Born into a family of three, Folashade’s mother ran a jewelry business, a family affair that everyone learned and traded on. Although she learned the trade while assisting her mom in the shop after her West African School Senior Certificate Examination (WASSCE), she never settled for it. Unlike her siblings and cousins who remained in the family business, Folashade opted instead to pursue her dream of becoming a great baker by learning cake making and confectioneries.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Salawu Folashade Tawakalitu is a graduate of Business Administration from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, who while growing up had a dream of becoming a great baker in the future because of her passion for it.
Born into a family of three, Folashade’s mother ran a jewelry business, a family affair that everyone learned and traded on. Although she learned the trade while assisting her mom in the shop after her West African School Senior Certificate Examination (WASSCE), she never settled for it. Unlike her siblings and cousins who remained in the family business, Folashade opted instead to pursue her dream of becoming a great baker by learning cake making and confectioneries.
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After learning the craft, she started baking from home. As time went by, she started making progress, and getting orders from referrals. Within a short while, she got a space and expanded her business. Today, Folashade is the chief executive officer of Sadel_cakes and confectioneries in Surulere, Lagos where she makes yummy custom cakes for birthdays, weddings, and other events.
How it started
Folashade’s journey into baking and confectioneries began in 2017 in Surulere, Lagos. It started four years after completing her secondary school education, immediately registering for a six-month training in cake making and confectioneries. Before then, she had learned how to trade in jewelry from her mom, a jewelry merchant.
She narrated how the journey started during an interview with TheNiche. She said; “Right from my childhood I have had a passion for cakes and confectioneries. So, in January, 2017, I registered for a six-month training and did one month internship. After completing my training, I started from home as a home baker, baking cakes for family and friends. Little by little, I started getting more orders from referrals. Soon, I got my own space and expanded my business and the rest is a testimony.”
Folashade stated that the choice of starting her own was to have more time to focus on her life and business rather than working under someone that would pay her a token. “I have never done a paid job before. I just chose business to have more time for my life,” she said. She advised younger entrepreneurs to learn a skill before going to university. “That was what helped me in school. I learned a trade from my mom after my secondary school, and a skill before going to the university.”
Sourcing capital
She said capital was not a challenge for her when she started because things were cheap at that time. Folashade said she had used her personal savings to secure some necessary equipment during her training before she started up her business.
Penetrating the market
Because content creation has become the order of the day for brand owners to gain visibility, Folashade said her challenge lies in it because of its competition. “The only challenge I have now is creating content which I am working toward, because I noticed that the kind of business I do, the competition is too much and they do more content to market their products”, she remarked. Aside from that, she said she advertises her business through social media platforms and referrals.
Experience as an entrepreneur
Folashade said starting off was not so smooth. “The experience is when you see your fellow entrepreneurs selling and you aren’t selling or getting orders. It makes me feel so bad and I have to see where my business is lacking behind so I can work on it,” she said.
Breakthroughs
The CEO of Sadel Cakes and confectionaries said her breakthrough came when she started getting orders from her platform and referral from her customers, ”The positive feedback and orders kept me pushing.”
Challenges doing business in Nigeria
Folashade said the economy is affecting her business, especially the inconsistency in prices of materials. “The price of material is skyrocketing. We acquire materials today and the next day the price has increased. Then, we would have to increase the rate to make profits, and also look for a way to chip it in to our customers in order not to lose them. The economy is affecting us,” she added.
Japa
Folashade said she is in Nigeria because she does not yet have money to relocate. Because of that, she just has to face her business and keep pushing until it gets better one day. She said: “I have remained because I don’t have the money to japa yet. So, I have to face my business and keep pushing till it gets better one day,” she said.
About Folashade
Salawu Folashade Tawakalitu is a 2023 HND holder of Business Administration from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. She is the CEO of sadel_cakes and confectionaries. She was born and raised in Mushin Lagos state.
