Young entrepreneur turns kitchen experiment into growing dessert business

It doesn’t take four months to bake a loaf of bread or a cupcake, but rushing the process often means the results won’t turn out the way you expect. However, dedicating four months to mastering the art of freshly baked cuisine every day can put someone on the path to becoming one of the best bakers in the field.
This is the story of 24-year-old Nandanie Shairalli of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB), who dedicated four months of her time to learning the craft of baking, quietly grinding and building her skills like a diamond under pressure.
To better understand Shairalli’s story, one should know that she has her roots in the cosmetology industry, having entered the field eight years ago. She is a certified cosmetologist and is currently pursuing Level Two in her makeup journey. While baking is now her current passion, she made it clear that her professional background is diverse and multifaceted. According to her, this journey, which ultimately led to the creation of her business, began in her mother’s kitchen, where she experimented using her mother’s utensils and ingredients.
She explained that although operations began on December 1, the business was officially registered in January. She further revealed that both her brother and mother inspired her to pursue the venture, noting that watching YouTube videos and similar content also motivated and guided her journey. However, even before posting anything on her social media pages, she said her start was one of trial and error with her own recipes.

“That’s how I reached out. But before I started to put out stuff on the internet, I tried to make my own recipe and menu – my own stuff – before I put it out on the market. That’s how I started to build my customers through social media.” She explained that her mother is a baker, and she drew inspiration from her, as well as from her husband and her brother, who is currently a chef.
She noted that her family played a key role in motivating her to pursue baking. When asked why she left her previous job, she said she wanted to experience something different and gain broader work exposure. She stated that she previously worked as a pharmacy assistant and cashier but decided to resign in order to gain more experience outside of that field, explaining that she did not want to limit herself professionally.
“Yes, in four months, I put out a lot of work, effort, energy – everything. I stopped working and then started baking in like one week. After I quit my job, nothing came to mind about what I wanted to do. I just sat down one day and said, ‘Let me get up and go in the kitchen and just start.’”
Among the treats she offers are mini cupcakes, champagne glass cheesecake with spoon, popcorn cups (baby-themed blue/pink, etc.), wafer rolls, tres leches, Oreo crunch, rice crispy cake pops, cakesicles, strawberry-covered cheesecake cupcakes, chocolate churros, jumbo marshmallow pops, chocolate-covered marshmallow pops, and wafer drizzle kits, which include 18 wafers, two packs of sprinkles, chocolate/icing, piping bags, among other things.

She revealed that she recently created a business page but usually operates everything through WhatsApp. She added that she was never someone who used to post publicly before. Describing the taste of her products, she said they carry a unique flavour and texture.
“So far, my product is different from what I’m using. The flavour, the texture – everything has a different taste. Mine might not taste like how other persons make theirs, and theirs might not taste like mine. But so far, everybody gives me good compliments about it. So, when I’m doing cake and all those things, I stick to the recipe that I’m using.”
She explained that she focuses on all aspects of baking, including buttercream, icing, frosting and coatings, and that she works with her imagination while maintaining one core flavour style. This, she said, allows her to meet customer requests exactly – for example, producing six items when a customer orders six – rather than working in large, impersonal batches.
She also spoke about the challenges she faced when starting out, particularly with mixing buttercream. At times, she said, it would become too runny and fail to hold its design, causing it to drip. She added that cakes would occasionally overbake, but she emphasised that she tests everything before releasing products to customers to avoid disappointment. Shairalli also stated that she firmly believes that when one door closes, many more open and expressed excitement about new opportunities and “advantages” on the horizon. She added that she is deeply grateful for how far she has come and remains committed to continued growth and success.
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Caption: Cupcakes prepared by Nandanie Shairalli for a birthday event