plan so you always have something to refer back to in case you lose focus. I have a very informal business plan etched out. I know what I’m going to be doing, how I’m going to do it, how much it’s going to cost me, and a very simple reason why I’m doing any of it. I love baking; it’s one of the few things I’m incredibly passionate about and I want to share my creations with the world! So I’ve decided this year’s the year I’m pushing things into overdrive – the year for Day Jobbing and Night Baking!

If You Need Help Creating a Business Plan for Yourself

If you need a little more help creating a plan for yourself, try the Small Business Plans for Dummies Cheat Sheet or use this Starting Business, Business Plan. You may also want to ask around. Ask your friends, neighbors, colleagues, and search online. There are plenty of blogs and online communities dedicated to those starting a small business. And, if you still crave more information read a book or two (or three) about your specific type of business. Small Business for Dummies and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business are quickly making their way up to the top of my reading list.

A Quick and Easy Cookie Recipe

I’ll keep this series introduction short and sweet, but before I bid you adieu I’d like to share a quick and easy recipe for some scrumptious Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies. Enjoy them as a late night snack while you’re burning that midnight oil writing your business plan, or setting up your website cause you know what they say…S-t-r-e-s-s-e-d spelled backwards is D-e-s-s-e-r-t-s!

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies – Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 cup chopped nuts if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
2. Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

*Recipe Courtesy of BettyCrocker.com –You didn’t think I’d actually share my secret recipes online, did you?