Itunu Oyeniran is a graduate of Estate Management from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. She abandoned her professional calling to face the production of wedding cakes. She believes youths should develop their entrepreneurial talents, and urged the government to also support the business dreams and ideas of the youths
Who are you, and and what you do?
My name is Itunuoluwa Oyeniran. I’m the CEO at Cakes by Itunu. I studied Estate Management at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. I’m a creative and very detailed lady. I often refer to myself as a sugar artist because I express my natural artistic giftings through cakes.
What informs your foray into cake baking?
My motivation started with a desire to satisfy my curiosity on how cake is made, as this was what led to the start of my first training (sponsored by my parents) during an ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strike in my 200 Level in the university. Being a natural talent in art, learning came easy and fast. By observing cake pictures, I knew what to do to achieve the designs before me.
Around this time, I got an opportunity to pitch for a grant of N10,000 to be paid in two instalments. I received the first instalment of N5,000 and I got my first set of equipment; a rolling pin, a baking pan, a spatula, a scrapper, a few piping noozle and one more thing I cant remember. With this, I started by collecting money for ingredients to bake from a few friends in my 300 Level. In those days, from baking to decoration, everything was manual. I mixed with my hands using rolling pin and baked with stove and pot. After a while, I became more confident in my craft and I started to charge better; no longer for ingredients only.
I discovered that baking, and especially decoration was natural to me. I enjoyed working on every cake and for every cake I had a deep level of satisfaction. Then I did my first wedding cake and it felt like I belong here, I want to do this for the rest of my life.
By the time I graduated in 2017, I’ve saved over N100,000. With this, I came to Lagos to have an upgrade class for about a month. I left Lagos for Abuja for my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In Abuja, I continued baking. I enrolled for an entrepreneurship programme organised by Project Headstart. At the end of the event, I pitched for a grant and got N50,000 which I used to purchase more tools for the business. After NYSC, I got a scholarship to intern with a leading bakery in Lagos for three months. I was retained to work with the company as their Chief Baker.
I resigned in 2019 and I started my business officially. The business was registered in 2020 and I’m a graduate of the Transforming Nigerian Youth Programme organised by Entreprise Development Centre.
What is the niche that differentiates your cakes?
I do have my eyes on perfection and I pay utmost attention to details. I am very proficient in the cake baking process and strive to meet the expectations of my clients. My natural artistic talents influence my cake baking This is reflected in the designs bad interpretation of the preferences of my clients..
I also focus on the ability to develop innovative and attractive designs that are contemporary. This appeals more to the youthful segment. I am able to meet their yearnings as we are all within the same age classification.
What are the challenges you face in business?
Top of the list is price fluctuation. This is a major challenge because with prices going up consistently in Nigeria, consumer spending behaviour has been greatly impacted. Majority of people want to spend their income on their immediate and most important needs. This has impacts on the business revenue
Another challenge is high production cost due to poor infrastructural development such as electricity. With the subsidy removal, the use of (electric power) generator, which is the alternative for electricity costs more.
What drives business, and what is your counsel for young entrepreneurs?
It is not enough to have a business idea or to desire to start a business. To build a business that lasts, one that is profitable, there’s a way to do business. So before you start that business, get the knowledge required for a business to thrive well. We go to school to study a course so that we can have a good understanding of that discipline, I believe this applies to business as well.
What can be done to support entrepreneurs and small scale businesses?
Entrepreneurship should be included into school curriculum from primary school so as to build the right entrepreneural knowledge into students as they grow older.
- Simplified legal process with regards to business registration, regulations and paperwork
- Access to funding through loans, grants and other financial incentives
- Tax breaks
