It's time for a break

It was inevitable at the pace I was going. One of these days, I was going to need a break, and I think that day has come.

For the past three years, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself, starting a business from nothing, learning what I needed to know about running a food-centered business, taking classes to become certified in food preparation safety guidelines, marketing my business, meeting a ton of new people, baking delicious treats for everyone. It's been great, but I have to stop for a while.

Every year after the farmer's market would end, I'd find myself contemplating whether I wanted to do it again the following year. After the first year, I was tired and unsure, but by the time the following April rolled around, I knew I wanted to dive in. I missed the interaction I had with my customers. I missed baking. And I missed the feeling I'd get making everyone else happy with my food.

So year two of the farmer's market began. And it was great, again. But by the time year two ended, I started having bigger dreams. I didn't want to just do the farmer's market. I wanted to sell wholesale; I wanted to make this side business a real one—open a bake shop, make fresh goodies every day, and continue to make people happy. So I really started to pursue this new venture.

When the next April rolled around, sure enough, I was ready to get back to the market, because I now had new intentions. I wanted to grow my business, so of course I had to do the farmer's market to keep my customer base growing. But then a funny thing happened. New opportunities opened up for me at my "real" job, and I couldn't turn them down. Staying at my real job meant more security, and more time I'd be able to spend with my family. And with my daughter being only 7-1/2 years old at the time, there were so many things I'd miss out on if I started my own business. My husband and I decided that the time wasn't right yet. 

But at that point, I had already committed to doing the farmer's market, and I still enjoyed doing it, so I stuck with it. That was this past summer. But once the market ended, and I made it through the holidays, I started thinking long and hard about what I wanted to do this year. 

I'm tired. For the past three years, I've been working non-stop. Sure, I'd get a few months off each year from the 7-day work week, as business really slows down for me in the early part of the year, but for the most part, I'd work 7 days a week between June and December. And that's hard. It's hard on me, and hard on my family. They're great troopers as they've helped as much as they could over the years. But Lila and I have had no time to play for three summers. Every Thursday on my day off from my "real" job, we'd run errands for my "passion" job, or I'd be baking, or whatever. But never playing. Never doing what she wanted to do. My diet and exercise routine suffered. My energy levels were shot.

So I've decided that for 2013, I'm going to take a break from it all and not do any professional baking. No farmer's market. No orders. Let me tell you, this decision did not come easy. My baking is truly a labor of love. I don't need the money. I just love to do it, and I love all of my dedicated customers and fans. I love hanging out with the other vendors on Monday afternoons at the market. I love chatting with everyone that stops by to purchase cookies, or inquire about my business. I'll miss all of you that have supported me so much over these few years.

Is this break forever? I don't know. I hope not. But I don't know how long it will last. Maybe I'll miss it so much, I'll come back in 2014. But maybe I'll realize what I've been missing at home, and want to take some more time off. At any rate, I'm pretty certain you'll see me at the farmer's market every week as a patron instead of a vendor. And I sure hope that someday, maybe in about ten years from now, you'll find me again selling my treats, but this time from a quaint little storefront, maybe at Caste Village, where I'm selling baked goods, paninis, soup, pancakes, and coffee. That's my dream someday... a small cafe where everyone wants to hang out, and where you feel at home. It'll be warm and cozy, smell like mom's kitchen, and be the place you go to make your day better. I'll welcome you with open arms.

Please don't forget me. I promise I won't forget you. You've made my small little dream come true, if only for a little while.

With love,
Lynnette