THE art of baking and cake decorating has often been categorised as a women-dominated field. Despite this, Jonathan Parshotam, mostly known as “Jonnixx” or “Nation”, is one male cake artist who is shining in the industry with his creativity and passion. Jonathan grew up with his tight-knit, supportive family, along with amazing neighbours. He attended Rosehall Town Primary and J.C. Chandisingh Secondary before moving on to study electrical engineering at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI).

He described his upbringing as very simple. “We didn’t have everything, but what we had was what we needed,” said Jonathan. His parents taught him values that he uses to this very day, and they ensured he showed love regardless of appearance. These values have proven vital to his success in business and other chosen paths. The instilment of a good work ethic and the pursuit of greatness is what allowed him to defy all odds.

Pepperpot Magazine asked Jonathan what inspired him to start a cake business, and he responded by saying, “My mother actually started this business. It was named after her, ‘Sabrina.’” He remembers watching her make these cakes and always wondered how it was even possible. For him, it was a new world, and it certainly piqued his interest and imagination. “I took the bait and went down to ‘YouTube University’, as I call it, and soaked up all the knowledge I possibly could.”

He wanted to learn as many skills as he could to contribute to the business. He started by taking pictures and packaging the cakes, and later, he became the cake artist of the business with his mother’s support. The Berbician cake artist indicated that time management and managing customers’ expectations are definitely the most challenging aspects of his work. It is something that he constantly works on through the development of systems, checklists, and regular upgrades.

Pepperpot Magazine wanted to learn more about his motivation to pursue his passion in a women-dominated field, and Jonathan stated that it takes constant work, mental toughness, and utmost resilience to continue. He further shared words of encouragement to other young boys and men who would love to pursue cake artistry: “Just go for it. That’s all there really is for me to say. If you never take the first step, you’ll never know how far you could possibly go. Never dwell in thoughts of failure, only thoughts of your possible success. I understand it may seem intimidating, and you’re doubting your ability. However, there are no failures, only lessons, and if you take note of those lessons and keep trying, you are going to succeed.”

His proudest accomplishment as an entrepreneur is that he has a diverse customer base—from all walks of life. Apart from his cake artistry, he is also a musician for the Tsuami Band and a content creator/educator. He looks forward to expanding his business and improving his skills as he grows into becoming one of Berbice’s top cake artists. He often utilises social media to showcase his work and can be found on TikTok @j.nation592 or on Facebook at Sabrinacakecreations.