Welcome to the first video episode of The Bilna Sandeep Show, let us learn all about the story of Aswathy Varghese who is a home baker in UAE with her brand Crumbles. How did she overcome the fear of investing in her business? What is her secret sauce for success?
Listen to the Podcast
Bilna: Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Bilna Sandeep show. I am Bilna Sandeep and I am the founder of two marketing agencies in the UAE, Built Market Lab and Growwie. I’m also the founder of Homepreneurs Club, which is a powerful networking platform for women entrepreneurs in the UAE.
Curious about the Homepreneurs Club? Check out the club here!
This being the very first episode that we are shooting as a video episode, I want to bring someone very special. I would like to welcome Aswathy Varghese, who is one of the Homepreneurs Club members as well as a very successful entrepreneur in UAE.
Aswathy started as a home baker and right now, she has gone and taken one of the biggest steps in her business, which she will be sharing with all of you soon. And that is also the reason why I have brought her in this very first episode of our Bilna Sandeep Show in the video mode. So let’s welcome Aswathy! Hi Aswathy, welcome. So Aswathy, may be for our listeners, we would like to hear about you from yourself.
Aswathy: So hello, everyone! My name is Aswathy Sosa Varghese. I’m a cake baker and the cake artist and I started baking when I was 15. I own the brand Crumbles and my baking journey started from home. And it was from a regular recipe from a magazine, a women’s magazine that came home and it just happened and you know, when you start baking you realize that how therapeutic it is. And that’s how the journey began.
Bilna: That’s nice.. now speaking about how therapeutic it is for me, I mean it’s not for everyone, right? For me, whenever I try baking something, I have always failed but I know I have tasted a lot of things that you have done and you are an expert in that.
Aswathy: Thank you
Bilna: And by the way, like, one of the things that I’ve noticed with lot of Bakers here in UAE right? There’s quite a lot of home bakers but they are not able to go to the next level, probably because there’s a lot of regulations, there’s a lot of authorities, and it’s not easy to go get the approvals going to the right route of getting the licenses, and it’s quite an investment as well, right? So, how did you get the courage to go into that next step? You know, you have done into that right now.
From Home Baking to Cloud Kitchen Success..
Aswathy: See, we are talking about the food industry here. So, as per the UAE Government laws, anybody including me, like a baker, or even a person who handles food, basically, a food handler, even the delivery people, they are supposed to follow certain food safety measures, and we realized it as we go through the process that how important it is. And also, you know, when you get a license, it opens up a lot of opportunities for you.
You create a trust factor with your clients, you have a customer satisfaction. So that’s how I started to think about it. And, you know, as you go into the process, you realize that it is quite difficult but once you get there it is, you know it’s a lovely duty to be very honest.
Bilna: So, like how is your experience? Like, you know, baking at your home versus now baking from a cloud kitchen. How has that changed the overall?
Aswathy: See, everything is different. The ovens at the cloud kitchen, the commercial kitchen is beautiful. So, like you have your perfect price to your cakes. You become more organized because you’re sharing the space with somebody else as well. So like there are a lot of people working in the kitchen, so you have a time management. You know, so it’s a beautiful journey, you learn a lot of new things and you learn from your peers so it is a good experience.
Bilna: That’s nice. Is it like you know, you get a slot that your book in and within that time you have to finish your whole baking.
Aswathy: Yes, so it’s not that like we have days where in we have booked in into the kitchen. So then so we work from 9:00 to 6:00 and so we make sure that, but there are other people who might need the oven or something, or the stove, or the gas or and you tend to organize with them and you know, like maybe they are going to bake something else in the oven. So we don’t want the smell, so do a lot of factors when it comes to baking. So yeah, we take into account all of that and it is, you know, understanding your peers and it’s like even though they are from different businesses, it’s about a team work in the kitchen. So it’s a very good experience!
