WRITTEN BY: OMEGA NGEMA
WHEN the Covid-19 pandemic first hit, for most household the reality of being locked down together all day saw the dawn of various new pass times like new DIY projects, cooking experiments and ofcourse the voguish all-day snacking and baking habit.
For home baking fiend Naazneen Abdulla (32), this kitchen avocation not only revived her childhood aspirations of becoming a nurturing baker like her mom, but also inspired an innovative business idea. Naazneen then combined her love for baking and her family’s newfound constant need for snacking during lockdown to come up with her ingenious home industry business, Slice it! By Naazneen.
With the aim of making life “sweet” and convenient for all the hard working people who would like home baked goods without the effort of spending too much time in the kitchen, Slice it by Naazneen offers ‘Slice and bake rolls’ for convenient snacking. These are fridge and freezer friendly ready mixed, and ready to bake goodies which patrons can just slice and bake without having to go through the mess and stress of baking from scratch, while still enjoying the freshness of home baked goods. Their delectable offerings include cookie rolls, baked snacks and “not your average scones” in various flavours.
“Our products are made for convenience, they are as much a guilt free snack, a satisfying sweet reward after a long day. With cookies baked in just 10 minutes you will also always have a plan for those last minute visitors,” said Naazneen.
Naazneen said baking was a huge part of her childhood and she owes the success of her business to her parents who taught her about running a business very early in her life by instilling in her the principle of hard work. “It does not matter where the members of my family members ended up in life, I think we will all agree that our common ground will always be our food experiences. Our fondest memories often come from sharing meals or treats with family and friends, this is where our best conversations often take place. Dinner time was always family time for us, sitting together at the table while we shared our moments and events from the day. Thereafter, we would indulge in a sweet home baked treat,” said Naazneen.
She said running her own business from home has however turned her whole family into young entrepreneurs of note. “Being an entrepreneur has developed my 7 year old sons mind into a business thinking mind as well. As he asks a lot of questions as to why I am taking on the extra work, seeing that I am working full time as well. He recently asked me if he can start a business as well. He wants to sell lemonade,” said Naazneen adding that she however tries not to let running the business take time away from the family. Naazneen said being entrepreneur also grew her commitment and determination to achieving her goals, she enjoys the opportunity to be able solve a problem for her patrons that being an entrepreneur has afforded her, and the satisfaction in knowing that her customers enjoy the taste of her products.
“Success for me is knowing that I have achieved what I have set out to accomplish when I started this business. It’s a sense of great accomplishment, fulfilment and satisfaction in what you are doing. Success for me is staying on top of my game in my business, my job, my family and in mental health as we know life can be very challenging. Your success is defined by yourself and not by anyone else,” said Naazneen.
To other aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to start their own business, Naazneen says, go for it. “As an entrepreneur you must remember to never give up. You can achieve anything you set your mind to do. Invest correctly from the beginning and don’t be afraid to invest. Stay innovative and remember that at the end of the day the purpose of business is to drive value for your customers. Always remain truthful and honest in all aspects of business,” said Naazneen.
