I like cake. I especially like watching talented people create incredible cakes, like Chef Duff on Ace of Cakes. Week after week, Duff and his crew at Charm City Cakes keep cranking out cake after amazing cake.
Go ahead. Have a peek at what these guys do. I’ll wait.
Sometimes I wonder exactly how the team is going to pull off these projects. They run into all sorts of obstacles: crunched deadlines, clients changing their minds mid-stream, uncooperative equipment, melting pieces, or designs that looked great on paper but that didn’t work out once gravity came into play.
It Ain’t Just Cake, Baby
The take-away lessons Ace of Cakes run deep, and one is how to have the best attitude to meet a challenge head-on. Plenty of designers have their share of projects where someone hands them a scribble on a napkin and says, “Turn that into something spectacular!”
It’s up to you to figure out how to pull that off – and it’s not always easy.
The Charm City Cakes team enthusiastically embraces every challenge. Many of these creations require innovative ideas, and the crew has to figure out how to create armatures and supports to achieve desired shapes while still having enough edible parts to feed everyone.
The Harley cake was a good example. The customer wanted a full standing motorcycle replica made of cake and that’s what he got. Then there was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup with the spinning break-dancer on top. Now there’s a challenge.
Duff has a reputation for creating the outrageous, and that reputation drives the business. People want different. They want something fun and unique, something that reflects their personalities. Charm City Cakes rises to the challenge. They never say, “Nope, too hard,” or, “It just can’t be done!” They meet the projects head on.
Attitude is Everything
If you answer, “Yes, I can,” enthusiastically to all projects and client requests, you’ve set yourself up for success from the start. You’ve told your mind that you can do it, and that’s half the battle right there. The situation is a fun puzzle to figure out, you know you can find the solution, and your perspective is primed and ready to go.
Watching the bakers and designers in the show tackle a new project is an interesting process. At first, they scratch their heads and study the project from all angles. They’ll turn it this way and that, they joke that it’s impossible and crazy, but then the ideas start to flow.
Some ideas are ridiculous, but they never discard any, and neither should you, no matter how silly it seems. From one idea comes another, and some part of that silliness may prove to be the foundation for the solution. Charm City cakes has fun with each of their projects, they try different solutions, and their ‘can-do’ attitude is one you should take on too.
When the cakes are delivered to clients at the end of the show, you can see the excitement on clients’ faces – and you want to cheer as if you were part of the team, too. Nothing beats the feeling of a job well done when you see the client’s expectations were met – or exceeded.
Dude. I LOVE Ace of Cakes. I always thought that would be the coolest job EVER… to figure out how to make all those crazy cakes that customers request, and then actually put all the little pieces together and see them come to life.
I think this is why I love programming so much – it’s the same sort of idea. You start with a big idea, then break it down into all the little pieces that will make it work. And when they all come together to make a final product that works exactly how you wanted it to… damn, it’s the best feeling in the world.
Ugh, I keep getting “This video is not available in your country” from Youtube. *sulks*
I love the story that Justin Herald http://www.justinherald.com/ tells of early days in his business. He was at a meeting with one of his wholesalers, and the guy asked him about a children’s line of clothing. “Oh yeah, sure we do” says Justin, and goes on to describe the clothing. Took the order and walked out of the meeting. Rings his manufacturer on the way home and tells him to start making a children’s line of clothing!
Every time I’ve said “Yes” while inwardly screaming “Noooooo” it’s always worked out well, as a growing experience and also generally as a really good time as well!
Melinda´s last blog post…What’s Your Marketing Funnel Look Like?
Harry,
I love that show. I’m a pretty fine cake decorator myself, but what I appreciate when I watch Ace of Cakes is the challenges they meet , as you say, not their artistry. (They did one with fireworks inside in the first season and I knew this was not gonna be Martha Stewart’s cakes!)
Attitude is everything, but I think they’ve got a little streak of group-insanity running through their shop, too.
