"No" New Year's Resolution

Earlier this week, my friend Kathia at Pink Little Cake blogged about a staying up late to do a last-minute order for a customer and how hard it was for her to say "No".  My comment was that bakers as a whole have a hard time saying No.  Is it our compulsion to make for and feed others, or is it as simple as not wanting to lose a paying customer?

It reminded me that I haven't shared my New Year's resolution with you all.  It's to learn better how to say "No" when I know I should. 

Case in point:  February is a horribly jam-packed month for us.  Two bridal shows (1 / 2) and a cake competition to be judged by none other than Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes (but that's another post), and a special tasting at the Chattanoogan, not to mention the scarce few orders I felt I could take to bring in some revenue for the month..  And then I get a call from my good friend Tara at The Car Barn.  She is so excited and tells me that ABC's Extreme Home Makeover is coming to Chattanooga and she wants me to do a big elaborate cake for the fundraiser.  It broke my heart to tell her No, but I had already committed my time to these other people and projects.

I spent the next few days worrying about disappointing a friend and colleague, and about losing some potentially great exposure, but in the end I know that my customers, my husband, and my sanity will thank me for it!

So the question of the day for the other bakers that stop by is, Do you have a hard time saying No?

PS: If you're in the Chattanooga area, stop by the Chattanooga Convention Center this Sunday (Feb 6) and say "Hi".  We'll even give you some cake!