CHRISTMAS is certainly the time for cakes. Last week we shared about one entrepreneur who is sweetening up her business with black cakes. This week, we take a look at another baker who is preparing for the busy season.

Falesha Chandler has invested time and money to create a small business from her home in Salem, Parika, East Bank Essequibo, to become independent and earn.

She makes from scratch lovely cakes of all sizes, shapes, flavours to suit the needs of customers based on the occasion or event.

Chandler came from a family of bakers, from her grandparents to her very own mother, whom she learned from and became a protégé.

The 28-year-old, who recently tied the knot and left her Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara home for Parika, spends most of her time baking cakes in her own small business, which started in 2021.

She explained that she used to work in the city at a pharmacy, and the commute was too much for her daily so she opted to quit and pursue her love of baking.

The young woman was making cakes part-time, but after she left her full-time job, she allotted that time to baking fully.

Chandler told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is the third generation of bakers in the family tree and she managed to achieve a lot in baking due to schooling and encouragement from her mother.

Her small business is named “Cake and Bake” and she has come a long way after perfecting the art of baking and she is happy about her journey thus far.

Chandler specialises in black cake, sponge cake, fruit cake, cupcakes, cheesecakes, pastries, sweet treats like gulab jamun, parsad, mithai, cake pops, and cake icicles.

She has since constructed an extra kitchen just to accommodate her baking needs, and her spouse would assist with the delivery of cakes based on orders.

“My mother-in-law is also a great help. When I am overwhelmed with orders, she would assist me by cooking meals and household chores, and I am very appreciative of all they are doing to help my small business grow,” she said.

Chandler reported that this time of the year, it is the busiest for her due to the demand of cakes for the holidays and she is happy to disclose too, that she is fully booked.

“For you to bake alone, you have to love it or it will become too much to do, but I embrace it. It is a lot of work and involves patience to get it right, but in the end when you complete the final product, it is worth it,” Chandler explained.

This year, she stated that she has orders for most schools on that corridor, she has to fulfill catering for mostly cupcakes, donuts and pastries for Christmas parties.

To keep her adrenalin flowing to maintain momentum and not loose focus, Chandler reported that she remains motivated because she loves what she does for a living and will make sacrifices for her small business to grow.

“When I bake, it brings me peace and joy from the inside out and it makes me feel good about myself, I can truly exhibit what I feel in the form of cakes,” she said.

Chandler pointed out that for any business to grow one must learn from the day-to-day operation and make adjustments to remain financially viable.

She added that with the increasing cost of living, the prices for baking products are increasing rapidly and she is always looking to source products wholesale to ensure the prices for her cakes are within a certain range.

Chandler stated that to remain profitable, she would also make her own fruits from scratch and have it cured properly before using it to give people the traditional cakes they crave.

She has a regular supplier of eggs in bulk and would stock up on baking products often just in case she gets and unexpected order to complete.

Having a small business is all about time and money, and for Chandler, she has the right packaging to accompany her high-quality products.

Chandler told the Pepperpot Magazine that her dream will soon be realised and she is aiming towards establishing her very own bakery to display and sell her homemade cakes.

“I would like to have it at a central point, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara. There is always a steady flow of people and I know it will happen for me because I am working towards that goal,” she said.