A journey of cakes and relationships in the making
Beyond processes and results, what keeps a business going? We speak to Cupplets who tell us how the relationships they have forged are as important to them as buttercream is to their cakes.
They started 4 years ago with little knowledge about baking and cake decorating - and now create some of the most beautiful cakes as seen on Instagram. We get to know Samantha and Ernest a little better.
How did it all begin?
In Polytechnic (year three), the school gave us an opportunity to run a hotdog kiosk. It was our first time running a business, so it was very new to us. It was also our first time handling suppliers and dealing with manpower.
It hit us when a supplier just decided to stop carrying a certain product, and that caused a plunge in sales. So we discovered a very important lesson – that we had to really go out and find a skill. Learn a skill. Baking was one thing that interested me initially, and Ernest joined in later on.
What inspires your beautiful cake designs?
Nature, people, flowers, colors, greens and marble. We have a keen eye for things that flow. Our designs reflect a lot of colours and blooms. The way each cake is arranged and how the design moves put a distinct personality to the end product. We've learnt over the years to connect the things we're inspired by with our emotions, and we get amazed by the results. We gain fresh perspectives each time we combine colours in a different way to produce new results.
How do you stay passionate in what you do?
We like decorating cakes, but I think the passion comes when you start interacting with people. You start to ask them, 'How do you find the cakes?' You start to teach people - your staff, at workshops. You see the progress; the passion is there. You see people coming to you and telling you that you've grown since Day One.
"The passion comes from the relationships. We've done cakes for people who had their first kid, all the way to their third kid. And all that accumulates to make us passionate in what we do."
And what's your biggest takeaway from running your own business?
The experiences that we've gained in these four years. These are things money cannot buy, and we hope they remain vivid in our memories for a long time. In the six months after we first started, it was tough because we had very little knowledge about baking and cake decorating. Amidst the struggle, we manage to catch a glimpse of hope through our customers. Their presence pushed us to be creative and go past boundaries.
Our business journey reflects a steep learning curve. Without Cupplets, we won't be brave enough to explore the endless possibilities with buttercream cakes.
Check out some of Cupplets' beautiful masterpieces below; and more on Instagram!
The Cupplets team has collaborated with Funan on a few counts, including putting up a gorgeous dessert table at the Funan showsuite's opening party in April 2017, running product giveaways, and conducting cake decorating workshops for aspiring bakers.