Being raised in a society that follows a sort of unspoken rule or tradition as I may call it; go through primary and secondary school, then University, graduate, and begin to look for jobs like everyone else. Well, guess what! Real career guidance does not agree. Times have changed.
I was raised by a guardian who taught me the norm to study hard and get a good job preferably even a government job as she had once told me, and that would be the definition and beginning of success. She never saw it any other way! I once came to her and expressed my passion and love for cooking, baking, and singing which she had an idea about because she was a witness to this.
But for financial gain, no, those were simply hobbies not careers.
From childhood, I had grown up watching my mother as she made us snacks to take to school for break; samosas, cakes, and even drinks like “quencher” from scratch and I was always beside her intrigued at how this woman had such skills single-handedly and in my eyes she was a wonderful woman. I began to follow suit and be of service any chance I could get and soon I was her little ally in the kitchen. Even when she passed on, it only grew stronger and I started to experiment on my own using the little knowledge I could remember.
My very first cake was a tragedy. Oh my word; no baking powder, or baking soda, and used the wrong measurements in the rest of the ingredients called for in the recipe. Oh, and this is even after I was following a recipe in a book, I still failed. The only positive side is that I continued to experiment as many times as I could, with the only encouragement from people around me saying, “Oh, you will get there”, “you also like to cook and bake like your late mum” but this was not just something I liked, I loved this, and this was my passion and growing skills.
The time came after University and working a few jobs here and there, and my guardian began to see my passion for baking. It would start with the big holidays, Easter, Christmas, and some parties at home where I would make sure we have a cake front and centre. I was always willing to bake and even cook most of the food. I was the head chef/pastry baker; the rest would be my sous chefs. I would make sure to bake a cake that would leave tongues wagging with words and mouths begging for more, and all this came to pass.
Finally, my guardian dearest and I had an immeasurable chat about my passion for my love for baking and the skills at hand. She began to deeply encourage me, especially on the financial front, she has been a number one supporter and “customer omuslungi”, a big-time marketer, and senior advocator for my cakes. She came up with different ideas to become special from the other types of cakes, “SUGARLESS AND HEALTHY”, uniquely using locally available ingredients; sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas, mangoes, and millet just to mention a few. In the meantime, these have come with a lot of inspiring comments from customers and now knowing that this is what they want, the journey begins.
I have already gone through some challenges and I know that there are more to come, as such happens in every business. The strength and stability are still there, and with the continued support of my family, loved ones, and future customers, I know for sure that I am on the right road to success, not just in the corporate world, but for me, with my love and passion for baking.
I believe that some people in my shoes might have gone through the fear of how to start when to start and if they will even handle or manage, but the one thing I can say is, JUST START!!! Put aside the fear as I did, and lean onto any encouragement, especially from the people closest to you, even if you might not have that, but what is the worst that can happen, like the old saying goes, “Try and fail, but never fail to try”.
The road ahead is long and personally do not know what lies in wait for me, but I am sure that, with what I have gone through and with my steadfast family by my side, I can only pray to God to keep blessing the works of my hands so that I can grow and expand and make this business into something that I will be exponentially proud of and look back and say, I followed my passion and built my skills in baking and I have what to show for it.
I am now a believer in
“Skills +Passion = Success.”