Today we’d like to introduce you to Ayesha Farooqui.
Ayesha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always loved baking growing up! Seeing others enjoy what I bake fuels my passion for it further. Fast forward through graduating from college, getting married, and having a baby, I found myself as a stay-at-home mom who wanted to do a little side hustle from home. My mom and sister suggested I start selling baklava bites. I had recently made these mini desserts for my sister’s graduation party and my friend’s engagement party and they were a hit amongst the guests. After a lot of researching and planning, Bits & Bites was born! (My sister was the one who came up with the name!)
I started B&B on March 1, 2020. Eleven days later the WHO declared the coronavirus a pandemic, so it was a very anticlimactic start to my new venture. I didn’t think I would get orders at all, and although it was slow at first, I started to get more orders each month. One day I posted a picture of the birthday cake I had made for myself on Instagram. Someone messaged me later asking me to make a birthday cake for her daughter and while I was incredibly nervous to do it, I decided to take on the order….and I’m so glad I did! I slowly started getting more cake requests so I started watching copious amounts of cake tutorials on YouTube and would volunteer to make friends and family members’ cakes for birthdays or showers any chance I got for practice. I even got to make two of my best friend’s wedding cakes last year- which was a huge milestone for me, because just a few months prior I would never have imagined being able to make a tiered cake. Now, most of my orders are custom cakes! (Although, those who have tried my baklava bites can’t get enough of them!)
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road! The first roadblock was (and has been) COVID obviously. Trying to navigate motherhood and a small business in the middle of a pandemic has been quite the journey. Last year I went on a hiatus for a few months and stopped taking orders and it was a much-needed break. Now that I’m back to taking orders I feel so recharged and ready to go. I think it’s important to know when you need to stop and take a break and set boundaries for yourself and your business. I’m a one-woman show, so I’m the baker, designer, photographer, social media manager, customer relations specialist, accountant, and so many other roles!
I’ve also really struggled with “imposter syndrome”. Even though I have been baking for a long time, I’m still relatively new at cake decorating, so I definitely feel like I’m not “good enough” or talented enough as other bakers. This is something I have to work through and remind myself that I can only compare myself with myself and try to do better than I did yesterday!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I offer custom cakes, cupcakes, and my signature items: baklava bites and the Ras Malai Tres Leches Cake.
Even though I’m known for my custom cakes, my Ras Malai tres leches cakes are quickly gaining popularity amongst my customers and they have their own little fan base! It’s an East-meets-West fusion of the South Asian dessert “ras malai” and a tres leches cake resulting in a delicate and creamy combination of cardamom, saffron, and rose flavors.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I’m so grateful for the support of my husband, family, and friends! Without them, Bits & Bites would not have made the progress it had these past two years!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitsandbites_tx/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/bitsandbitestx
Image Credits
Robin Hood Photography