Bilna: That’s very nice! Now like when it comes to the opportunities, right, I’m sure like going into the right route has opened up a lot of opportunities for you, right? Which probably you were missing before. So how does that feel like? And could you like, explain a few of it, so that the ones who are watching, probably, they might also be get inspired to go into that route.
Seizing Opportunities with the Right Licenses
Aswathy: See, I’ve in the previous year, like around Christmas, I did a lot of pop-up markets. And I realized that I had a certain kind of Ideal customer which you have taught me and over that, I realized when I want the, when I wanted to get into the, you know, the field to explore and experiment, there were a lot of restrictions because I was not licensed and in a way that once you get the license, you feel, it’s a relief. So and you realize that, you know, it is an important factor and yes. Can you repeat the question?
Read more about ‘Exciting Pop-up Markets In Dubai and Abu Dhabi’ here.
Bilna: Okay. So, when it comes to the opportunities, right, I’m sure it has opened up a lot of doors for you. Once you have gone into the right route, right? Would you like to explain some of those opportunities? How it is now versus when you didn’t have the right licenses and things like that?
Aswathy: Yes, see if I talk about that, I got a very beautiful opportunity. Recently, wherein I think I wouldn’t have gotten it before, it was like, I got to present my concept of Crumbles, my brand to the Dubai SME and they were Government officials. It was a beautiful opportunity. They got to taste test a lot of my bakes and it was a beautiful connection. They understood my concept where I’m coming from, you know, what inspired me to start it and it was a very good experience. Like I don’t think a lot of people get you can just walk into a Government office and do something like that, so it’s especially when you have the right kind of license. And you can go into all the corporate sectors as well probably, right? Yeah.
And even previous year, when I did a lot of popups, I’ve realized that when I want my right kind of ideal customer or something that you have taught me for me to approach them, there was a certain type of licensing or something that is required, for example, in the UAE.
If even if you have a license, you need to have a food watch permit, it’s called a food watch permit, to take part in certain, you know, like pop-up market something that is happening around. So it was difficult without the food watch permit, even to approach certain schools in the UAE. So with this licensing, I hope this year I can do a lot more and approach corporates as well and it will open up to a lot of things. And like I said, it’s not just about the opportunities, it is about, you know, having a customer satisfaction and your customers get to trust you more, when you have the right lines.
Bilna: So, now, since you also mentioned about the pop-ups, like we have a discussion always right inside the club, as well, always that you are one of the pop-up queens because I have seen you like go in and out and lot of pop-ups and I know you truly enjoy being in that place meeting the customers. Would you like to share about that as well as?
A Journey of Connection and Consistency
Aswathy: See, I’m a big fan of pop-up so it just quite true like even when I was in college I used to do pop-ups for Christmas. Yeah. So I don’t know. It’s some kind of adrenaline rush, I don’t know, but I kind of enjoy it because a lot of things it’s not just about the sales or anything. It is about meeting new people, you know, understanding what people like you get to interact with a lot of people and you get to meet a lot of vendors.
So I, last year around Christmas, I participated around 8 or 9 pop-ups and there was a restriction for the number of pop ups I could do because of my licensing issues back then. So whatever I could I did along with my other Christmas, it’s a festive seasons a lot is so, so at that time, what I learn to realize is, I got to meet a lot of vendors and a lot of people you will be shocked with the amount of, or the type of businesses that people do here and I’m sure like Covid has helped a lot for that but, you know, and we get a chance to speak to them, understand, collaborate, maybe and do a lot of things.
So if like, I think that one thing that about pop-ups I like, is that see, when you go for a pop-up as a home baker in UAE, you should not expect to get an immediate order as soon as you finish your pop-up, they might like the brownies, they might like the cookies, but you have to be consistent. Consistency is key here. So you should let your clients have, you know, there’s a trust factor again so they keep seeing you there all the time. So obviously, it’s like you’re treated.
Bilna: Yeah, like you see them the whole of season. You see in one pop-up market, in the next one sometimes the same customer.
