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Making it in Germany: a purveyor of delightful Yankee desserts

The Local's series "Making it in Germany" presents Dawn Nelson, an American entrepreneur bringing quality cupcakes to Berlin.

Published: 23 November 2009 16:40 CET
Making it in Germany: a purveyor of delightful Yankee desserts
Photo: Dawn Nelson and her partner Daniel Bader

Behold the cupcake: tiny, sweet, and impeccably decorated. This adorably yummy dessert classic has recently become a full-fledged foodie craze in the United States, presenting Dawn Nelson with the perfect opportunity to get Berliners hooked on them too. The Local spoke to her about opening up the German capital’s first cupcake shop.

Name:

Dawn Nelson

Age:

31

Where do you live?

Berlin

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Florida and lived there most of my life. I moved to Philly when I was in my mid-twenties and lived there for five years before moving to Berlin.

What did you do before coming to Germany?

I was a makeup artist with MAC Cosmetics and also a bartender for a variety of different concert venues.

What brought you to Germany and when did you come?

I originally backpacked through Berlin back in 2004 for the first time. I always said that one day I wanted to move here! In April of 2006 I finally made the move to Berlin following a divorce. I really needed a change in scenery and lifestyle, so I figured what better time to go.

What was your first job in Germany?

My first job in Berlin was opening the Cupcake shop! I took a year off of work to research and plan out the steps on what I needed to do to make the idea a reality.

How did you go about setting up your shop?

The idea for the concept of Cupcake started out when my best friend and I were vacationing in Prague. We were having lunch at a café and I was pondering what I wanted to do for work in Berlin, since good-paying jobs were hard to come by. She said “You love to bake and cook for other people, so why don’t you open a cupcake shop!” Then the light bulb went off. When we got back to Berlin I started researching the idea and realised that there wasn’t a cupcake shop in Berlin (or even Germany at the time!). Finally, a year later, we officially opened Berlin’s first cupcake shop!

Could you describe your current job?

Oh, where to start? I basically do everything and anything I need to do to make my business run smoothly… baking the cupcakes, doing dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning the shop, organizing menus, advertising, creating merchandise, shopping, ordering supplies, taxes, paperwork, and just about any other little thing that pops up in between!

What were the biggest challenges you faced? How did you deal with them?

Every day we experience new and difficult challenges. I think the hardest thing about opening and running a business in Germany are all the offices that you need to deal with. We take each problem step-by-step and figure it out.

What’s your best advice for ‘making it’ here?

I think that Berlin is one of those cities where you can really invent yourself. It’s important to be original and not follow others. Do what you love and find something you’re good at, then pursue it!

What’s the biggest difference about working in Germany?

For me, I guess it’s the bureaucracy here and all the offices, rules and regulations that go along with it.

What’s the best thing about your line of work?

Meeting new and interesting people from all over the world. Our shop is a magnet for tourists and travelers from abroad. It’s really cool that we get people from Spain or Brazil who have heard about our cupcakes and searched us out specifically!

What’s the hardest part about living in Germany?

I can’t complain really about Germany specifically. I think for me the worst thing is that I work too much. There isn’t much that I miss except certain foods, which I try to make myself.

How’s your German? Do you speak it at work?

I definitely need to learn more! I am so busy in the kitchen that I don’t have a lot of free time to learn now. I do speak German at work to the customers, but mainly I find myself speaking English at home with my boyfriend, who is also my business partner.

Do you have a ‘making it’ story? Let us know: news@thelocal.de

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Four steps to take straight away after losing your job in Germany

Losing a job can be a nightmare situation for foreigners in Germany - but following these simple steps will get you back on your feet in no time.

Published: 10 September 2024 16:34 CEST
Updated: 15 September 2024 08:14 CEST
Four steps to take straight away after losing your job in Germany

In times of economic downturn, layoffs are far from unusual – but that doesn’t make it any more difficult for the people who find themselves suddenly left without work.

