FORMER Bank worker Rhonda Carney had always wanted to start up her own business and at 47-years-old she decided ‘it was now or never’ and that’s when she set up Off Your Cake.
Now, the Anfield resident has opened up her very own bespoke cake shop on County Road offering delicious and original cakes which she lovingly creates and designs herself.
"I have always wanted to work for myself" said Rhonda, "I have always had a flair for making cakes but it has only ever really been a hobby. It got to the point in my career where I thought if I am really going to do this, I need to do it now and that’s exactly what I did."
She added: “My instinct was to hand in my notice at the bank and live the dream.”
Rhonda, who is mum to her four children, opened the shop up in July and she says that already business is doing extremely well.
She said: “I will design something completely unique for my customers or they can chose from an extensive one off range.
"I specialise in caricatures, so if a bride and groom give me a photograph I will do a caricature of them on their wedding cake.
Rhonda continued: “It’s great to be given artistic licence and to let my imagination run wild. I have been asked for all kinds of designs including a giant fish, the statue of liberty, toy story cake and many more.
“My flavours are extensive too. I pride myself on the home baked cake, everything is prepared fresh on my premises.”
Prior to starting up the business Rhonda worked as a Customer Relations Manager at Barclays Bank. She gave up her job in March this year then came along to Train 2000 where she received help and support in starting her business up, under the business start-up programme.
"The support I received from Train 2000 really did help me" said Rhonda, "it was really useful to have some one to sit down with to put my business plan together and to know that I always had somewhere to turn to if there were any questions I needed answering."
Rhonda also received a business start up grant from local enterprise initiative Step Clever which supports residents in six wards across South Sefton and North Liverpool.
She added: "I was so pleased to receive a start up grant from Step Clever. It really helped with my initial business start up costs and made a massive difference to me."
"I love working for myself" said Rhonda, "I really enjoy what I do now and I look forward to going to work. Being self-employed is definitely a challenge as you have to run all aspects of the business, but I will never look back."
To find out more about Rhonda’s cakes you can either drop into Off Your Cake at 180 County Road, Walton or visit her website at www.offyourcake.com
And, if like Rhonda, you are interested in starting up your own business then please call Train 2000 on 0151 236 6601 or visit www.train2000.org.uk
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