SWEET CRAVINGS

Jammu and Kashmir has seen a significant rise in women entrepreneurs in recent years, braving competitive and financially risky fields. Today, more and more women are keen on starting their own businesses. If you will ask any such woman, she would tell you that becoming her own boss is so gratifying that despite social pressures, she moved or strived to move away from conventional professions.

One such person, who had never thought what she started as a hobby to bring out her inherent talent, will become her profession one day, is with us for our this week’s edition. Even though, starting her own business seemed impossible at first, it was due to the undying faith in herself, her skills and talent that she reached a point that she has started having sense of satisfaction. We The Women, brings to you about the journey of a thriving business woman from the city, Sumeen Narang.

Sumeen Narang calls herself a dreamer and an artist. She is an entrepreneur; a self-taught baker for whom cake is a canvas. She is known for her personalized cakes and other bakeries. “I strongly believe that it is not just about cakes but memories it creates, so it has to be special. I put my utmost efforts to bring out the best,” this is how Sumeen describes her profession.

As per Sumeen, the best part about her profession is that she can adjust and plan her work in quite a flexible manner, finding balance between family and work. In her own words, “The fluid nature of my work adds to the charm of working any time which suits me. The truth is if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work at all.”

Apart from being a baker, Sumeen is an avid reader, who also loves music and travelling. She follows her heart and believes that “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Right from her childhood, Sumeen had an inclination towards cooking and baking. What others take as a chore, Cooking was therapeutic for her. Being passionate about cooking, she used to take down recipes from TV and experiment in the kitchen with it.

“My favorite time to sneak into the kitchen was when my mom would be asleep, so that I could have entire kitchen to myself,” reminisces Sumeen. Her favorite and all time successful recipe in those days was Caramel Custard which used to be devoured by her family within minutes.

Few years into marriage, on being encouraged by her family, she started giving cooking classes under the name ‘Bon Appétit’, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Gradually she ventured exclusively into baking and realized that it holds her interest more than cooking anything else. Sumeen says, “I loved making and designing cakes so much that it led me to my full time business ‘Sweet Cravings’.

She also adds, “My journey as a baker has been amazing; I feel I have constantly grown creating and designing each cake; for every occasion I have added to with my cakes and creations, whether it is creating sweet tables for first birthday parties or making someone’s wedding more special or be it birthdays, graduations, new jobs, engagement, weddings, anniversaries, ‘Mundans’ or simply packing return favors, it has been so fulfilling and gratifying.”

There is no doubt that Sumeen has a sweet tooth; she love brownies and have a weakness for caramel, too. No wonder she found ‘Sweet Cravings’ most appropriate name for her commerce. Sumeen believes that through Sweet Cravings, she can helps molding people’s vision into the cakes and personalized and customized cakes can make the day extra special. The custom cakes need lot of craftsmanship and loads of effort and time but the end result is a feast not just to your taste-buds but to the eyes as well. Sweet Cravings caters to all the sweet hunger pangs, indulgences with wide variety of freshly baked desserts, cakes, brownies, muffins, cupcakes and a lot more.

But don’t misunderstand that designing a cake is as easy as eating it. This occupation has its own set of excitements and challenges. Sumeen shares, “Some clients have fixed ideas about what they want on the designer cakes, other designs are so exclusive that only the person for whom it has been made would understand it and there are others who leave it entirely on me to showcase my own designs apt for their occasions.”

According to Sumeen the challenge of designing and creating a cake and other desserts as per theme keeps the work thrilling all the time. For Sumeen, feedback matter a lot as it is rejuvenating and helps her improvise next time. “My task is complete only after I get feedback from the clients. When I get amazing feedback, the efforts and hours I put in worth it. I remember someone telling me once, ‘You bring smiles on our face with your creations’. Such compliments make it all worthwhile,” shares Sumeen with pride.

On being asked who bakes the cake for Sumeen on her birthday, she answers, "My daughter loves to bake cake for me for my birthdays. In fact she totally shuts me out and has been surprising me since few years now." Sumeen is mother of 10 years old Adalia. "She is my pride, my joy and my budding junior baker. She loves to help me in baking cakes", boasts Sumeen.

Though ambitions of kids are ever changing but for now Adalia wants to be a Baker like her mother. Sumeen's husband is her best critic, a job he absolutely enjoys as he gets to devour new flavours and creations before anyone else. Sumeen states, "Chances of erring are much less when you get genuine feedback from home."

For those who want to pursue baking as a full time business, Sumeen has few words of advice, “Starting your own business can be a risky and stressful endeavor but don’t let the fear of failure stop you from achieving your dreams. Start small, give it your best and your hard-work will be rewarded. Like any other business, this is also challenging, laborious and pushes you to your limits but that’s where happiness lies. Never give up!”

Sumeen even has few words for other women who wish to, or are already working to establish their own business, "According to a study by The National Federation of Small Businesses, by 2018, over half of Small Businesses will be run by female entrepreneurs. What this means that if you have taken an initiative to start your own business that’s probably because you got an independent and tenacious streak in you, just Go ahead with it. Don’t over-analyze and be prepared to work extra hard and success will be yours."



“My work is the result of my hard-work and genuine dedication. It shows in my work because I put my heart and soul into making it special, as for me it’s not just about a cake; it is about an occasion, a memory in making, a lot of smiles, laughter and cheers!! All of it gives me a sense of power to weave magic.”


Updated On 7/26/2017 1:46:48 PM