A touch of wild and crazy doesn’t hurt. Lets things roll off your back when you just don’t know which way to turn!
Regards,
Kelly
Hey Kelly, can I see the cakes you’ve done? I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours….
Melinda´s last blog post…What’s Your Marketing Funnel Look Like?
I love the parallel and totally agree. When I ran my flower shop, we would get the oddest requests to do the craziest things with flowers. We always pulled it off though. Now whether we’re writing or designing, my partner and I love to “Yes I can” and turn in something spectacular, surprising them and sometimes ourselves.
Writer Dad´s last blog post…7 Steps to Squeaky Clean Copy
Great analogy!! Yes, I can. Yes, I can. Yes, I can…………………….:)
Wow. I feel like the odd one out because I don’t watch TV. Yikes.
About the “Yes, I can”attitude, it’s what most freelancers base their entire careers upon. We can’t possibly know about everything and yet we churn out copy like we’ve been gardening organically all our lives!
Ask me about soil, pesticides, herbicides, natural fertilizers (three words: they smell BAD!) and planting techniques and I’ll talk like I know nothing else! And all because I said “I can” when the project was talked about.
In a few days I’ll be able to tell you what shampoos suit Great Danes best
Samar´s last blog post…Overdosing on Copyblogger
@Allison: That’s how I feel about doing sites. Sometimes it all seems pretty huge, but then you start reverse engineering and breaking it down to it’s most fundamental elements to get it to work and that’s where the fun starts.
You know, after looking at AoC’s website, he could use someone like Son to take pics of those cakes.
@Melinda: Hehe, there’s plenty of times where my inner voice is screaming “Noooooo!”. I think it happens to everyone. Except James. I’ve found that the moment I approach any project with the can do attitude, it does get easier.
@Kelly: I think Duff’s was put on the map with one of the Food Network’s Food Challenge shows. That was the one with the fireworks. He was totally insane and blew everyone away.
And you’re right, the moment you let the doubts roll off and just go for it, the fun begins.
@Melinda & Kelly: I’d show you a few cakes I’ve done too, if I can find the pictures. Fun stuff.
@Writer Dad: What was the oddest request you ever had?
@Samar: Isn’t it great how freelancing keeps your mind fresh? I have to say that’s one of the things I love about it, no two days are the same and I’m always expanding my knowledge base.
@Lisa: Thanks! Yes you can! Now go do it!
I watch Ace of Cakes because it’s exceedingly entertaining and hilarious but I see it in a new light now that I’ve read this post. I never really thought about the amazing attitude they have until now. I’ll be thinking about this every time I deal with clients from now on. Crazy how a cake decorating show can change the way you do business.
A giant football field for a super bowl party. Lots of greens on the bed with two teams of flower football players. My sister actually did the work but it was AMAZING (as is all of her work).
Writer Dad´s last blog post…7 Steps to Squeaky Clean Copy
I love Ace of Cakes too, but let’s not forget they’re on tv and they know it. People tend to act a little differently when there’s a worldwide audience involved. Also, one of Duff’s “formulas” which he comes right out and says, is that he hired people he was friends with and/or went to school with, which changes the dynamic. Most of us don’t work that way, and that can affect how we approach a project.
Melinda, Harry,
My cake photos are (*gasp*) film. That would involve (*gasp*) effort to make them e-files… not saying it won’t happen, but oh, I doubt it will happen this week… busybusybusy… I’ll try to remember to look into them on the weekend, though. That’s the kind of thing I should get around to anyway.
Carrie,
Then the obvious followup post for the Men: Act like you’re on t.v. and you know it. Right?
Until later,
Kelly
Harry – Exactly. Like this awesome new project I heard about today… I’m actually getting kind of giddy thinking, “Oooh I can do this thing, and if I do that in this way… then that other thing should work out just right…” *excited*
Heh, thanks. You’re right, their photos could use some help, though I’m not sure they really need better photos to get more business considering the tv show and all.