For foreigners in Germany, the situation is even more frightening. You may wonder whether your residence status is in jeopardy, how hard it will be to find another position, and whether you can support yourself while you look for another job.

Though it may be hard to think clearly at a time like this, following these four simple steps will set you in good stead to move forward – and hopefully, it won’t be long before another dream opportunity comes your way. 

1. Negotiate your terms 

Before signing or agreeing to anything, it’s crucial that you’re familiar with your rights and understand how much notice your employer has to give you and what kind of settlement you may be owed.

Generally, the rule of thumb is that you get half a month of severance for every year you worked at the company. That said, higher settlements can be negotiated in return for signing a termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag), so you may want to seek legal advice before settling. 

Even during a probationary period, your employer will also have to give you a certain amount of notice before your last working day. During the interim, you can either work for the company or be put on what is known as gardening leave in English, where you stay home but are paid as if you were working.

This can all be negotiated as part of a termination agreement, so you should think carefully about what works best for you and consider speaking to your labour council (Betriebsrat) or a legal specialist before making any firm decisions. You should also be aware that you have no obligation to sign any agreement and can legally dispute the layoff if you want to. 

READ ALSO: Can I get unemployment benefits in Germany if I quit my job?

2. Get all the necessary documents from your employer

Once the terms of the layoff are final, ensure that your employer gives you all the necessary documents you need to navigate the next phase of German bureaucracy.

The main two to think about first are the confirmation of work (Arbeitsbescheinung) and the confirmation of your holiday entitlement (Urlaubsbescheinigung).

The first can be sent to the Agentur für Arbeit (jobcentre) as proof of your last job and recent layoff, while the second will help your next employer calculate your vacation days for the rest of the year.

An Arbeitszeugnis, or German letter of reference

An Arbeitszeugnis, or German letter of reference. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-tmn | Zacharie Scheurer

On top of these documents, you’ll want to ask your employer for a letter of reference (Arbeitszeugnis), which is useful for finding a new job in Germany.

You should also keep hold of your last payslip and statement of earnings (Lohnsteuerabrechnung), which are helpful for tax purposes and may also be requested by the Agentur für Arbeit.

Speaking of which… 

3. Register as unemployed with the Agentur für Arbeit

As soon as you know that you are soon to be unemployed, you should register as a jobseeker with the Agentur für Arbeit. To get full unemployment benefits, you usually have to do this within three days of receiving your termination notice or at least three months before leaving.

Depending on what type of residence permit you’re on, you may or may not be entitled to long-term unemployment benefits (ALG II), but most employees are able to get unemployment insurance (ALG I), which covers a proportion of your former salary while you look for a new role.

It’s important to be a little bit careful here, as claiming long-term unemployment benefits (ALG II) can affect any future citizenship applications. Any severance pay you agree to can also result in you losing some months of unemployment benefits, so these are all factors you will have to consider while deciding on the best way forward. 

READ ALSO: What happens to your work permit if you lose your job in Germany?

4. Inform the immigration office 

If you’re on a residence permit that is linked to your job in some way, like a Blue Card or work visa, you’ll need to inform the immigration office about your change in circumstances as soon as possible.

This should be done in writing, and in German, within two weeks of receiving your termination notice.

You should include all relevant personal information, such as date of birth, residence permit type, and nationality, as well as the date of your final day at work. As proof of the layoff, you should also enclose a copy of your termination agreement or a letter from your employer. 

People enter the immigration office

For foreigners who move to Germany and settle in Berlin, a visit to the Berliner Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) is ultimately unavoidable. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Britta Pedersen

In most cases, the immigration office will give you between 3 and 12 months to look for a new job. If they give you a shorter period, be aware that you may be able to negotiate an extension later on if you are struggling to find work through no fault of your own.

Above all, stay positive. Though it may feel like one door has closed, another one is sure to open. This being Germany, you may just have to wade through a sea of paperwork to get there.

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