Interview with Maliha: Founder of Zisung’s

Interviewer: What year did you start your business?

Maliha: Officially, I started in 2017.

Interviewer: What drew you to the world of baking and pastries? What attracted you to that particular niche?

Maliha: It sort of started out as impatience, so basically the beginning of the story is with waffles. My mum insisted I knew how to make waffles if I wanted it so often. The issue was, each time I wanted waffles, I would have to wait for them to be prepared before I could get them. My impatient self then decided to learn how to make them so that I would be able to get them as and when I wanted. That was how I started getting into baking. From there, I started venturing into cakes. Though the business started with cupcakes, I actually learnt to make cakes first but not the kind of cakes I make currently; they were more loaf-type cakes. I am self-taught, throughout the whole process I did not go to any culinary school. Everything I know is based on baking books that my mum had at home and YouTube videos I watched.

Interviewer: What would you say is the origin story of your business?

Maliha: I actually had a baking business before Zisung’s which is why I said it “officially” launched in 2017. I was, however, baking way before that. It first started as waffles when I teamed up with my classmate Abena Bandoh. We started selling waffles in second year under the name “Waffle and Dabble”. We offered waffles with ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinkles. However, when we reached final year, Abena needed to focus on academics, so we decided to discontinue the waffle business. In my final year, I launched Zisung’s and decided to continue the business, but without waffles. We agreed that I would use the Zisung’s brand for this new venture. Initially, I offered only cupcakes, but later on, I expanded the menu to include cakes. Now, brownies are also on the menu although they were not part of the offerings during my time at Ashesi.

Interviewer: What is the idea behind the name “Zisung’s”?

Maliha: It is actually my middle name. The name means great settlement. Picking a different name would have taken quite a while so I just decided to use my middle name seen as I was the one starting the business. I used my middle name because most people know me by Maliha so by using the middle name, the business would not necessarily be tied to me. Since there would be no direct tie to me, the business could have its own identity and my identity would not necessarily get mixed up with it.

Interviewer: If you could pick one single factor that you felt skyrocketed your business, what would that factor be?

Maliha: I would say at the beginning, the use of WhatsApp status is what helped the business grow. At that time, I still had customer details from the previous business, so they were all saved on my phone. I usually baked on weekends, but I wasn’t necessarily selling the things I baked. I would usually post them on my status just so that people would know there is some available in case they wanted any. That is how word started getting around and I ended up actually starting to sell on campus and then there was also word of mouth by friends.

Interviewer: You mentioned how you started out with a partner and then it became a solo venture. How was that transitioning process like?

Maliha: Running a business solo was quite a shift from when I teamed up with Abena or when it was Waffle and Dabble. Abena and I used to split the market shopping and preparations. For events like Valentine’s Day, having a partner made everything easier and faster. When I began working alone, however, I had to close orders much earlier, plan, purchase ingredients, and even make design changes for packaging. I had to do all these preparations early so that the orders would get to the customers on time since I had a limited number of helping hands. Working alone basically meant extra work, so I had to opt for stickers instead of hand-designed packaging since designing took my time and I needed that time so I could work on the other preparations. Also, when I was with Abena, I used to craft boxes for single cupcakes, but that became time-consuming, so I decided to purchase them. Those were the significant differences between running the business as a solo venture and running it with a partner.

Interviewer: What motivated you to turn this into a fully-fledged business despite the challenges you encountered?

Maliha: At the beginning, it was not my intention to start a business. As I mentioned, it started out as impatience and having a desire to try new things. I started making cupcakes and cakes just for the fun of it, and I often gave them away. However, I noticed that people were interested in buying them. That is when it transformed into a business. I did not set out to make money so I think we can say that at a point, the motivation shifted from impatience to passion. I had developed a passion for what I was doing. Though it did not start out with passion, it was the passion that kept me going. The major differences between running it solo and with a partner that I mentioned were not part of my daily routine. Those processes were mainly for significant events like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. I did not face daily pressure. When I was in Ashesi, I had specific days, usually weekends, when I accepted preorders. I used google forms for orders. I would close the forms when I felt that the number of orders exceeded what I could handle individually. So, it was a combination of not having to do it daily and operating within my own capacity.

Interviewer: How did you manage to juggle your business and school commitments? Additionally, do you believe that your educational pursuits after graduation have contributed to your business ventures? If not, do you think it’s perfectly acceptable for someone to continue a passion project even if it is unrelated to their field of study?

