Mr Perwira Ansari has always had a passion for baking. He showed his love for baking by starting up Just Drop Buy, a home-based business with his wife, Ms Ratumas back in 2016.
Over the years, their business grew through word-of-mouth and this encouraged Mr Perwira to enrol at Sunrice GlobalChef Academy where he graduated with a Diploma in Pastry and Bakery.
Sourcing for the right location
The overwhelming of orders prompted the couple to consider setting up a storefront so that they could accommodate to the growing customer base. In August 2018, Mr Perwira met one of our Business Advisor, Beny and shared his plans on opening his own bakery. Since this was Mr Perwira’s and Ms Ratumas’s first time setting up a physical storefront, Beny advised the couple to register their business as a sole proprietor with ACRA. The duo then shared with Beny that they would like to rent a space that was close to their home, in Woodlands.
“Finding a property that was close to our home was important to us as we wanted to save cost on transportation,” explained Ms Ratumas.
Beny connected the couple to a property agent and after two months when nothing came up, they decided to find the space for themselves. After months of searching, they finally found a space in Sembawang and kickstarted their renovation process.
Talent recruitment
Another challenge that the couple face was finding the right talent for the business.
“We’re looking for someone to assist us in the day-to-day operations of the bakery but struggled to find someone who was right for the job,” explained Mr Perwira.
Beny then connected them to Manisah, our WSG Business Advisor, whom recommended that the duo sign up for the Career Trial for Employers Programme. The programme would both Mr Perwira and Ms Ratumas to assess potential employees through a short-term work trial before offering them a full-time salary. Companies could receive up to $5,400 salary support for hiring eligible Singapore citizens.
“Mr Perwira and Ms Ratumas felt that this was a good platform to leverage on as it would give them time to find the right fit for the job. They are currently in the process of application,” shared Manisah.
During the course of starting up, Beny recommended the duo to purchase a POS system through the PSG grant. Mr Perwira and his wife also expressed interest in attaining a Halal Certificate for their bakery. However, Beny recommended an easier alternative and advised the couple to consider attending SMCCI’s 100% Muslim-Owned Establishment (MOE) course. The couple took up Beny’s advice and successfully attained the 100% MOE certificate after attending the half-day course in January this year.
The bakery officially opened in April this year. It is located at 59H Jalan Malu Malu Sembawang Road S(769674).