What’s your story with Soumali Debnath
I always had a plan of featuring my friends who have been planning some awesome creative things in their life. In the first post for the What’s Your Story series, we will be talking to Soumali Debnath, my friend from my previous organization. She is multi-talented and a great baker.
I have always admired her work and when I saw her cakes, I would say that someday we should partner in a Cake franchise but only after I come back to India to which she would snap saying ‘we will see if you ever come back to India’. Somali is an automation Test Engineer working in a famous MNC in Pune, India. She has been an excellent performer on the professional front and even more excellent performer on the creativity front. Her cakes speak for itself.
I had a chance to talk to her recently and we discussed in brief about various topics.
1. Tell me about how you got into this cake baking story?
Soumali Debnath- I was just 14 years old when I got the interest of baking from my mom. And that is when I started exploring baking cakes but since I am from a small town in Kolkata, not many resources were available there for the cake decoration part. My job brought me to Pune where lots of baking materials are easily available. There was no stopping from there. I explored, improved, and learned on my own.
2. How do you manage time for baking ?
Soumali Debnath- Baking Cake is my passion, it’s like a stress buster for me. So balancing work and baking happens automatically. Most importantly my husband is very supportive about it. The days when I bake, he takes care of the other household work.
3. What kind of cakes do you like baking and what are the ones you are yet to explore?
Soumali Debnath- I like to bake all types of cakes. I try to use natural flavors than artificial flavors, so mostly I bake all the available fruit flavored cakes. But these days more than baking a cake, I like designing it. I make it a point to create unique designs. Theme based cakes are my specialty. I ask different questions to the customers to understand their requirements. Baking is not only about cakes. Bread and cookies are also an integral part of baking. Bread is what I want to explore more.
4. Do you have a plan to turn this into a full-time business?
Soumali Debnath- I have not yet thought about it. I have this very weird feeling that if I do full-time business and enter into the competition, I might lose my passion and interest for it and enter into a rat race like the others.
5. How do you get the orders and how do you sell?
Soumali Debnath- I got popularity through the word of mouth. That’s how I get my orders. Those who value quality and uniqueness, they are my regular customers. I have a loyal customer base.
6. What is your dream ?
Soumali Debnath- To get different varieties of orders which are unique and through which I can explore my creativity.
7. What do you want your legacy to be? How do you want to be remembered?
Soumali Debnath- My friends call me their baking queen or baking Genie. It gives me immense pleasure to me when I make their special moments more special with my bakes. While visiting anyone I prefer to carry my bakes than any outside food which has a lot of love involved in it. So that’s how people remember me and I want to be remembered.
8. What is your advice to the emerging creative entrepreneurs who can’t find their way out to unleash their potential?
Soumali Debnath- Be your own self! Love what you do. Success will follow and for me, success does not mean only money in this case. Although I know it’s easier to say it as I am an IT engineer besides being a home baker. But at this point in time besides money, the love and appreciation I get are what I define success for me. Also, don’t stop learning. Every day there is something new to learn.
Through Soumali, we get to learn that creativity has no limits. If you have passion for something then go for it. Creativity is what defines us and do your best in everything that you do. If you are interested in her cakes or want to buy cakes from her then do visit her Instagram page and connect with her.
