Small baking business gets help to rise to its potential
Baker and young entrepreneur Sope Oludimu will accelerate the growth of her early stage business thanks to a SWEF Business Grant from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation.
The 28 year old living in Southampton was awarded £2,000 for equipment and training from the fund, which supports young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30 who cannot afford to invest in their own business or raise money externally.
Sope originally established her business in Nigeria, but after moving to the UK in 2022 to live with her husband, she had to begin from scratch. Thanks to her passion for baking and dedication to nurturing relationships in her community, Sope has built a loyal client base through word of mouth and an impressive social media following. She has more than 30,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, and uses these platforms to showcase her love of baking and creative flair to craft beautiful cakes that delight her clients.
Having built a solid foundation for her business in Southampton, Sope was looking for investment to expand her offer and upscale production. The SWEF Business Grant will pay for a new state of the art industrial mixer, allowing her to mix bigger batches to fulfil bigger orders. Additional training with Cake International will equip Sope with new skills in creating intricate designs that will help expand her creative offering and stand out in a busy market.
Sope took some time out from running her business to tell us more:
“I am so excited to get the SWEF grant. It means the plans I had for the business over the next four to five years can now be rolled out as early as next year. Everything I currently earn goes straight back into the business, so I’m only just breaking even each month. I hope now to be making a profit by 2025 and maybe to employ someone in the kitchen, which will mean I can upscale my production while also freeing up some time to triple my customer base next year.”
Sope Oludimu
Founder of Sensational Cakes
