We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fatima’s Baklawa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Fatima’s , appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I would like to express my gratitude for this wonderful opportunity. It is a privilege to share our story with new readers. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Diana, the founder of this small family business driven by a profound love and appreciation for my husband’s Northern African culture. The moment I tasted baklawa for the first time, I fell in love with its exquisite flavor and the skills required to create these amazing pastries by hand. Selecting a name for our business was undoubtedly a challenging task. It was my desire to choose a name that would authentically represent the business, and not be a mere extension of myself. I wanted our business to have its own identity. I firmly believe that the name “Fatima’s Baklawa” exudes warmth, familiarity, and transcends border barriers. I want our clients to understand that, regardless of their origins, our homemade desserts extend an invitation to experience “A Sweet Day, Every Day.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

At Fatima’s Baklawa, we specialize in homemade-style baklawa, also known as baklava, a delicious and rich dessert made with layers of fillo dough, using premium ingredients like ghee butter from Holland, raw almonds, orange blossom, and organic raw honey. Sometimes we include Nutella in the mix. And we’ve even introduced a fully vegan baklawa with a signature cookie butter flavor!

What distinguishes us is our passion for connecting with the community. We genuinely care about you and your events. Our catering services include large trays at special prices, perfect for sharing with friends and family. We take pleasure in participating in local pop-ups around LA, allowing us to receive direct feedback from our valued customers.

Connecting with us is easy, just visit our social media channels and drop us a message. We’re always excited to explore new opportunities, meet new people, and bring our delicious treats to different events!

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

This is an intriguing story. My day job involves acting and producing, much like many others here in LA! (laughs). You can imagine how unstable the industry has been since the pandemic and the strike. Given these challenges, my husband, who is a business advisor, and I explored ways to generate additional income while pursuing something I genuinely enjoyed. Drawing on my skills and the traditional recipes passed down by my husband’s grandmother, I decided to create these delicate pastries, not only to honor the tradition but also to contribute to the LA community. Initially, it was just a hobby for me. However, with the positive response from our clients and the support we’ve received, what began as a hobby has now transformed into a thriving business! While we may not know where this passion will lead us, we’re savoring every aspect of the process.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

In the early days, my main goal was to keep the investment minimal. I began with just a few hundred dollars from my savings, concentrating on purchasing only the essential items. As the business gained momentum, I reinvested all generated revenue back into its growth. I believe the key is to cut down on costs without compromising quality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fatimasbaklawa.wixsite.com/fatimasbaklawa
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatimas_baklawa/
• Other: Email: [email protected] Phone: (424)209-9816 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatimas_baklawa