Aswathy: Yes. So recently, I went out for a coffee and there was a lady who was there from one of the pop-ups I’ve done three times. She just walked in, she said, ‘Hey Hi!’. And she said ‘Hi Crumbles!’ and she just it was like, you know, people get to know you, they get to know your brand. They might not buy from you immediately, but they will come back to you, but you should give it some time and wait for it.
Bilna: I think now that that the next question which I have is like since you are a lot into pop-ups, right? A lot of our own Homepreneurs Club members and a lot of other women owned businesses tell me that I went to this pop-up. I didn’t get much sales. I went to the other one. I didn’t get much sales. So, how do you say it? You know, what’s the right kind of pop ups to be in? And also, like you said, maybe they may not make the sale at that time but you’re building a relationship there. Yes. So how do you take that relation to the next level? How do you, you know, make sure that they are seeing you again or like, is it through the social media? Like do you get them to follow you? What do you do during this?
Choosing the Right Events and Building Lasting Connections
Aswathy: I very rarely ask people to follow me, like I keep my Instagram, you know, the flyer there saying if they want, they can scan but I never asked them seriously to, you know, to follow me or if they want they naturally follow me… definitely right?
Bilna: So I think it’s your taste that makes them follow you.
Aswathy: So, it is up to the person and I don’t believe that is see one thing I would like to say is it doesn’t matter how many followers you have. If you see my page, I don’t have quite a lot of followers, but I’ve grown over the one year, I’ve grown quite a lot, and I feel that if they want, they will come back to you, they will follow you and they will find a way to contact you at the same time, like regarding the pop-ups. Like, if I see, I get to know like about the pop-ups through different Facebook groups, there are different holiday groups and a lot of other things and the people post their or something. So I try to see like what, you know, especially its food.
So it is quite different to the other kind of business that you have because everybody needs food, everybody buys it wherever I go. So it is different but it is for you to see. But at the same time, see what kind of Market is you can ask them. Like, I gently ask them the questions I ask the organizers are, are there any other food vendors, what are the kind of food that has been sold there. So I have to see if it is obviously, I’m the spending the whole day there, then the right kind of audience or what it is or also, I would say, like I’ve been to a lot of Christmas pop-up markets.
Is Homepreneurs Club right for you? Check out this blog and see!
Captivating Customers with Festive-Themed Pop-Up Treats
Aswathy: Okay, try to do something, which is pertain to the theme. Like a lot of people have noticed, they just come there with the existing products with no changes just to sell. But when people are in the Christmas festive spirit, they want to see something Christmassy, they want to buy something. So, I generally don’t get the time to decorate my table a lot, but I try to use something nice to, you know, something simple, but all my, something that goes with the theme of the pop-up, but all my like, in November and December around that time, all the treats, all the pop-ups, I do, are Christmas oriented and all my edible treats are Christmas-themed.
So if it’s a brownie, it becomes a reindeer brownie, if it’s a cookie, it becomes a Santa cookie. So something like that. So you get to attract and the people who are coming also should be in that spirit, they should feel it. Okay. That’s how. And obviously there’s a connection factor also with your clients.
Bilna: Yes. And since you also, you are a people’s person and I know you.. I know you believe in a lot of collaborations. I myself have seen you collaborate with lot of other brands even from our club. And even when I ordered for one of our clients gifting, you had collaborated with in Insiya’s brand and so there’s a lot of collaborations that you do so for those people who are starting out a small business, how, you know, could you explain how to find the right sort of collaborations for your business and how has those collaborations helped you grow as a business as well?
Wishing you had people to collab with? Join the Homepreneurs Club!
The Power of Collaborations and Fearless Exploration
Aswathy: See, I would first like to talk about how collaboration has helped me to grow as a business and why it is important. So it’s so happened like you introduced me to somebody they and I wanted something related to vegan the years and I was not at all into vegan baking. And to be very honest, I had no clue where to source the things.