You decorate cakes? Dude. Not like you weren’t pretty much one of the coolest guys ever already, but you still seem to get cooler every time I talk to you.
So how does “Yes I can” compare with being in a niche? I can understand it for cakes – people want whatever cake, but they are asking for cake.
When I was organizing, however, I got requests for all different types of organizing and if I had said “Yes I can” to every organizing request, I would have tossed my energy all over the place and not gained a reputation in any particular niche (actually that’s what I did in my first two years and I cost me a lot of effort in my third year to pull it all together into one type of thing).
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome´s last blog post…The World Owes Me Nothing: Glen Allsopp Interview
Always give yourself permission to think outside the box! It’s amazing what your mind can come up with if you shun “That’s not done!” and replace it with “Hey! What if I…..”
You can almost always leap ahead of your colleagues that way, too.
Data points, Barbara
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog post…Friends downloaded free software that had viruses
@Cassie: I always think of that when I watch anything on Food Network. Like Iron Chefs? Those guys are making up stuff on the spot, pulling from their whole knowledge base to create a what…5 course meal in an hour? The same could be said for Top Chef, or Project Runway (ok, yes, you’ve got me…I’m hooked on reality competition shows like they were crack). Seriously though, these people are under immense pressure to perform and if they don’t have that “can do” attitude it’s aufedersein baby!
@Carrie: Ah, yes, hiring friends. This is a very, very risky formula and not everyone is quite so lucky as Duff to make it work. In some ways, it’s more difficult than starting a business without any friends involved.
@Writer Dad: That sounds awesome!
@Kelly; Don’t worry, mine aren’t on digital either. So, is acting like you’re on TV the updated version of that old Irish saying, “Dance as if no one is watching”?
@Allison: I am a man of many layers. But it ain’t bragging if you can back it up, right?
@Alex: There are limits, however, it’s up to you as the designer, writer, baker, whatever, to look at the project and figure out how it can be done. Some may be harder than others, but nothing is impossible. If you can’t do it yourself, chances are there is someone out there who can and all you have to do is tap into that. Do I know everything there is to know about everything? Hell no. But I can guarantee you I’ll research until I drop to find the answer.
@Barbara: We love the box! Embrace the box, because without it, where would the challenge be?
Harry – This is very true. Mind you, I never accused you of bragging. I only accused you of being terribly fascinating, and incredibly cool.
Harry,
How interesting! The only one I’ve heard that phrase from was Satchel Paige:
“Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching.”
But I do know an old Irishwoman who quoted it once…
To answer your question: Yes, definitely.
Later,
Kelly
@ Alex – I understand what you’re asking, and it has nothing to do with job complexity. It has to do with the fact that saying yes to everything can have you seriously overbooked very quickly.
Which is, of course, not the point of being a specialist.
When you’re a specialist, you stand out as being the best. Yes! You can do everything! But… that doesn’t mean you’ll take on the project. You develop a waiting list. You learn to say, “I can only do that in July – would you like to reserve now before someone else takes the spot?”
There’s a huge difference between saying yes foolishly and using yes as a wise tool (and I think that’s exactly what you were pointing out in your comment.)
I think my thoughts on this post and its potential meaning have nothing to do with feeling scared to say yes or feeling not up to the job. I find that many of the comments seemed to take that angle, and while Harry seems to think I’m the only person to walk boldly where none have gone before, I’ll say this:
I wasn’t born with confidence.
Confidence comes from taking risks and trusting yourself to do a good job. If you can’t trust yourself, you can’t trust anyone and you shouldn’t be asking others to hire you and trust in you as well.
I understand that everyone has fears. I have my own, plenty of them. However, I don’t let my fears control me. I figure out what they are and I develop a plan to take them down.
Lacking skills? Get them. Learn. Take a course. Afraid of being laughed at? Figure out why that bothers you so much and fix it. Think you’re not up for the job? Try. Don’t let foolish self-doubts get in the way of what you want to do.
