We recently connected with Saria Ahmed and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Saria, thanks for joining us today. Covid has brought about so many changes – has your business model changed?

When Covid first hit, cities started shutting down while work-from-home measures were being declared, and for Bangladesh, it was mid-March of 2020. My company, The Flourist, was a very small initiative back then, located in the heart of the capital, with a niche clientele and only two employees. Operating in one of the most expensive cities in the world we banked on our clientele to reside in specific areas with a demographic who could match prices and still opt for luxury goods such as ours (cakes, in times of crisis, are definitely a luxury when so many people here struggle to gather 3 meals a day).

Overnight, we witnessed many small businesses close shop without making much provision for their teams. Many tried surviving by paying only a percentage of the salaries or managing a rent exemption just to stay afloat. I did a quick projection and realized I wouldn’t make it till the end of summer if the situation continued. And with my back against the wall, I decided that the only way to make it out of here was to live through it and do that we needed to expand or else the numbers just didn’t make sense!

So how exactly did Covid change my business model? We had to double the space, double the equipment and triple the people, start offering cake delivery services, i.e. build our own mini fleet and also figure out a schedule to rotate employees while maintain health and safety regulations during the pandemic – just to name a few!

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?

I am a 35-year-old Pastry Chef and Painter based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I own a boutique cake studio called The Flourist that specializes in bespoke cakes, desserts and breads. I recently opened a pet café with my friend and business partner, Rakibul Huq Emil, called Pat a Pet Café.

My company, The Flourist, is currently on its 10th year. What started as a blogging project back in 2012 blossomed into a private cake studio by 2013. I was still the only employee for the first 6 years, with occasional part-time assistants-turned-friends helping me out from time to time. But over the last 4 years, we’ve graduated into a full-fledged business and currently, we are a strong team of 15!

Our 1st USP? Each and every cake order can be customized down to the smallest of details starting from colors to flavors, designs to structures, working around all thematic parties. We specialize in bespoke wedding and birthday cakes and dessert tables.

Our 2nd USP? We are capable of creating custom beauties very quickly – in just 1 to 6 hours! Meaning clients don’t have to book us or preorder items from days ahead; now, we can accommodate cake orders on the same day, in just a few hours!
In 2021 we launched our bakery segment under The Flourist Deli, with freshly baked breads, puffs, rolls and savory pastries. We partnered up as suppliers with local high-end restaurants. I personally offer cake workshops from time to time, helping build our local baking community and sharing the joy of cake making with those around me. My favorite classes to give are cookie decorating ones with kids!

Which is why I am happy to be branching out to schools and partnering up with them for lunch meals! Currently we are also planning the launch of our catering segment scheduled to launch at end of this year.

My second business child – Pat a Pet Café is my happy place. Working with animal welfare for a few years I’d noticed how people tend to shy away from adopting, especially local breeds of cats and dogs, and so, being able to create a space where people can come in and play with them and see how loving they can be, while sipping on coffee and cakes – that has always been the dream! The café is not just a business – it’s a movement; the start towards a cultural shift. One that makes us more tolerant and loving and hopefully, a tad more playful!

For both my business enterprises, I’ve tried to stay true to myself and my values and incorporated measures I find are important like reducing usage of plastic, reusing and repurposing items, thus attempting to leave a greener footprint as a business.

As a self-taught painter, I have had the opportunity to exhibit and be part of group and solo shows, murals, work with bands and musicians as well as work on some corporate pieces.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Growing up, out of the many things I’d wanted to become (usually on a whim), an artist/painter was probably the most coveted one. But during high school I had to dropout and sit for my A’ Levels exams privately, and had to start working to support myself through high school and later college. And in doing that I lost the time to paint. In college I decided to pursue Journalism as my major while working 2-3 jobs at the same time. And one of those jobs led me to an advertising firm as a part time copywriter.

By the time I’d graduated, I’d switched firms a few times and worked full time as a Copywriter. After a couple of years, I decided to pursue my masters in advertising and started applying to universities in the UK. This coincided with a vacation in Singapore when I was also looking to shed some extra fluff. So I decide to have one dessert a week and I spent the entire week planning out where I’d eat it which dessert on my cheat day.

My cheat day came and I went and ordered a rich, dense slice of chocolate cake and the first bite told me that the piece of cake was stale, dry and the opposite of delicious. I complained about this piece of cake to my friends for the next few days after which one of them suggested I should train to be a chef given my reactions and opinions about food. The idea evolved in my head and by the time my vacation was over, I stopped applying for my masters and started researching culinary schools!

Thus started my culinary journey which has finally evolved into two different businesses now!

Any advice for managing a team?

The way I see it, if your team isn’t happy and making money with you, then that’s a team that’s bound to fall apart at some point. Especially given how we work with petty cash and the industry is fickle and there are always 20 other companies waiting in line to poach my team.

My goal for The Flourist was to enable operations it in such a way that it would still run and operate the same way without me, and this was always a challenge because the brand’s aesthetics, image and quality of design and products were always interlinked with me personally.

I make it a point to show my appreciation for my team on all our platforms from time to time – I want them to know they are valued. And I make sure that salaries are paid on time (the second of every month), keeping options open for them to avail small loans from the company itself. Besides yearly increments and bonuses we opt for monthly team lunches and I always let them know that my door is open to listen and learn about problems.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/theflouristcakes
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theflourist.cakes