Entrepreneurship has always been in Vuyiseka Nyembezi’s family. Inspired by her mother, who used to bake, cook and sell her products at the local taxi rank to make an income, Nyembezi, 33, started her own baking company.
Seka Bakes has grown from just specialising in roosterkoeks to catering for all baking needs in the Nelson Mandela Bay community.
Please share some background on yourself and how the business was started?
I was born and raised in Ezibeleni, in Komani in the Eastern Cape. I am a middle child among five siblings. I came to study in Gqeberha and ended up living here.
My father was a bus driver and my mom used to bake and cook to sell at a local taxi rank. This is where my love for serving others came from. She was a real entrepreneur and I enjoyed helping her prepare for her clients.
I’ve always wanted to make roosterkoek because these delicacies are often only enjoyed when there is a traditional ceremony or when we are in the villages. Think of it as bringing “home” to your home. Over time, the business offering grew to include scones, muffins, cupcakes, biscuits and more.
What is your core service?
Baking fresh, tasty goodies for our customers, every time.
What makes your business unique?
We offer solutions, from the young wife who doesn’t have time or the skills to bake but wants to cater at traditional ceremonies, to the granny who lives with their grandchild who is just looking for something to accompany her tea, and the young parents who want birthday cupcakes and party packs for school to make the occasion extra-special and memorable.
If someone wanted to copy your business model, how would they start?
You must have passion for what you do, believe in your vision and never stop working towards your goals.
What are some of the biggest inhibitors your business faced before getting off the ground?
One of the inhibitors for me was being scared of putting myself out there, especially when I took the decision to self-name my business. This experience taught me that there is merit in starting scared, because this means you are self-aware.
Capital to support the vision — my business is self-funded and it gets tough sometimes, especially when you want to introduce new products.
Do you have any tips for budding entrepreneurs or new business owners?
Have a clear vision of where you want to go or how you want to grow. This will push you to never stop pursuing your goals. Always remember that failure is when you stop trying.
What are some of your biggest challenges in day-to-day business operations and your particular industry?
Load-shedding means we had to invest in a gas oven to keep the business running. We have to continuously reinvest in the business to ensure the customer always gets the best service.
What is the best advice anyone gave you on success?
Success is a journey, not a destination.
How do you measure or define success in your business?
I measure by the reviews I get from my clients and the business they bring me through referrals and recommendations. The long-standing relationship that I have with my clients who have been part of my journey since the very beginning is also a great measure for me.
What are some of the best practices that have made your business successful?
Customer service excellence remains our top priority. More than the great products that we sell, we make it a point that we offer an amazing customer experience through all the different touch-points of our business.
What kind of advertising do you do?
We use social media — Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. We also rely heavily on word-of-mouth.
What is your company’s vision?
Our vision is to offer baking solutions that positively impact the lives of those we come into contact with.
What is your target market?
We cater for anyone who is interested in fresh and tasty baked goodies.
What have some of your highlights been in running your business?
The process of finding a niche and doing a total business rebranding was exciting.
How important is social media and an online presence for your business?
We have found that having a presence online also gives our business some credibility.
How many people do you employ?
I currently employ one person, so we are a team of two.
Do you have any plans for expanding the business, and how would you go about this?
I am hoping for a small bakery in the next five years with at least six staff working shifts to meet the market demand.
One day we would like to own a bakery store and also work towards creating employment opportunities for the youth. One of the things that helped me in my business is learning from other bakers who offer training. This is something I wish to be able to do one day where I can offer baking classes for aspiring bakers.
How did you acquire funding for the business?
My business is self-funded — I haven’t yet acquired any funding.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from your business journey so far?
To never lose sight of the bigger picture and to continuously put effort into the processes that will get me to where I want to go.
What have been the greatest challenges and advantages of running your business in a city like Gqeberha?
One of the challenges has been running the business from home. Some people don’t seem to be comfortable with this concept. The greatest advantage has definitely been social media advertising. It has done wonders for my brand.
What do you say are the three key traits of a successful entrepreneur?
Passion for what you do, creativity, commitment.
What do you say are the key traits of a successful employer?
You must be a visionary, have integrity and be inclusive.
What do you wish people knew about your industry?
People often see the finished product and think bakers can whip up a cake in an hour. I wish they could understand that our business is hard work. Early mornings and late nights are the order of every day.
The challenge of competing with established brands as a small-business owner is also tough.
HeraldLIVE