Simply Cupcakes of Naples started as an online cupcake store four years ago, taking orders online and delivering cupcakes to Naples, Florida residents. Two years ago, the first store was opened and now a second store is being opened on Marco Island.  They have over 9500 Facebook fans.  Simply Cupcakes is considered the premier cupcake store in Southwest Florida and they also supply cupcakes to Nordstrom’s and ship bundt cakes worldwide.

Simply Cupcakes offers 28 cupcake selections in gourmet size and minis. They are booked for at least one cupcake wedding a week through April and are in the process of hiring their 5th baker.

In addition to being a very successful cupcake store, Simply Cupcakes offers training for people who want to open their own cupcake business; either storefront or online. In a little over a year, they have trained people in 25 locations from California to Puerto Rico. The training is either ‘hands on’ in Naples or through a Distance Learning Program. It includes the very popular recipes, a license to use the Simply Cupcakes name, an exclusive territory with only on Simply Cupcakes in a county, a logo, a website, marketing, recommended suppliers and ongoing support. The ‘hands on’ training sessions are only done four times a year with the next one March 19-21 but the Distance Learning Training can be started any time.  Details can be found here.

Joanne Glasgow, owner of Simply Cupcakes said “When I first started out, it was trial and error since there was nowhere to get info on starting a cupcake business. After I started, many people contacted me and asked for help. They said that they could bake but had no idea how to start a business. That’s why I created this program.”

“We train people to do what I did… start online and build a customer base. Then if they decide to open a store, they have customers from the first day. We have been told that our training program is the only one of it’s kind anywhere. All of the people we have trained have become a community who exchange ideas and info at our online Message Board. The entire program is unique and has been proven to work. It’s the same concept of a franchise… being in business for yourself but not by yourself… but without the big franchise fee, restrictions or ongoing expenses.”

This is a sponsored post by Simply Cupcakes.