Our SME Spotlight is on Chinecherem Obinna E.D, a trained baker with over 4 years of experience who has honed her skills in creating delicious and visually stunning cakes, pastries and treats. She is the owner and founder of Sweetsbydan.
In addition to baking, she also offers catering services and surprise services. She also specialises in creating unique, delicious menus for a few types of events like intimate dinner parties, party spread, corporate events and lots more.
As a trained baker, she draws her inspiration from the beauty of nature, art, and architecture incorporating these elements into her creations. She believes that food is not just about sustenance, but is also a way to bring people together, create memories, and celebrate special occasions. She loves experimenting with new flavours, textures, and techniques to push the boundaries of what is possible in baking. According to her, seeing the joy and excitement on my customers’ faces motivates her to do more.
Pride Magazine Nigeria(PMN) caught up with Chinecherem Obinna as she opened up about lessons learnt from her baking business, her interests, her challenges and more. Read the excerpts below:
PMN: How are you driving economic development through your bakery?
As a small business owner, I am proud to contribute to the local economy by empowering younger ones to have a skill of their own and supporting other local businesses. At my bakery, I source many of my ingredients from local farmers and producers, which helps to support the local agricultural industry.
PMN: You run a bakery business- Sweetsbydan. What informed this decision and what makes your brand stand out?
The decision to start a bakery business was informed by my passion for baking, and a desire to share baked goods with others. Starting this bakery business was a challenge that requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and attention to detail, but it became a rewarding way to pursue a creative passion and build a loyal customer base. To make my brand stand out, I try to offer unique and high-quality products that differentiate my bakery from others in the area. Additionally, engaging with customers on social media, and providing excellent customer service helps my bakery stand out and build a loyal following.
PMN: What are some of the challenges you face running a bakery business and how did you overcome them?
1. Competition: One of the biggest challenges that bakery businesses face is competition. In order to overcome this challenge, I do my very best in offering unique products and services, trying to meet my customers’ requirements in a precise manner
2. Consistency: Maintaining consistency in the quality and taste of one’s products can be a challenge, especially as the business grows. To overcome this, I’ve established standard operating procedures and trained my staff to follow them rigorously.
3. Marketing: Effective marketing is crucial to the success of a bakery business, but it can be difficult to reach the right audience. To overcome this challenge, i use social media platforms to showcase my products, offer promotions, and collaborate with influencers or local businesses to expand my reach.
4. Adapting to trends and customer preferences: Staying up-to-date with the latest baking trends and adapting to changing customer preferences can be a challenge. To overcome this, I conduct regular market research, attend industry conferences, surf the internet and be open to feedback from my customers.
PMN: What lessons have you garnered over the years from offering catering services and surprises services?
1. Attention to detail: Whether it’s the presentation of the food or the decorations for a surprise event, paying attention to the details can make all the difference. Making sure everything is of high quality and looks great, as it can enhance the overall experience for your customers.
2. Customer satisfaction is key: Ensuring that my customers are happy with my services is always my top priority. Listen to their feedback, address their concerns, and go the extra mile to exceed their expectations.
3. Proper planning and preparation: It’s important to have a detailed plan for each event or catering service I offer. This includes ensuring I have all the necessary equipment and supplies, as well as having backup plans in case something goes wrong.
4. Effective communication: Clear communication with my customers is important to ensure I understand their needs and requirements. Additionally, clear communication with my team is important to ensure everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
5. Time management: Time management is critical in the catering and event planning industries. I make sure I’m organized, efficient, and meet deadlines.
PMN: How can we get more women to become successful and rise to the top as you have done? What tips do you have for other women?
1. Build a strong support system: Surround yourself with people who believe in your potential and support your aspirations. This can be family, friends, mentors, or colleagues. Having a strong support system can help you stay motivated, overcome challenges, and achieve your goals.
2. Develop your skills and knowledge: Invest in your education and professional development. Take courses, attend seminars, read books, and learn from experts in your field. The more you know and the better you are at what you do, the more confident and successful you’ll be.
3. Network strategically: Build relationships with people who can help you advance in your career. Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and connect with influential people in your field. But remember, networking is not just about getting something from others, but also about giving back and building genuine relationships.
4. Be confident and assertive: Believe in yourself and your abilities. Speak up and assert yourself when necessary, but also be willing to listen and learn from others. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and pursue opportunities that stretch you outside of your comfort zone.
5. Balance work and life: Success doesn’t mean sacrificing your personal life. Make time for your hobbies, family, and friends. Take care of yourself physically and mentally so that you can perform at your best.
PMN: Your bakery is dedicated to providing customers with the highest quality products and exceptional service. What is your reach?
One way I’ve expanded my reach is to establish an online presence through social media platforms especially, this allows me to reach customers who may not be in my physical location and provides them with an easy way to purchase my products or services.
PMN: How do you get inspired and stay motivated?
1. Knowing my purpose: Identifying my values, passions, and goals. Having a clear sense of these helps me stay motivated and inspired, especially when faced with challenges or setbacks.
2. Surrounding myself with positivity: Surrounding myself with people who inspire and motivate me. Connect with individuals who share my interests and goals, and seek out mentors who can offer more guidance and support.
3. Set achievable goals: I break down my long-term goals into smaller, achievable milestones. Celebrate my successes along the way and use them as motivation to keep moving forward.
4. Staying organized: Developing a routine and scheduling my time wisely and also avoiding feeling overwhelmed.
5. Seeking out new experiences: Try new things, explore new places, and step outside of my comfort zone. This help sparks creativity, inspire new ideas, and keeps me motivated and engaged.
6. Take care of myself: I make sure to prioritize my physical and mental health. Take breaks when needed and engage in activities that bring me joy and relaxation.
PMN: If you were not a baker, what would you have been doing?
An alternative career path I would have chosen if not being a baker, would be rendering hospitality management service because I have always been interested in bush bars and restaurants considering my love for cooking and local dishes.
3 Comments
I must say, she’s good at what she does…
You are the best sis ♥️
Keep soaring ♥️
You Good girl keep it up