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Paul Bradford was so determined to establish a successful cake shop that while he was learning his art he would get up a 3am to cycle the five miles to work. His dream became a reality when he established Truly Scrumptious Designer Cakes in Main Street, Linlithgow.  Paul, 24, first became fascinated with baking as a youngster, while helping his grandmother make cakes. He even took home economics class at Bathgate Academy. After school, Paul spent two years at Edinburgh's Telford College, where he earned a National Certificate in craft baking and a Higher National Certificate in baking technology as well as gaining valuable bakery experience in Jenners and Safeway.
It was during work experience at Oliphants the Bakers in Linlithgow, however, that Paul finally found himself. Paul recalls: "On my very last day, just when I was starting to look forward to a short holiday, they asked 'Will we see you on Monday then?' I started off baking bread, pies, sausage rolls, sponges before progressing onto confectionery such as meringues, eclairs, French cakes and caramel short cakes. I wanted to do cakes but they had such a small cake department that they didn't have a full-time job for me to do, so I did both. Before I got my car I used to cycle the five miles from Bathgate to Linlithgow every morning at 3am for a 4am start". However, Paul's ambitions were brought down to earth with a bang when a customer asked him to make a cake. He was so annoyed that he couldn't do it he enrolled at night school to study advanced cake decorating. After a year and a half of travelling to college after work every Tuesday night, Paul received another certificate, but also came second in the Scottish Culinary Arts championships. His dedication was tested again when he was given the opportunity to work for Scotland's top designer cake shop, based in Glasgow. Wanting to improve his skills and learn different techniques, he took the job, but kept a Saturday job firing bread at Oliphants. His loyalty paid off when Mr Oliphant bought a bakery in Main Street, and knowing Paul's ambitions, offered him the chance of using part of the premises to bake and sell cakes. Paul said: "Spending a year in Glasgow showed me how a real cake shop worked rather just a bakers with a cake sideline. When Mr Oliphant put his proposition to me I jumped at the chance".
Paul approached Business Gateway West Lothian in Livingston. He said: "My experience was all in the practical side of making cakes but I had no business experience at all. My adviser at the Business Gateway, Malcolm Evans, wanted to see my ideas so I took him some pictures and told him all my ideas. He gave me all the information and help I needed to set up the business~".
"Malcolm was definitely a big help. He helped me access money from the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust as well as a grant for a computer to get the business off the ground. They told me what to expect and their after-care service has also helped me to keep on track". "The best advice I could give anyone would be to make the Business Gateway their starting point for business". He added: "I was worried at first because I had a mortgage to pay and it's a big jump to go from having a salary to not having a salary, but it has payed off".
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