Okay…regular supermarket, okay fine. But when you, I rarely buy things my ingredients from regular supermarkets because we always tend to bulk buy and we buy from our producers like the suppliers and so this particular company they approached me and they wanted something for them and I just didn’t say no because I wanted to experiment, that’s amazing. And I told them that I’m not much, you know, keen, not keen I would say that I am not much experienced with this kind of baking, but I would like to give it a try and I offered because I am not experienced into this. I told them that okay, Iam going to give you samples first because that’s what matters because they need to taste tested. It’s what food is something, which uses all five of our senses because you taste, you smell, you touch, you know texture everything is. So I told them I’m going to give you the samples and they agreed. And so, in that weeks time, I did a lot of recipe testing.
I sat and I found out suppliers, like, who can give it to me. So, in my mind, back of my mind, the deal has already happened because if I just wanted to test a recipe, I could have just gone to a supermarket and bought it. Yes, but I wanted to see if it is going to work from the beginning itself like with respect to the pricing and business. So I did all that and I gave them the samples. This was when they had tried samples from different other companies as well and it didn’t work.
Now everything went fine, it was beautiful. We tested, we tasted, we tested it in the machine. Everything was fine, but the deal didn’t happen because of my licensing issue, okay? And to be honest, like I was it, it was a big deal and it was a bit upsetting but that’s when this thought came, okay? Oh, My God, they licensing is a big issue out there. Now about this collaboration even though it didn’t work, what I would like to say is right now, I’m into full-fledged week in baking and in all my pop-ups, I have my famous vegan chocolate cake which gets sold, even if I take three cakes, it gets sold out.
So yes, and nobody kind of realizes it so we can keep this. Oh, yeah. So it if I had said no, then I would have never gone into trying out something new. Exploring something new. And so I then I realized. Okay. Then I went in and thought, okay, may be I should have gluten-free and I started doing gluten-free. So now I do regular vegan gluten-free. And, recently somebody approached me for sugar-free and I told them, OK, I will do it for you because I have done sugar-free three years back and I just saw because that time I was just starting out or something like that so I thought you know and now I’m like okay so let’s do everything like it doesn’t say it’s about your fear like… getting rid of that fear of what, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.
See if you stop fearing, fear has two sides.
Fear will stop your business growing and fear will make you also stop growing. If I have that fear and I’m not going to do it, I would have never developed into this new zone right? Yeah. At the same time, if I don’t have that fear, I will stop exploring also, right? So it’s about what you want to do. Never stop exploring in your business and you’re always learning something new. Trends are changing. So yeah, keep going with the flow.
Bilna: That’s nice. You know what, I like the most about this experience you shared you were right from the beginning, thinking of the right business aspect of it as well. You are not just looking at a small amount of ingredient which you could buy off the shelf in a supermarket. You are also looking at the suppliers you know, so that you can give the right sort of pricing and everything. So, you have the right sort of business mindset. And I know you come from, a family background were of the business, as well. So how has it impacted you as a business owner?
How Family Support Shapes Success
Aswathy: In fact, like almost everyone, in my, I know in my family, they are from the business background. So I myself am an investment banker. But even when I was young, like if I think I’ve told you this like people when they ask others, what do you want to be what you want? What do you want to be? They used to turn to me and then asked what business do you want to start? So maybe that is being there in me in your blood. Yes, it is been there. So, when I was young, I wanted to start a finishing school and now with Instagram, I don’t think it really works because everything’s out there but you know there I had always dream big. Yes, it’s been there and my mom, she’s 73 years old, she’s been having she’s running a business for the past forty-nine years, And yeah, she’s all. She’s very independent and she’s an inspiration to be very honest.
Bilna: You have the biggest inspiration at home.
Aswathy: Yes, of course.
Bilna: That’s like a very huge thing because for me I come from a background of zero business, like, I don’t know anybody in my family who has been into business. So that was is when you have that support system at home, like who understand the basics of business? How it works. I think that’s a huge part of it, right?
