Eric from Erics Cheesecakes

[MJ DeMarco]

Ericto said "and they have no idea of the struggles."

Naw, none of us here know the struggles because we all started our businesses with millions of dollars in the bank and an army of mentors behind us! None of us started our business with a second job and a boatload of debt!! We don't know the struggles! Those damn forum people got it good!

 

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[Thoelt53]

i pinged him on his contact page ...
http://www.ericscheesecakes.com/contact_us

$50 forum rep for anyone that calls him and gets him on the phone to get us an update

Found a couple kitchens not far from Eric that might have some space very soon, but they need some more information. Gave Eric a call and left a voicemail.

We’ll see where it goes.

 

[Merging Left]

Eric, it sounds like you could really benefit from finding a business partner. You've basically identified your weaknesses pretty clearly in this thread. You don't know how to raise/seek funding, you aren't great at solving business logistics issues, and I'm not sure how great you are at marketing yourself and your products outside of your local network.

Everyone has weaknesses, and it's foolish to pound your head against the wall for years without making any progress. Why not work on finding someone who can compliment your talents with their own, and form a partnership that CAN take this business to the next level? Find someone who will allow you to focus on perfecting your current recipes and developing new ones, while they handle the logistics of securing a commercial kitchen, sourcing funds, and solving logistics?

Don't know anyone? Connect with your local Small Business Association. Many of them have mentors available, but I think they also put on networking events that can help you connect with people who have experience doing exactly what you have been unable to do for years.

Speaking of the SBA, have you contacted them about getting a small business loan that would allow you to actually expand into a commercial space and set up the necessary tools for nationwide shipping?

 

[ZCP]

@Merging Left it is time to take @Ravens_Shadow 's advice .....
we need to put a plan together to partner w/ Eric.
who has drive but no idea? who has money but no path?
ready made business, right here!! who is going to take the step??

 

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[MTEE1985]

@Merging Left it is time to take @Ravens_Shadow 's advice .....
we need to put a plan together to partner w/ Eric.
who has drive but no idea? who has money but no path?
ready made business, right here!! who is going to take the step??

There should be a TV show where people with great products and good stories but lack business acumen and money can go pitch investors and potentially get investments. Hmmm...if only.

 

[Raoul Duke]

i pinged him on his contact page ...
http://www.ericscheesecakes.com/contact_us

$50 forum rep for anyone that calls him and gets him on the phone to get us an update

Eric Hurdle <ericscheesecakes@not-a-real-email.com>
Thu 3/7/2019 1:49 PM
You

Thank you very much for considering Eric's Cheesecakes.
However, I'm sorry. I do not have a shipping process and in effect. I don't have the special shipping materials needed to be effective.
I apologize for the inconvenience.
Thank you again.

Eric

 

[ZCP]

@Raoul Duke could you imagine how big @Ericito Eric's Cheesecakes would be with 10 minutes a day of @Johnny boy running the ship??

 

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[Raoul Duke]

@Raoul Duke could you imagine how big @Ericito Eric's Cheesecakes would be with 10 minutes a day of @Johnny boy running the ship??

Can you spot it? I do.

https://eventualmillionaire.com/creatingbusinesses/

 

[Ericito]

QUOTE="AllenCrawley, post: 759314, member: 8023"]@Ericito, I see you still don't offer shipping. Is it at all possible to purchase one of your cheesecakes and you ship it to Scottsdale, AZ?[/QUOTE]

Good Evening Sir,
Sorry for the late response. I had gone dark. No excuses.
Please DM me and provide your contact and order Information and l will do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Thank you for considering Eric's Cheesecakes.

 

[Ericito]

Would you sell your recipe and process?

Are you making me an offer?

 

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[Ericito]

I'm from New York. Have no idea what "New York taste" means. But dam those cakes look good. Too bad I can't get one shipped to me...

Thanks. In the catagory with NY Pizza, NY Bagels & Bialys and street dogs. dog..etc.
Then there is the NY Style Cheesecake.
You can't fool a New Yorker when it comes to NY food.
Tried, Tested and Passed by far in NYC.

View attachment 23746

 

[Ericito]

R

 

[Ericito]

Eric's Cheesecakes is not dead, gone nor given up. It's alive, strong and going to be a game changer in the dessert world.
"The Best Cheesecakes on the Planet "

 

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[Ravens_Shadow]

Good Evening Sir,
Sorry for the late response. I had gone dark. No excuses.
Please DM me and provide your contact and order Information and l will do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Thank you for considering Eric's Cheesecakes.

