What a year!

To say that 2016 was a bumpy ride might be an understatement.  We started off the year with a completed business plan and overambitious goals to launch the business by spring 2016.  A slap in the face by the big banks set me back quite a bit.  It made me realize that I needed to take a step back and gain the following of customers along with a stronger business plan to show that I am serious about moving forward.

Fast forward to the end of the year "The Velvet Buttercream" saw significant sales increases up to the final three months of the year when sales quadrupled.  We posted sales gains for 9 out of 12 months, the 3 months we did not just so happened to be our slow summer season locally here in Phoenix.  We've been continually adding new items to the web store with the most recent items being our "Peanut Butter Cup" cake.  Currently we are working on a cake tentatively called the "Black Velvet Mocha", it's sure to be a death by chocolate sort of cake.. because naturally you can't have a bakery without a super chocolaty cake  ;)  Also we are adding several cookies and some power bars to our webstore, along with a full redesign!  So many changes so little time.

As we begin 2017 I can't help but look to 2016 for much needed guidance on what to expect.  Our business plan since it's initial creation has undergone three revisions and hopefully it is in its final change.  Things are looking up for us as a future contender in the Phoenix Metro bakery competition as the leader of all things cake and pastry (hopefully coffee too).  For now we will continue to proceed with caution to ensure that quality standards are held high.  Sales will only come when the product is good and proven.  As much as I love the sales gains, the standards have to be kept in check because it only takes one bad cake to taint the name of "The Velvet Buttercream"