Aswathy: Yes, of course. Of course, it is. They kind of understand the challenges that we’re going to face and we see I have grown up seeing the challenges, she has faced. Yes. So for me I’m like okay and she got passed it so I’m like okay I’m going to get passed it.
Yeah, you know it just needs, you know, when the time is right? It’s going to happen with, but it doesn’t mean that you leave it to time. You put that effort from your end and then you see how it’s going to turn out.
Bilna: Yes. Now, if I see a journey over the last one year, so I get, I think it was around this time last year. Yeah, it’s been a year, in April that I first met you, you came as a visitor in one of our Homepreneurs Club meetups. And that’s when I came to know about you.
And that time I think you were just baking for some of your close family and network and now, I can see yesterday or two days back when you posted the photo in your Cloud kitchen, I was like I was feeling so proud to see the whole growth. You know, how has our Club impacted your journey? Has it helped in your growth as a business from that to your business?
How the Homepreneurs Club Transformed My Business Journey
Aswathy: Of course, the club has been a tremendous support and you, of course, has been the big push that I needed. See regarding that like, I have to tell you, one of the Homepreneurs Club meetings that I was, I think it was at the Connections Cafe or something. I happen to sit next to a lady who handles skin care. So skin care is as important as food, because it gets absorbed by the skin and I think probably similar regulations. Yeah, so in here, so the strict regulations for that as well.
So we were just sitting there. Everybody was talking and she was just sitting there, and she was in a corner and I just went and said ‘hello’. And we started speaking and she was, but I’ve noticed that she does a lot of pop-up market. So I just said ‘hello’. And I asked her like, how does she approach? And then she happened to ask me like, what do you do? Like, why don’t you participate? You seem to be so interested in pop-ups. Then I was telling my story. And then I told her about it, I don’t think it’s possible for me because I’m into food, and it’s very difficult to get the licensing, and the permits required for that. So, and then she is the one who told me you’re mistaken.
Like she then explained the entire thing, she gave me a few contacts to, you know, approach. And that’s how I got into this thought of license. It was that meet up that actually put me in the right direction. Yeah, so and that’s when the journey started. I think you’re aware that I went, I researched, I call charge of T-Zone I did. And finally realized the DD license is a right way and it’s easier for me because I am based in Dubai and that’s how I finally got it down the road, and there were a lot of shortcut methods which came across to me.
But for me I felt that it’s always better to do the right way. Because you try to do something else then you end of the day you finally we’ll have to come back. Yeah. So this is like you know you have a DD license, you’re certified, you get the food watch permit, you could just do anything you want.
Bilna: That’s nice! And now coming to the baking like, you know, you mentioned that you didn’t have a formal training in the beginning, right? You started as like from as a hobby and so how did you go about? Now if I see your cakes on Instagram or anywhere, it doesn’t look like someone who’s not trained. So did you actually later on go into some training or how do you keep up with the trends?
From Hobby Baker to Mastering the Art of Cake Design
Aswathy: So like, see I’ll be very honest with you if you see the cake sighted before it was like a regular homemade cake. And even when I was working with the bank here, back in 2015, during weekends, there was a course by Wilton. Okay. And, it was a four-week course, but it was only during the weekends. So I used to take the metro, come in the weekend, carry all the cake back and, you know, it was quite a journey, but they really taught me like how to stack a cake, how to make it sturdy, you know structure, so yeah, from there now, everything is there on Instagram.
I’m talking about a time back when social media was not very active and of course, like, you know, I’ve never assumed myself to be very honestly, a very creative person. But over the years where for my son’s first birthday, I kind of realized that was a time when you know they started doing all the back table decorations, the big dessert table and I kind of felt that ‘Okay, I should do it’ and you know, that’s when I started realizing.
I think a lot of women kind of realize about their creative side, after their kids are born. So I’m one of them who kind of realized and then slowly you learn like, like you said, whatever you bake, it’s not working but I feel it’s just an interest and passion. And I’ll tell you like it’s like you’re doing an experiment. Baking is science. So you do something one time you get it right then there is some kind of feeling that the happiness that you get, you just keep doing it. And that becomes the motivation for your next next baking.
