Starting up a new business might not seem like a good idea during a pandemic. But for Farah H., the owner of Farah’s Sweet Temptations, starting a bakery in December 2020 has allowed her to follow her passion.
“I thought the best option to do is to start something from scratch and I love cooking and baking, and that’s what I am most passionate about.”
F.H. of Farah’s Sweet Temptations
Farah lost her job due to the pandemic. She applied for many jobs but didn’t get any positive response. She decided to start her own business however, most of the franchises she looked at were demanding high investment. This is when she decided to follow her passion for cooking and baking and opened her bakery. She has faced many challenges, but her family has supported her through it all.
“My family has been tasting testers for my bakery and photographers for my posts,” said Farah.
Social media played a vital role in expanding her business. Her family set up a Facebook and Instagram page for her and made her learn how to operate. They also helped her with the bakery logo and are still working with it by posting pictures on social media.
“…Dive in! Because its the most satisfying job on earth if you love to bake, decorate, and love to cook!”
F.H. of Farah’s Sweet Temptations
“In the initial days, I sent free samples out in my local WhatsApp groups for the holidays and started getting clients from there,” she said. With Whatsapp and Instagram, she got bookings for special occasions and parties, which helped her grow her bakery.
Even though the pandemic has changed the working conditions, she is managing her business well and made her family proud.
Starting a new business might not seem a good idea but here’s some advice on whether or not to follow your passion.
Millions of people have lost their jobs because of COVID-19. The pandemic has led to the shutdown of various businesses. According to Labour Force Survey, 1.1 million Canadian workers have been affected by the economic shutdown.
Statistics provided by StatsCanada