By: Zethu Gweva
After four years of struggling to start a baking and decor business Siviwe Melani, 37, finally managed to establish herself as businesswoman through hard work and endurance, which at first mainly focused on catering and later led her to having her own baking business called Hot Plate Events and Bakery.
The mother of four who currently lives in Vergenoeg, who used to work at Real People in Quigney said the number of hours she worked at the place did not allow her to spend quality time with her children and that frustrated and motivated her to start her own company.
Melani said she started her small business in 2013 by making platters for baby showers and birthday parties which she advertised through Facebook to get clients, when she saw her business was growing, she decided to go big by teaching herself how to bake.
“On the second of March 2016, I taught myself how to bake. I would search the internet for information on how to bake, so I practised and practised until I felt like I can actually bake a cake and I did my first cake for a baby shower,” she said.
The businesswoman registered her Ilikhwezi Tradings company in 2017, she added that the Hot Plate Events and Bakery is the baby company of Ilikhwezi Tradings which is the main company.
Some of the challenges she has faced in this kind of business is getting clients, being acknowledged as a black businesswoman, getting sponsors and people not understanding that making themed cakes is not cheap.
Compared to the past years Hot Plate Events and Bakery has grown despite all the challenges, she added that the business is not yet where she would like it to be, as her target is to make 20 cakes per week but she makes 7 cakes per week.
“As much as I am pushing myself I still need support and people to recognize my work by visiting my Facebook page, Hot Plate Events” said Melani.
The baker sees herself as a permanent baking teacher, she explained that she once tried to teach at least five people but that gave her problems, she hopes to open her own registered baking school to help people get a certificate and be professional bakers.