Bilna: Yes that’s nice! And now you also mentioned like during our networking meeting you met somebody which actually put you in the right thought process and and I know you have been to a lot of networking events our club as well and lot of others as well. So, how does one approach networking in for their business? Like, when they go to a networking event, what’s that they should be doing to find the right connects?
The Art of Effective Networking for Business Success
Aswathy: See, I never bombard a person and introduce myself. But when I’m free with a person, like when I feel a connection, I talk, I say and we should kind of realize if they are interested to collaborate or do something with you. Now over the vendors, a lot of vendors with the pop-up markets, let me tell you, I have connected people who are not even related to me. Like when I talk to a person, I kind of realize ‘Oh my God, this person would do amazing with this particular person’. I just speak to both of them and I connect them. ‘’You are a like a master connector’’. No, I like to support businesses because I have been through it and I think that together we can work wonders. So like I try to connect people.
Now like I just approach like, see generally we talk and we kind of see you know if you see there is a chance of collaboration. Yeah, there’s a synergy then you kind of discuss and I’m very direct. I put it like on the table saying that ‘’See I think we can do some, would you be interested?’’ Okay. And it just if it happens, it happens. Yeah, there’s nothing wrong in asking. And about collaborations. I would like to tell people ‘don’t expect things to happen right away’.
Yeah you should have patience and about choosing people, I would say choose somebody, you know, who is you know somebody who’s relevant to your industry. Like for example, me and Insiya, she does cake toppers and all that. So when she approached me, she was doing gift hampers and then it was something, my product was something that would have gone complementary and it went. So we collaborated. So it is about something like that here, you know? Like don’t go with somebody who does baking and a cloth business, it doesn’t work together, so try, feel the connection and always don’t expect, good results. May be that particular person will benefit a lot from that particular collaboration. It just happened to yes and but don’t feel bad about it. You don’t know maybe next time it’ll work out for you but keep doing it.
Always in everything consistency is the main part.
Bilna: I think like an example of that similar collaboration which you had with Insiya, I remember my client, they called me after I gave that hamper, they called me, ‘’who made that gift?’’ I mean, who made that dates chocolate, and I gave them your number and he’s like, I’m going to contact them for the next time when I want something for my family. So you never know through collaborations where your products are reaching to, right kind of hands, different people. So I think that’s one of the huge things, which I’ll see in you.
You are like, always very positive about anything that you do, we do. So I think that is what drives a lot of businesses. And I’ve seen you inspire others also in the club, lot of others and I think some of your friends also who joined and it it’s all because like you start a motion. I think once you start something it just goes behind yet. Yes. And also as a mom, now, how do you juggle like your life right now? Now, you are also going and working in the cloud kitchen, right? So you’re not at home, always. Now, how does that work?
Balancing Business and Motherhood
Aswathy: See, to be very honest, my kids are very young, they are like six and one and a half, so quite young, and there’s the time they need me. But I kind of at home when I’m at home, I spend my time with them and yes, but to be very honest, most of my work at home happens when they’re sleeping or when they’re busy with something.
I, at this point of my business, I don’t really believe in work-life balance to be very honest. I think it’s just a myth.
It kind of doesn’t happen but may be as I grow and I get to delegate because I am in right now in a position where I have to do everything from packaging, yeah, everything. So, but as I grow, may be I can delegate and I will be able to delegate. It’s that kind of business. So, right now, it’s a myth but, you know, you somehow make when you have an understanding family, it kind of works out. But obviously, my one and a half year old kid doesn’t.
So he’s a very good manager, a six-year-old. He loves like when I had my Diwali hampers, I just tell him you know he’s got a lot of competitive spirit so I keep telling him that we have to finish this. This is our timeline so he helps me cut the ribbons. He hands over the ribbons when I tie the bow or something or the other. He just keeps himself involved and he likes and he loves coming to my pop-ups, you know and sitting there handing out the you know, the items of the customer. So he also comes from the same business mindset probably – yeah. May be he does have a natural interest for it.