Good job on you for coming out of the dark. Now ask these fine ladies and gentlemen how to grow or who you can partner with to take this to the next level.

 

[scottmsul]

So I just read this thread from start to finish. If I read correctly, this would be a summary of all the ways you can expand, all the hurdles they have, and all the suggestions made by forum members to overcome them:

1) Start a brick and mortar
Hurdles: Costs too much - rent/down payment/equipment, etc., and the bank won't give you a loan
How to overcome: Talk with lots(!) of investors. Or bootstrap using one of the other methods.

2) Sell to local businesses
Hurdles: FDA regulations require you to use a commercial kitchen and not bake at home
How to overcome: Rent out space in a local kitchen. Or talk to a lawyer. I'm a little confused on this one, someone asked if you had talked to a lawyer and you said LOL. Did that mean you obviously did, or didn't? If so, what did the lawyer say? Really though you should talk to a lawyer. If your home equipment checks out, I don't see why you wouldn't get approved.

3) Sell to people online
Hurdles: Packaging is hard. You need to freeze it, pack with dry ice, etc. And the packaging is expensive.
How to overcome: You already did!!! Didn't you sell a cake to @ZCP? Do the FDA regulations not apply when selling to individuals instead of businesses? If that's the case, this approach seems the most obvious. No lawyers, no capital, you can just go and do it, right? Am I missing something here? Include the shipping materials in the cost, add a high markup because why not, and just see if people order it? I'm pretty sure there are dozens of forum members who would buy a cheesecake right now if there was a form on your website, no matter the cost.

 

[B. Cole]

Naw, none of us here know the struggles because we all started our businesses with millions of dollars in the bank and an army of mentors behind us! None of us started our business with a second job and a boatload of debt!! We don't know the struggles! Those damn forum people got it good!

No shit.

Full time job and all the residuals from a slow lane mindset - fat mortgage, fat debt, big property to take care of, family and friends are all diehard side walkers. And I know that I have zero F*cking reasons that could justify a failure to succeed in my venture. I have it easy compared to some.

Go look at what @GPM is going through in his progress thread, amongst many others. Go look @Scot. Yup, we’re special.

Let us explore with the blue portions of our minds for a moment-

Cheesecake vids, akin to the vids of Almazan Kitchen, with great editing, exaggerated sound, sped up parts and slow motion drama would be absolute XXX foodporn. It would give people involuntary hot flashes knowing they could get one. Imagine the cheesecake featured in the latest video, the extreme high end of custom confectionary, is a birthday cheesecake for Mark Cuban or Richard Branson, from the Gordon Ramsay of cheesecakes. A boutique cheesecake chain, positioned in cities like Vegas, New York, Los Angeles.

But nope.

Instead, we’ve got the “artisans and master craftsmen dont make good business people” stereotype playing out in 4K. Anticipation grows into angst as the symphony lights grow dim, the composer fades into the darkness, and disappointment sets in - you never played our favorite song.

Eric, I’m going to find you on the way to Asheboro on Monday, kick you in the penis and take a cheesecake.

 

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[Thoelt53]

I had the pleasure of speaking with Eric earlier tonight. Super nice guy.

Eric can share details as he sees fit. I will say, however, we're going to get him into some commercial space shortly; from there he can grab some low hanging fruit that is essentially just waiting for him to have access to a commercial kitchen.

Let's get that momentum going, Eric!

 

[Scot]

kick you in the penis

Ow

 

[BlackMagician]

Finally on track Eric, Eh? a gold plate full of ideas, execution, money, investors, mentors are ready for you to take. Will you?

Now that you are ready, i am waiting for my cheesecakes here! How much damn long i have to wait for that heavenly cake?? I want the cake as soon as you have your commercial kitchen or i won't buy it! I don't want to eat heavenly cake with a black(quit) hand.

 

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[B. Cole]

I had the pleasure of speaking with Eric earlier tonight. Super nice guy.

Eric can share details as he sees fit. I will say, however, we're going to get him into some commercial space shortly; from there he can grab some low hanging fruit that is essentially just waiting for him to have access to a commercial kitchen.

Let's get that momentum going, Eric!

But - is Eric moving forward because he genuinely wants to grow this to the max, or because of peer pressure?

Cheesecakes may be awesome, but lest we forget that execution is king - and we all just saw a pretty blatant example of bad executional fortitude.

