Small Vegan Bakery Startup Needs Help

I need help. I'm trying to start up a small vegan wholesale bakery business. My investing partner dropped out at the last minute and I'm trying to still move forward to make this vision a reality.

I want to sell honest, simple vegan pies and pastries wholesale through other small businesses and local grocery stores. I want to offer food that is delicious and appealing to both vegans and non-vegans, and I believe I have the abilities to do that.

I have been a baker for 15 years, working for other people, and it is work that I have always loved. After becoming vegan a few years ago I have slowly come to the point where I've felt a change is needed since the food I've been making at work no longer matches up with my personal ethics. As a single mother, I've also reached the point where I want to start earning money for myself and on my own terms, and maybe one day earn enough to create a better life and future for my daughter.

I came up with a business plan that involved selling vegan (and some gluten free) baked goods locally from a commercial kitchen, delivering and selling through other small local businesses. I would be the only hands-on employee, and a previous boss who has a commercial kitchen I could work from agreed to also become an investor. He would offer some startup cash and the location for me to work from, as well as some marketing and accounting support.

I left my baking job at Christmas and have since been working towards this new business, which was to start up in February. My time has been spent tweaking recipes and food costs, and sourcing outlets to sell my products from. I was very enthused and optimistic until (the week when I was to be up and running), my partner bailed. I now find myself with no kitchen to work from, no working capital, and I'm desperate to keep plugging forward despite recently starting to feel very defeated.

I have now finally found a small kitchen to rent (easier said than done in this town), and I want to start buying up ingredients and start selling. I would love at some point to work into the business model an aspect of donation, such as donating foods and/or a portions of profits to the local shelter or food bank. I can see where I could be and how I could get there. It's a simple business plan and with simple, great foods, and I just need help getting going on it.

It humbles me to ask for help, and it's always been hard for me to accept help. I've always felt the need to be strong and self-sufficient, and that I should be able to provide for my daughter without assistance. And I have, and I can. I just want to find a better way to do that that can grow and at some point also help others, and this is my way of doing that. Thank you.