By trusting yourself, you can say, “Yes, I can.” You may not get it right on the first try. You may not dazzle. You may hit a bump and have to work harder or look for help. But you have to believe in yourself and know that no matter what, you’ll be just fine. Trust yourself to handle anything that can happen.
I doubt that the people who make these cakes approach any project with trepidation, hesitancy and fear – otherwise, they’d never be able to do what they can.
And, lest this appear a rant (which it isn’t, just my personal thoughts), every single person commenting and reading can do something just as fantastically as these cake makers can. So find what that is and trust in yourself.
Cheers.
Harry, I agree with Allison and Kelly. You are totally the coolest dude around. Except for James. So nearly the coolest dude.
I have to say that reading MwP comments first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day. That comment from James is a great shot in the arm to be going on with. Thanks!
Melinda´s last blog post…What’s Your Marketing Funnel Look Like?
*in a very small whisper* (I still think Harry’s cooler. Ssshhh… don’t tell James!)
James,
Rock on.
@ Allison – *whispers* Sasha… No one is safe… *whispers*
James – *hides, trembling*
I love this post – the correlation between new projects and new cakes, the idea that there are no things as obstacles, only opportunities, and yes, the clean slate, new car smell of a brand, spanking new project.
Rock on.
Deb Ng´s last blog post…What Should Your Freelance Writing Client Do?
I always like the ‘Yes, I can” attitude. I never say ‘NO’ to any project (except for less money!), however difficult and complex to me. I feel it’s an opportunity to learn. Otherwise, how do we learn new things?. I didn’t know till the other day how to make dough, except appreciating how my wife does it with so much ease.
I started doing it myself, and improving at it on daily basis. I take so much pride each time I make supple, fluffy chappatis.
The comment by James is so powerful. It comes with jumbo power and blows me away. I know the force and power comes through experience – being there and done it feeling.
I appreciate those cake-makers who literally wait (for sure) for a bigger, more complex project each time they finish a new one. That’s what gives them the kick (the appreciation!), besides the remuneration.
So is for all of us writers, designers and entrepreneurs and all!
Solomon´s last blog post…Go Crazy …. It helps you LEARN and WIN
Harry – a late comment but I just wanted to say I thought this was a great post. It was direct to the point and inspirational at the same time. I very much agree with the “Some ideas are ridiculous, but they never discard any, and neither should you, no matter how silly it seems.” thought. Some ideas in their entirety may be ridiculous but there are usually some elements in that ridiculous idea that should be examined further. I believe there was a reason for that idea in the first place so why not find out why you came up with it in the first place. Also a ridiculous idea from a different perspective or twist can be illuminating. Well you get the idea, I’m a fan of ridiculous ideas. They’re fun.
James – I loved your confidence/risk personal thought comment above. I copied and saved it as a text file to my desktop. Good stuff.
@DebNg: I love the smell of new project in the morning! Well, that and coffee.
@Solomon: In the end, it’s all about the learning. There are some days it doesn’t come easy and the old noggin’ gets banged pretty hard against the keyboard. But in retrospect? I’m sometimes amazed at how much that learning curve continues to expand.
@Mark W: No such thing as a late comment, glad you could stop by. Believe me, I have a HUGE file of ideas I’ve tucked away in the recesses of my mind. Sometimes they gather dust for quite a while until the moment is right, but nothing goes to waste.
This is the first time I’ve read your blog, and I expect I’ll be spending quite a bit of time reading older entries. I’ve never watched the television show Ace of Cakes, but I just saw the clip of the Harley cake and was quite impressed!
Quite a challenge! Thanks for telling us about it.
Paige´s last blog post…Rather sad
I love cakes! I really enjoy watching these wonderful and unique cake confections being made. It’s really inspiring to see something so wonderful and extraordinary materialize from scratch! Just goes to show that perseverance and dedication pays off, and that with inspiration and motivation, you can do almost anything. Thanks!