Guyanese entrepreneur has a bold new recipe for creativity

FOR many people, the idea of a good story and a sweet treat go hand-in-hand. But it’s not every day that these two things are coupled together in a business. Jarryl Bryan has always been a storyteller. From submitting short stories to international literary competitions, to dreaming up Caribbean-set plots long into the night, he knows what it’s like to be a creative with few platforms to grow. But when he decided to take a leap into entrepreneurship, he didn’t follow the typical path.

Instead, he blended passion with purpose; cake with craft, and launched Dessert Tales GY, a hybrid business that brings together delectable baked goods and original stories by Guyanese writers. As he shared with Pepperpot Magazine, “What we do? It’s a bakery and what you would call a magazine; a literary magazine, only it’s Online,” Jarryl explained. He further shared, “It’s kind of like a hybrid business. Customers that purchase our products; each of our products on the packaging has a QR code. They scan the QR code, they’re directed to our website, where we host short stories from creative writers,” he said.

It’s a unique concept; desserts paired with digital literature that delivers more than just a sugar rush. Each cheesecake or cinnamon roll supports a growing community of writers, giving them visibility and pay in a landscape that often overlooks the literary arts. Sharing his personal journey as a Guyanese creative writer, Jarryl stated, “I’ve been a creative writer for years. One of the problems I’ve always faced is the lack of paying markets, especially as a Guyanese creative writer. So I came up with the creative writing side of the business as a way to support Guyanese creative writers, and to help build a platform and a supportive community for writers,” he said.

True to his mission, Dessert Tales GY only accepts submissions from Guyanese or Caribbean writers, and Jarryl ensures they are paid. “One of the things I insisted on is that every story we purchase has to be from a Guyanese writer, and it has to be a Guyanese setting, or at least a very Caribbean setting. We pay comparative market rates for what is essentially a starter, because the business is relatively new,” he shared.

But this venture isn’t just about words; it’s also about flavours. “Baking is one of my passions,” Jarryl shared. “I studied it at Skills Academy. I came up with the idea to blend both businesses, because the baking; the selling of the products would help with the distribution aspect of the short stories. We want Guyanese to see what Guyanese creative writers have to offer,” he said.

The menu itself is enough to draw any sweet tooth, with cheesecake, cookies, cheesy cornbread, and cinnamon rolls all available with customisable toppings. Customers even get to make requests: Pepper, no pepper, cheesy or classic. As Jarryl explained, “Our menu and orders are customisable. Like sometimes I would get artists asking me to exclude pepper, include pepper, you know,” he further added. “And we encourage people to like and follow our Facebook page, Dessert Tales GY. We have our menu there. Also, we post our stories there. There’s no paywall. You want to see what creative writers can do, you’re free to go on our page and check out what we have to offer.”

For Jarryl, both aspects of the business feed into the same purpose: To create value through creativity. Unlike traditional literary magazines, which often rely on niche markets and small readerships, Dessert Tales reaches an everyday audience with something tangible. “With literary magazines, there’s essentially a single value point,” he said, adding: “With a bakery, there are literally two. One is that you purchase dessert treats, and the other is that you’re entertained by Guyanese writers.”

Since its launch in February of this year, the response has been heartening. “So far, it’s been overwhelmingly positive. Writers have been very responsive; I already have two writers. We’ve purchased their stories, signed and everything. A lot of them have lauded the initiative. With that support comes encouragement that I’m going in the right direction, and playing my part in helping to make Guyana’s creative industry stronger,” Jarryl stated.

And Jarryl has no intention of stopping here. His hope is to make Dessert Tales an immersive experience for story lovers with a sweet tooth. Explaining his vision, Jarryl stated, “I want to have a physical location where we can host readings; writers going up on stage or sitting down and reading excerpts from their work.

“That’s one of my goals. I also want to expand the community to include writers from other places. Canada, other parts of the Diaspora; build that creative writing community and give them that exposure,” he said.

As a career journalist at the Guyana Times, Jarryl also offers developmental editing services for novels of all genres. “People reach out to me seeking that service. I offer it at an affordable cost,” he said. Jarryl expressed that his journey wasn’t entirely solo, sharing, “I have to give a shout-out to my aunt. She helped me with some of the initial funds. I used some of my savings. The $100,000 cash grant from the government—I used some of that, too. I’m looking forward to more such cash grants,” he shared.

To young people dreaming of turning passion into purpose, Jarryl urges them to go for it, stating, “Entrepreneurship has its challenges, but it also has its rewards. I would encourage youths to take advantage of whatever opportunities the government has to offer. And make sure whatever you embark on, you’re passionate about. Once you are, customers can sense that—and it helps build trust,” he said.

As he continues to bake and build a literary bridge for Guyanese writers, Jarryl Bryan is proving that creativity can take many forms—and sometimes, the best stories come with dessert.