Bilna: Now again now coming back to the investing into your business like you know, a lot of home bakers in UAE one reason they don’t invest is, they’re too scared like this, a bit of money involved, you know? So there’s a point that you need to get rid of the fear if you want to grow really big or you’ll be stuck in somewhere, right? So what is your advice to them? Like, you know, how to go about it? I mean, it’s not just about finding the money like, even if you have it in your hand, some people don’t have the courage to put it on the table for your business, right? How do you go about that fear of investing? That part?
Overcoming Fear and Taking the Leap
Aswathy: See if I talk about that, I would say, when I had that opportunities, a business opportunities just like that vegan opportunity, I had something else as well, both the times it didn’t happen because of my licensing issue, and the food permits, and all that.
So, at that time, I kind of realize that who’s stopping my business from growing? I myself, right? I’m not letting my business grow. It’s my fear, whether I’m going to get the money what I’ve invested. So it’s about, of course, it is about taking a risk, but if you are sure, this is what you want, the fear just goes off.
Yeah, I know that. Yes, you can do it and that is no looking back like you go forward, you do it. And, of course, a lot of opportunities, especially in the food industry opens up. When you and again, your customers are satisfied, they trust you. So there is, it shows to them your kind of serious about your business. Yeah. It is not like other businesses where in because this is quite a lot of money that you’re putting on the table. So, it really shows that you are, you know, serious about it.
Bilna: That’s nice. And now that you have invested now, how are you, finding your new customers is social media or is there other platforms online, offline. What I like, how do you market yourself?
Aswathy: See, as of now, like I said the opportunity I got with Dubai SME, it was extremely fantastic. And similarly, I’m just waiting for the festive season to see what opens up. And I’m waiting for like summer for the next like two months of holidays to give finish off. And I’m sure there will be a lot of opportunities that come up and especially when you get licensing, you can approach corporates and a lot of other things like that.
And yeah, see what I would say is that never have that fear to do something like, I explained before. Fear kind of stops you from growing, yes? Yeah, from exploring and never stop exploring, when you stop exploring, you stop growing to be very honest. Exactly. So it’s like, you’re not scared to go out and knock the doors and no, because there’s no looking back right now at least for a year.
Now that you have invested into the right, you know that you have to meet your targets. Yes. See one thing I would say is never expect returns as soon as I get my license so its not gonna happen, okay? Or people should get to know you, be there, you know, and I’m very happy and I was really shocked, the amount of you know the messages I got on Instagram when I said I post, I just put a story saying that I have licensed, I’m working with my, you know, showing them my kitchen space and all that but a lot of support and it’s mind-blowing like to be very honest.
Bilna: I think it’s more of a dream for a lot of people. Of course, it is, it is lot of them, right who are into home baking and I’m sure this episode will be a quite an inspiration for a lot of home bakers as well. I myself know a lot of them from our club itself we have a few of them, they’re all on the fence, they all know that. Yes, if they want to grow it to the next level, they need to invest. Probably, your story would become like their inspiration to take it to the next level.
Now also coming back to you know the knocking the clients doors right. Do you like set targets for yourself? Like you know I need to like now that you have put this amount of money to business. Do you have like targets like this month? I’m going to make this much in revenue and next month. Do you do that as well?
Setting Targets and Planning for Future Growth
Aswathy: Yes, I have done that. I didn’t do it initially during the initial few months and then last year, in December, I sat and I did my You know, mathematical thing and I kind of realize how much I’ve made and I was like, and that was like, I started around only in June, I was like, oh my God. In six months, I did this. Yeah. So there is so I can achieve it. Yeah, there’s a huge scope and there is a lot of things I can achieve, you know, if I’m doing it full-fledged. Yes. So that’s how I, you know it became quite serious like about the licensing and all that issues and I feel that,
Yeah, I do set targets and I feel that you know, when I set a target there is something about getting a revenue from the markets. I’m doing now that I’m licensed in fact, I’m doing too this weekend there is something about having clients because markets like I said, it takes time to show an effect. People might come and buy and go. It is a ready income for you but at the same time, what matters is the clients who come back to you? Yeah, right. Like our regular clients or like retainer client. Yeah. So yeah.
