For my community connection assignment, I chose to interview is Indu Chirakndath. She is an architect who likes baking cakes in her free time and has opened her own small business called “Sprinkle Sweet Cakes”as well. Although she is in this business alone and from home, her role is to create cakes according to her customers requests and she does a wonderful job. I chose to interview Ms. Chirakndath because I think she is very inspirational, being able to do something she loves on the side while having a job and taking care of her family.
this is the link to her Instagram account
Q1. can you explain your roles and responsibilities?
Roles: “Basically, i am a home baker, making custom cakes and cupcakes upon receiving an order. I started exploring baking in 2020, after my second daughter was born, during the pandemic. Because of the pandemic, most bakeries and things were closed and I wasn’t able to buy cakes for her milestones, so i decided to make them instead”
Responsibilities: “I take down ideas of what people want and I usually ask for a picture for reference. I try to put down my own ideas into it as well, and then create a custom cake. I have to keep track of how much I spend on the cake too, so that I am also able to make a profit out of the business.
Q2. Why are you passionate about your job?
“It helps me create some wonderful designs, baking and decorating also helps me calm down. Like painting, getting the finished cake design is therapeutic for me”
Q3. what obstacles have you faced while starting your business
“Initially, not having a good idea or a good understanding of the finances was a big obstacle for me. I realised that I was underpricing the cakes and cupcakes and I wasn’t even aware. But now, after going through a lot of baking blogs, I am learning and understanding it better. The second obstacle I am facing is marketing because I am having a hard time trying to reach a bigger audience.
Q4. What Advice would you give to someone interested in what you are doing?
“There will be good days, there will be so-so days and there will be bad days. But be consistent and try to improve and we will succeed eventually”
Q5. Do you have any favourite memories or experiences related to your job?
“My favourite memory would be the first time I baked and decorated a carrot cake for my elder daughter. She wanted a pony cake and i was overjoyed when I saw the surprise in her eyes after seeing the final outcome. My daughter usually isn’t fond of cakes and usually skips eating her own birthday cakes, but this time she ate an entire slice!”
Q6. And finally, Are there any specific skills or knowledge you’ve gained from your this that you find valuable?
“I am learning constantly. The biggest lesson I have learnt is that we need to be dedicated constantly. Success is not an easy path , you have to constantly put time and effort in building your business”
What I have learnt from the interview
After messaging Ms. Chirakndath, I realised that even when you are doing something you love, to make it successful, you have to work really hard and stay resilient. As she said “There will be good days, there will be so-so days and there will be bad days. But be consistent and try to improve and we will succeed eventually”. She also taught me that you constantly learn something new, and the doors to knowledge never close. In this post, all the photos I have uploaded and cakes made by Ms. Chirakndath from scratch, and I think being able to make these cakes and knowing that you can make people happy is the best feeling and is something I hope to do to.