Young people do not have to wait until they have significant capital or ideal conditions before starting a business, two young bakers, Enyonam Tebuwa Norgbodzi and Angela Appiah, have said. According to them, young people can start with the skills and resources available to them, learn along the way and gradually build sustainable businesses from home.
Speaking on Springboard Hangout with host Comfort Ocran, the two entrepreneurs shared their experiences of building businesses from small beginnings, highlighting the importance of practical skills, continuous learning, customer feedback and the effective use of social media.
Madam Enyonam, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crispy Pieces, started her business in 2020 during the COVID 19 lockdown after developing an interest in baking. Without formal training at the time, she relied on YouTube videos to learn different recipes and spent about a month practising before beginning to sell to customers, she said.
Crispy Pieces has since grown into a bakery brand specializing in soft doughnuts and baked foods, with weekly sales of between 15 and 20 boxes. According to the business owner, some customers who started buying from her in 2020 continue to patronize the business.
She noted that the journey also came with challenges, particularly while she was studying at the University of Ghana. Production was not always consistent because she could not work regularly while on campus, resulting in some customers turning to other suppliers.
The situation was further complicated by the fact that she was producing outside Accra while most of her customers were in the capital. She recalled having to work through the night and send orders through a delivery service, an arrangement that sometimes-affected delivery times and product quality. Moving to Accra subsequently improved her ability to serve customers consistently, she said.
Enyonam also stressed the importance of continuous learning, explaining that she improved some of her products by watching more baking videos and experimenting with different recipes when her initial results did not meet her expectations.
Madam Angela Appiah, Chief Executive Officer of Gels Pots and Bakes, followed a different path into the baking business. She initially prepared soups and stews for customers before transitioning into baking after attending a professional baking school.
Starting from her kitchen, she initially built her customer base through friends, family, and members of her church. She later expanded her products to include cakes, wedding cakes, and banana bread, with the latter becoming a major turning point for the business, she said.
According to the business owner, about 90% of her orders now come through social media, with Instagram accounting for about 70%. Other orders come through WhatsApp, TikTok, and referrals.
She explained that she was initially hesitant about using social media and appearing publicly because she was camera-shy. However, posting pictures and videos of her products eventually helped expose the business to customers beyond her immediate network.
Madam Enyonam also identified social media as an important business tool, with about 75% of her customers coming through the platform. Both entrepreneurs identified confidence and consistency as some of the challenges they encountered in the early stages of their businesses.
In her closing message, Madam Enyonam encouraged young people not to allow a lack of money or confidence to prevent them from pursuing their dreams. “I started in my home. I used YouTube videos to learn. I didn’t have capital.”
She added that young people could build viable businesses with what they have, saying, “you can actually build something sustainable from home.”
Angela similarly encouraged young people to look within themselves for opportunities, urging them not to give up when their plans do not work out as expected. “There is something in you that you can turn into profits, and that is the passion that God has placed in you.”
Watch full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/live/PdFhzN8I4lU?si=MX1nSITidefoYXzR
About Springboard Hangout
Springboard Hangout is a funducative, educational, youth-centred show hosted by Comfort Ocran. It features inspiring stories, practical skills and real-life experiences aimed at educating, entertaining and equipping the next generation. The programme airs every Saturday at 4:00 PM on Joy Prime TV and on the Springboard Channel on Facebook and YouTube.
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