So that is where our future income lies like you know like how you plan. So obviously, yeah I have planned quite a few and I’m sure like I think you should set targets. It’s a very important I think for me since I’ve said targets in the past few months I have some way or the other try to achieve it, so it kind of gives you a good feeling, it makes your accounts correct.
Bilna: Yes, yes that’s nice! And like in terms of delegating like, you know, like what is your future growth plan as a business probably you want to hire more people or I don’t know what is your next five years?
Aswathy: My plan as a baker now, I’m not thinking about the five-year plan now but to be very honest I have a business idea like related to baking which was inspired to me from my last summer, my trip to my brother’s country to UK. So, I saw something there which I want to bring it here. Yeah. To the UAE.
So, I that is something that I’m looking forward to but it’s about I wouldn’t say that it’s activity but it is more of like something for the parents or the grandparents to do it with the kids but is related to baking. So, it is something that I am planning. And yeah, something that I want to bring to so I don’t want to discuss more details about it. Yeah. So, but that is what I have. That’s amazing. Yeah, I know when it comes from you it’s going to happen as well It needs a quite a bit of planning because it is not something that I’m planning to sell only from Instagram or social media. I am somebody who wants to like you dream big and go big about it. That’s the reason I have you here today because I know you’ll be able to inspire a lot of people today because this one-year journey itself if I take have seen the huge growth curve, which has happened.
Follow Your Dreams
Bilna: Now, in general to women who are business owners what is your maybe the last piece of advice for today? Like how do they grow their business?
Aswathy:
I think for a lot of women out there like fear is the factor that puts them back or puts them on hold I think. Don’t let fear overcome you and if you don’t do it now, somebody else is going to do it sometime.
Yes. Right and I am sure that I’ve heard this. I’m not sure if it’s true but every single person has got a million-dollar idea in their life but it’s about who follows it who executes it. So, all about execution. Yes, so follow your dreams is no harm in trying, right?
There’s no harm in trying give yourself a time, make a plan give yourself a time you know a time to, you know explore yourself. See you know and see where the journey takes you!
Bilna: Amazing, thank you so much Aswathy for the amazing episode! I’m sure a lot of people out there are going to call you as well.
Aswathy: Oh, thank you sure all this happy to help.
Bilna: And by the way please you know tell your Instagram handle so that people know where to find you as well.
Aswathy: So my Instagram handle is crumbles_sosa and Sosa is my middle name it’s actually my God mother’s name and it was, she’s an amazing baker. And, yeah, that’s how I got the middle name of Sosa. She’s my godmother.
Bilna: But when you are born that name was put, right? How did they know you would go into baking and know?
Aswathy: So, back in Kerala, they believe that, you know, you get to get the skills that your godmother or godfather has. So, it was my brother who wanted because she is an amazing Baker. My brother wanted me to have those skills. So he said, let’s her baptized. That’s How it happened. So my full name is Aswathy Sosa Varghese. I guess the whole family was planning for this may be okay. So it’s like it’s been there, right?
Bilna: From the day you were born. Yeah. Something has influenced you to become a home baker in UAE.
Aswathy: Yes Of course!
Bilna: That’s nice. Thank you so much for this amazing episode and to all of our listeners here. If you would like to find more about Aswathy, feel free to check out her Instagram handles. We will also be leaving all the links in our show notes so you can see and follow her. And if you want to know more about Homepreneurs Club, you can check out https://www.homepreneursclub.com/ and look at all our other members as well there… thank you!
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