Baking pundit and trailblazing businesswoman Tshililo Khangale launched her podcast, “The Bakers and Small Business Talk Space”.
Khangale, an acclaimed entrepreneur and owner of Exquisite Deluxe Cakes, hosts the 10-episode podcast on YouTube, which is set to reconcile the baking industry and entrepreneurship. Thus, it explores the exciting world of entrepreneurship, focusing on the journey of bakery owners and aspiring small business leaders.
Boasting more than 50 000 followers on Instagram and 145k followers on Facebook, “The Bakers and Small Business Talk Space” podcast aims to empower viewers by sharing inspiring stories of successful bakery owners and providing practical tips and strategies for turning a passion into a profitable business.
The first episode started with baking entrepreneur and owner of Bakeat, Pamela Molobi.
Molobi, who has worked in real estate, explained that she hated being in the kitchen. Instead, her career path was set on working as a lawyer. But Molobi pointed out that her baking career was unlocked when she baked her daughter a birthday cake just after she’d gone on maternity leave at her new job.
“I could not afford to buy my daughter a cake, so I decided to bake her one,” said Molobi.
Molobi started baking as a hobby, which she posted on Instagram, garnering her baking gigs. However, she noted she charged meagre prices to gain a customer base and compete with big retailers.
“I was excited that people wanted what I was doing. Out of excitement, I never really thought about making a profit. The corporate in me made me turn this hobby into a business. Had my husband not told me to formalise this hobby into a business, I’d probably be baking cakes for fun,” said Molobi.
Molobi further said she encountered several challenges as a small business, but through experience, knowledge of the business sector and tenacity, she triumphed through it all and can balance family, fun and running a formal business.
Additionally, Molobi emphasised that rookie entrepreneurs must obtain business and financial acumen to understand entrepreneurship's nuances.
Expressing her excitement about her new career path, Khangale said the podcast is a form of edutainment.
“We are excited to launch this podcast and offer a platform for valuable discussions within the baking and small business communities,” said Khangale.
Khangale’s career as a baker spans a good six years. Meanwhile, she has 14 years of experience as a businesswoman.
The podcast, which also plans to tackle the high unemployment rate, will feature captivating conversations with seasoned entrepreneurs alongside valuable insight from industry professionals in the coming weeks.
Some of her guests include Omphile Magasa, an entrepreneur and founder of Baked by Opy. Magasa had a career shift, from working as an IT specialist to a successful baking career where she supplies major retailers, securing a feature on Forbes Africa.
Another expected feature on the podcast will be Nelisiwe Mwase, the co-owner of the popular production company Ofentse Mwase Films.
“From being a stay-at-home mom to co-owning one of the country’s renowned black-owned production companies, Ofentse Mwase Films, she is a writer, thespian, producer and comedian. She has worked with big personal brands such as Miss Pru and A-Reece. Ofentse Mwase Films has more than 571 000 YouTube subscribers,” said Khangale’s PR specialist, Sebabatso Masike.
The Star