My wife and I have been baking from home for years, and our friends keep telling us we should open a shop. The problem is we have no business experience. Has anyone here opened a bakery or similar food business?

I was in a similar situation two years ago. Had been making pastries as a hobby but knew nothing about running a business. The startup costs for an independent bakery were scary - equipment, lease, permits, marketing. I spent about 6 months researching and talking to small business owners before deciding what to do

I went through this exact process last year. After looking at the costs of starting from scratch vs. buying a franchise, I decided to explore the franchise route. Found this list of bakery franchises at https://topfranchise.com/catalog/bakery-franchises/ which helped me compare options. Ended up going with a smaller chain that let me keep some creative control over the menu. The initial investment was higher than I planned, but they helped with location selection and had systems for everything from inventory to staff training. It's definitely not easy and I work more hours than at my old job, but we broke even faster than expected. My advice is to talk to actual franchise owners before signing anything - they'll give you the real story about what it's like

I've never opened a food shop, but I know a great website that lists the best restaurants in Bali - https://noodlemagazined.com/restaurants-in-ubud-where-to-experience-authentic-balinese-cuisine/ . So if you want to know more about the food business in Bali, then this site contains the best places to eat in Bali!