The art of pastry

How did your parents react when you started designing cakes while pursuing your MBA?

Best of all, Sehar says she received overwhelming support from her family.

“They were obviously happy to see me managing things together because it’s not just easy to manage business and studies at the same time; they are really proud of me. I am so grateful to Allah for having such a supportive family. They didn’t stop me, rather enjoyed it every now and then.

In elaborating, she said, “Initially, I had no idea how to do business with my creativity. And my parents had no idea he would reach that level so they let me do it.

“When I received huge appreciation from my friends and family, it motivated my parents. My brother supported me a lot in my pastry course. I have no words to express how supportive my family is. They advised me to take fewer orders and see if I could handle both school and business together. And when I got huge support from everywhere and got a lot of orders, I hired few workers and Alhamdulilah today, everything is going almost well.

How to reach customers? Does being an MBA student help you market your products?

“Social media is the only platform from which I reach my client. This is the platform where I show my skills and get orders.

Being a management student is definitely a big plus, ”she says. “My subject is designed to give students a solid foundation in marketing management, how to maintain public relations, with an emphasis on communication, trust building, entrepreneurial skills and the responsibility.”

You have completed a year in cake design. What was the most difficult themed cake for you to design? And did you have a big order for the ceremonies

“It’s been over a year now and I’ve baked over a thousand cakes. Honestly, there wasn’t such a difficult cake to design, but yes, fondant themed cakes are a bit tricky and require a huge amount of patience when making themed cakes. You just have to be very determined and work hard for sure. Alhamdulilah, I get a lot of wedding orders from time to time, birthday orders.

What inspires you?

“Every time I get a call from my clients saying ‘thank you… your sweet treat made our special day even more special. This is my moment of happiness, it drains all my fatigue, my stress and motivates me to work harder and spread smiles.

Unemployment rate is high in Kashmir because there are not many job opportunities in the public or private sector. What is your message to unemployed young people?

“I think new learning opportunities present themselves every day for all of us, but we are a little reluctant to move forward due to the risks involved in the business that scare us. An entrepreneur not only creates a job for himself, but also for others.

“My message is simply not to be afraid of failures, but try it, whether it’s a small or a big idea, because nothing is impossible if you are determined to achieve your goal. Nothing can beat you, don’t think what people will say if I fail, but give it a try.

What was the first cake you made and what was the customer’s reaction

“One of my Shehwar friends ordered it. She really appreciated me, it boosted my self-confidence and today when I look at the picture of this cake, I feel so happy with how far I have come.

Sehar believes the people of Kashmir are modernizing when it comes to personalized cakes. “Due to the infused demand for personalized and designer cakes, the demand for jobs in the baking industry is also booming at an unexpected rate. This brings immense pleasure and satisfaction to customers and makes their moment even more special.

What is your ambition?

“My ambition in life is to become a successful businesswoman and a kind human being. I have learned that making money from our own business makes you feel different. I have a lot of dreams like giving job opportunities to other people so that they too can make a living. I am making myself efficient in reaching my goal as soon as possible. Being kind and hardworking is the key to success, ”she says.

“After my MBA, I plan to develop my pastry business only In Sha Allah.”