Turning Passion to Opportunity – Annie B

Early life and beginnings

Annie has grown up being a foodie, and she has always loved eating desserts. Growing up, she wanted to be a pilot. She has three pilots in her family, and she aspired to be like them. She finished her class 12, and she was ready to head to the US to join a flight school. Her family encouraged her to pick up a hobby.

She attended a few workshops and then started baking at home. Her family supported her and said she had a talent for baking. But Annie’s heart was set on flying. However, word started spreading that she was a great baker. She received tons of orders from friends and family members. Before she knew it, her business had picked up. She stuck with it and made a very successful business on her own.  

Inspiration

Annie has gotten inspiration from many sources, including social media, but she believes it is important to make it her own and put her own touch to baking. She loves working with buttercream, and it feels like therapy for her. She is known for her unique floral designs. Her signature cakes combine buttercream and floral designs. Nigella Lawson greatly inspires her, and she looks up to her for inspiration. 

Instagram journey

Annie feels that Instagram is another added responsibility for her. She is very particular about the kind of content she puts up on her page. She has to balance work and her Instagram page. She loves clicking and posting her own pictures. She tries to engage with her fans regularly. She posts every other day even though she is busy with her bakery. She has a passion for food photography and loves styling her own pictures as well.

Challenges and balance

Working in the food industry is mentally and physically exhausting but, Annie feels the efforts are worth it because she loves her work. She loves creating something that someone enjoys eating. She finds it hard to find time for herself because she works long hours and on weekends.

Dealing with the pressure of someone’s order going wrong is hard but, Annie believes it is important to think fast and fix it. There has to be a plan B always.

Achievements

Annie is very proud of the fact that she has baked a cake for Sachin Tendulkar. She was fangirling when she got the opportunity. Annie is known very well for her signature chocolate tart. People from all over Bombay come to eat her chocolate tart.

Advice

Annie believes that shifting careers entails fear. She had seen herself becoming a pilot, but she had to give it up to pursue baking which she is also passionate about. She is motivated to push hard and do better for her business which she considers her baby. During the lockdown, she was busy with work, and her business flourished even more. She doesn’t stress over competition and focuses on doing her own thing.