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Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz. Featured Biz Question Hi there. I'm a stay-at-home mother of 2 small children (2 1/2 and 5 months) and am looking for a way to make some extra money without going to work outside of the home. I'm very skeptical into trying something that I have not heard of, as there are many scams out there. I have had the idea of making baked goods and selling them to businesses in the local area for quite some time now. When I worked full-time at a bank, there was a stay-at-home mother who did this and seemed to fare quite well at our bank anyway. I have always loved to bake and people seem to gobble up the goodies quite fast; but I don't know where to start. Do I need a professional kitchen like caterers? Do I have to make a certain $ amount before required to have it? If anyone has done this themselves, or has done research on the subject, I would appreciate any input - whether positive or negative - on the subject. Thank you! -Angie- Answer from our Guest Expert Cheryl Demas, Founder and Editor of WAHM.com Hi Angie, You're smart to be wary of work-at-home scams, and it sounds like you have a good idea for a home business. First of all, make sure you can run this business from your home legally. Regulations vary from state to state, even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Your local city hall and chamber of commerce are good places to start as you begin the process of applying for the proper permits and licenses. In addition, be sure to research and understand your local zoning and health department regulations. You may be able to do your home baking business without a commercial kitchen, it all depends on your local ordinances. Another option to think about is renting a local commercial kitchen. Again, your local chamber of commerce will probably be able to help you locate available kitchens. continued Page 1 - 2 Enter your search terms Submit search form       Search Idea Cafe Web Small Business Tax Center • Idea Cafe Home • Sign Up • Biz Grant Center • CyberSchmooz •Coffee Talk with Experts • People in Biz Profiles • Starting Your Biz • Biz Planning • Running Your Biz • FREE Trade Publications • Marketing • Financing Your Biz • Human Resources • Legal & Biz Forms • Managing Your Biz • eCommerce • You and Your Biz • Gen X • Work@Home • The Fridge • De-Stress • Send an Award • Send an eGreeting • Yoga @ Your Desk • Web Guide • Idea Cafe in the News • About Idea Cafe • Advertise on Idea Cafe • Contact Us • Privacy Policy • Site Map • Small Biz News Copyright 1995-2023, Idea Cafe Inc. Downloads are for personal use only, not for resale to others, and may not be reprinted in any form without written permission from Idea Cafe Inc. DISCLAIMER: We hope whatever you find on this site is helpful, but be cautioned that it may not apply to your own situation, or be totally current at any given time. Idea Cafe Inc. and all of its current and past experts, sponsors, advertisers, agents, contractors and advisors disclaim all warranties with regard to anything found anywhere on this family of websites, quoted from, or sent from Idea Cafe. and its related sites, publications and companies. We also take no responsibility for comments published by others on these pages. TRADEMARKS: The following are Registered Trademarks or Servicemarks of DevStart, Inc.: Idea Cafe®, Online Coffee Break®, The Small Business Gathering Place®, Take out Info®, Biz Bar & Grill®, Complaint-O-Meter®, A Fun Approach to Serious Business™, CyberSchmooz™, and BizCafe™.

About the Expert Cheryl Demas Founder and Editor of WAHM.com Cheryl's career included 11 years working at Honeywell and CableData and a degree in mathematics and computer science. From her home in Folsom, CA, Cheryl has built a web site that draws more than 2 million hits per month and, with advertiser support, makes money. In 2000, her book, The Work-at-Home Mom's Guide to Home Business, was published. more