Eric, don’t mind if I judge you for a second - but I would be very apprehensive going into business with you. You make it hard to imagine yourself as the decisive majority share.

 

[Thoelt53]

But - is Eric moving forward because he genuinely wants to grow this to the max, or because of peer pressure?

Cheesecakes may be awesome, but lest we forget that execution is king - and we all just saw a pretty blatant example of bad executional fortitude.

Eric, don’t mind if I judge you for a second - but I would be very apprehensive going into business with you. You make it very hard to imagine yourself as the decisive majority share.

I was told he wants to grow it into a national brand. Whether or not he actually wants that, and will actually do that, no one knows yet. But time always tells.

There's no deal yet. For today I am simply lending a hand and giving a push.

 

[Ericito]

Finally on track Eric, Eh? a gold plate full of ideas, execution, money, investors, mentors are ready for you to take. Will you?

Now that you are ready, i am waiting for my cheesecakes here! How much damn long i have to wait for that heavenly cake?? I want the cake as soon as you have your commercial kitchen or i won't buy it! I don't want to eat heavenly cake with a black(quit) hand.

Thanks for the inspiration. Getting on track. However, Im not sure how soon before l ever reach India, but then again, being that outside of North Carolina I have literally hand delivered many to NYC, Miami, Tampa Florida, Greenville SC and Cumming GA, as well several was purchased and taken to Greece. Also visitors from Denmark, Sweden and Germany have also had Eric's Cheesecake. So even as small as l am, l have ventured into extended territories and the name and taste in out there. So who knows, eventually India could be a next day thing. I count nothing and no place out.

Im not sure what a black quit hand is, can you define that for me.
Thank again.

 

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[Longinus]

@Ericito
In 2 weeks I go to NYC. Can I order one? I'm serious.

 

[Ericito]

But - is Eric moving forward because he genuinely wants to grow this to the max, or because of peer pressure?

Cheesecakes may be awesome, but lest we forget that execution is king - and we all just saw a pretty blatant example of bad executional fortitude.

Eric, don’t mind if I judge you for a second - but I would be very apprehensive going into business with you. You make it hard to imagine yourself as the decisive majority share.

No problem. You have a right to judge however you wish. However, when you come from nothing and you have to build everything from scratch, because nothing is given to you. You have to make the best out of what you have, and hope that grows. Yes l do have an amazing talent, and l take pride in what l do. But l dont have the resources to do all the suggestions that many have been offering. Also l am not going to put my personal information on a forum/social media that is open to the world.
You dont know everything, but what you should know is that l can/will only do everything that is possible for me to make this work. I can only work in the means made available to me.
It starts with the product that l have to offer. I am really good at what l do and that talent no one will ever take it away from me, whether l make it big or not.

Again....You have a right to judge me. I know who l am and what l am capable of.

 

[ZCP]

@Ericito so what is the plan? specifically? with due dates?

 

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[Ericito]

@Ericito
In 2 weeks I go to NYC. Can I order one? I'm serious.

How close are you to North Carolina. I no longer deliver to NYC. This is going to sound funny....But l could not bring enough cakes. The demand was higher then my production could provide. Actually production was not difficult, it was frozen storage and transport. But a huge success in NYC with the demand still being requested.
Lets see how close you can get to NC, and I will work it out for you to get one or a few.
Thanks for inquiring.

 

[Ericito]

@Ericito so what is the plan? specifically? with due dates?

@Ericito so what is the plan? specifically? with due dates?

ZCP....Did you ever see the email l sent you last year, in response after you received the cheesecake?

 

[ZCP]

@Ericito May 31, 2018 1137am ........ you were doing cheesecake pops and trying to figure out how to do a store ...... and adding a bunch of mental hurdles and excuses about being small, etc. .......

I'm asking for an action plan to grow this business!! What steps in what order completed by what date??

[Sounds like you do not know how. So get together with someone (@Thoelt53 ?) and get a plan together.]

Let's quit dicking around and do this!!

 

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[Ericito]

Wow you know what @Scot !

I haven't baked a nice cheesecake in a while but i am a chef by trade, so i might bake a few at work tomorrow and see what happens....

I dont have cheesecakes on my menu for my current business but might be able to add some as an option......

PLEASE @Ericito GO GET IT!!!!

Give it try and see what happens or l can just ship you a few hundred...LOL...but serious.

 

[Merging Left]

Serious question - have you considered relocating to NYC? It seems like you'd have a much larger audience there.