Cathy de Silva | eat me cakes
“Have a good plan, know what you want and how you plan on getting there. Without direction, you will lose momentum and start to feel lost, which is when people generally give up.”
Tell us something no one would know about you (until now).
I often stuff up in the kitchen. I have stuffed up cakes for an order and then been up until the early hours of the morning redoing it. But the more I bake, the less I seem to stuff up. I haven’t done it for a while now.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I never had a clear idea as a child. I wasn’t that little girl who dreamed of her ideal wedding, or knew how many kids I would have and what their names would be. In the same vein, I didn’t have a dream job as a child. For a small pocket of time when I was about 4, I wanted to be a hairdresser. At another stage it was an acrobat. Then while I was in high school, I thought I would be a lawyer. I eventually fell into Marketing & Communications for the Arts industry. I still love that field, however get so much more joy from my baking.
Where did you grow up?
Born and bred in Brisbane.
Where do you live now?
Still living in Brisbane. I would love to explore the world and live somewhere new, but Brisbane will always feel like home.
What inspires you?
People doing things differently and colour. Even just watching a movie about food or scrolling through Instagram gives me inspiration to bake and create something new.
How did your Side Project come about?
I’ve always enjoyed baking. I think I started in high school and loved seeing the joy it brought my family when they ate my food. I started baking more just before my separation and then during my separation from my first husband. I think I saw baking as being a positive in my life and it made me happy when I baked for friends. I soon had people telling me I should start a business. Then, after I meet my now fiance, and he supported me and encouraged me, I decided to give it a proper go.
“I’m always on Instagram and Pinterest looking at new recipes and techniques. I also scroll through how-to videos on YouTube to find out how to do certain techniques and then practice them myself. And then just seeing people’s reaction to my baking makes me want to keep going.”
What stage is your Side Project in?
I have launched my business and have been baking for friends, family and new clients. It’s still early days, but I am slowly getting more orders, and from people I don’t know.
What’s your day job/what was your day job?
I have been working in arts marketing for about 10 years. I have been on a break the past 10 months following the birth of my second son. I’ve loved spending time at home with my son and experimenting with my baking and decorating techniques.
How do you balance the nine-to-five with your Side Project?
At the moment, it happens when I have time. Baking and decorating cakes calms and excites me, so I will do it while bub is eating, or while he’s sleeping. Even if I don’t have any orders, I’ll try and bake a few times a week.
When was the moment you thought, I might be onto something here?
When friends started offering to pay for my cakes. I had 2 wedding cake requests and made wedding cakes for both my siblings before I decided to give it a go.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
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I’m always on Instagram and Pinterest looking at new recipes and techniques. I also scroll through how-to videos on YouTube to find out how to do certain techniques and then practice them myself. And then just seeing people’s reaction to my baking makes me want to keep going.
What was the biggest opposing force that you encountered and how did you overcome it?
Finance. To have a “home” baking business, you can’t actually bake at home. You need a certified commercial kitchen, and if you don’t have a second kitchen at your house, which is never accessed by children or animals, then you need to hire a kitchen, which can get costly. You also need a food licence, which can cost about $700 annually. Luckily, I have a very supportive partner and he agreed that I could tap into our savings to pay for my licence.
What has been the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
I don’t know if I’ve received much advice, but I have had lots of support from family and friends. The enthusiasm from these people have really encouraged me to take this on and try to make something of it. I do seek advice in the form of training, and like to log into online classes to learn new techniques. Craftsy has some great cake decorating classes!
How do you want to make your mark/what legacy will you leave behind?
My legacy might be diabetes or weight gain… but I really hope not. All in moderation, friends. I think though that I would like people to take away that it’s not too late to give your dream a go and that even with two young kids, limited sleep and way too much on your plate, you can still give it a go.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your Side Project/How do you overcome it?
As I am a “home” baker and the need to hire a kitchen to bake for events, as well as finding it difficult to buy ingredients in bulk, my prices are higher than a bakery. What I am trying to do is offer that point of difference though. I will make you a bespoke cake, completely tailored to your tastes and needs, and decorate it how you like. The way I’m trying to overcome this is by building a network of followers on social media and building my profile.
Who are your top influences in your life, in terms of your career and helping you to focus on your Side Project?
The AMAZING bakers from across the world who I follow on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. These crazy talented people are so creative and talented that they sometimes overwhelm me and make me question if I’m good enough. Then they inspire me and make me want to try new and different techniques.
How did/do you fund your Side Project?
At the moment I am trying to keep my cakes affordable, so I cover the costs of the cake and then a little bit for my time. It’s not really a huge money maker, but I love creating these cakes and really enjoy seeing people’s reactions. I wish they would send me the cutting-the-cake picture every time.
What is the most satisfying part of your Side Project?
If I am cooking for my family, then eating it with them is definitely the best part. But when cooking for others, seeing them get their cake and their reaction is the best. I also love figuring out a new decorating technique — right now I’m obsessed with buttercream flowers!
Do you have other Side Projects?
I style and photograph all my own images for social media and my website. I really like photography and am trying to develop my styling skills. I have a long way to go, but it is a really fun and a creative outlet.
What advice would you give to others who are thinking of ditching the day job for their Side Project?
Have a good plan, know what you want and how you plan on getting there. Without direction, you will lose momentum and start to feel lost, which is when people generally give up.
Does your Side Project make you more productive/happy in other areas of your life?
Definitely. When I haven’t baked for a while, I start feeling unproductive and like I’m not contributing to our little family. I know that’s not true, but baking does give me a feeling of accomplishment and joy.
How can people find you/your Side Project?
Website: eatmecakes.org/
Instagram: instagram.com/eatmecakes_bycathy/
Facebook: facebook.com/eatmecakesbycathy/