Maliha: To answer the first part, I honestly do not know. I guess I would say that balancing the business with my studies was not too much of an issue for me, mainly because my business operated on weekends and did not interfere with my academic schedule. I had flexibility to manage orders based on my assignment workload. Regarding my course, you are actually not the first person to ask me this. Then again, it all stems from the fact that I did not start it out as a business, so I did not select my major because I wanted to run a business. While some aspects of the business major have been useful, like marketing and operations, subjects like accounting and finance weren’t my strong suit, so I use software for that. For anyone in a similar situation, you can still pursue your venture, even if it doesn’t fall in line with what you are studying. Some elements can be learned or outsourced. So, basically you do not have to choose between your studies and your business.

Interviewer: Were you selling and baking only within Ashesi, or were you also reaching customers outside of Ashesi during the time you were in school?

Maliha: While school was in session, my sales were solely from Ashesi, but during vacation breaks, I expanded my reach to the general public.

Interviewer: You talked about wanting the business to stand on its own, separate from Maliha. Why was this important to you?

Maliha: I wanted the business to have its own identity, separate from me because if it was linked to my name, the business name might fade into the background. I did not want a time to come when it would be phrased as “Maliha’s bakery” rather than its name, Zisung’s. Also, in the case where the business is viewed as a sole proprietorship, for legal and financial reasons, it’s better if the business is a separate entity. Another thing was, I did not want people to decide not to patronize the business because of their reserved feelings about me or whether they liked me or not. It was only recently that I put my picture up on the business page or introduced myself as the face behind the business. That was because of a course I was taking where we were given prompts to follow, but other than that I don’t ever recall putting my face out there or associating myself personally with the business. It is only those that know me personally that I guess would know I run it, but if someone is just visiting the page, all they are going to look at is what the page has to offer and what information they can get about the business. There is no relation to my personal page, and I believe that is the best way for my business.

Interviewer: After five years of managing your business, what would you say is the most important lesson you have learnt?

Maliha: I think the most important thing will be consistency because that is the key aspect if you are in the food and service industry. You cannot have a great product one day and a bad one the next. Consistency is vital, and any break in consistency should only mean improvements are being made. It should meet or exceed the standard.

Interviewer: What significant changes do you see between running your business in Ashesi and running it on a larger scale now?

Maliha: The main difference is that now I can make more cupcakes and cakes because I have better equipment. Back in Ashesi, I did not have the type of fridges I needed to store the baked goods. The fridges and oven were also small. But now, I have multiple ovens and a big fridge that can hold many cupcakes. This means I can make more goods and work more efficiently. Due to the refrigerating problem in Ashesi, we used to work throughout the night and put the icing on later in the morning so it would not melt before reaching the customer. We no longer have to stay up all night to finish orders. Now, with the fridges at my disposal, I can decide to finish baking early and place the icing on the cakes without worrying about it melting. Basically, the main difference is the larger output and efficiency because I have the resources to run more efficiently.

Interviewer: You mentioned how marketing has helped your business. Can you tell us your marketing strategy and how you enhanced it over time?

Maliha: With marketing, I have applied insights from a brand management class I took. The key thing I got from the class was the factors to consider when naming a business and the importance of a memorable name. Although I kept the challenging name “Zisung’s,” I compensated by creating a distinctive and memorable logo. My marketing strategy primarily revolves around social media due to my weekend operating schedule. I have optimized Instagram using keywords and redefined the business category as a “virtual bakery” to improve visibility. To enhance affordability, I introduced combo packages, making it affordable for students. Additionally, I adapt my communication channels to customers’ preferences, either through phone calls or WhatsApp. For some loyal customers, I reach out directly during promotions, offering early ordering options. There are also times when I reserve ordering slots for clients whom I think will place orders but might take a while to do so. I believe all these elements contribute to improving my marketing strategy for the business.

Interviewer: Now that the business has been running successfully for a while, is it still considered as a one-woman business, or you have hired personnel to help you out with orders?

Maliha: For the most part, it is a one-woman business. Weekend orders are not so much that I need to bring someone on board. Just like when I was running it from school, I take orders within my working capacity. During days like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day, lots of orders come in but thankfully I have cousins around that help me. Once those big event days pass, it is back to being a one-woman business. So, in school it was friends that helped me and at home, it is family.

Interviewer: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently if you had the chance?

Maliha: Initially, our cake deliveries through dispatch posed problems, leading to damaged cakes or melted icing. If I could change one thing, it would be our delivery method. To address these issues, I transitioned from dispatch riders to using Uber drivers, especially a select group I trust. This approach improved the delivery process significantly, ensuring that the cakes reached customers in good condition. By personally selecting these drivers and interviewing them during Uber rides, I enhanced the reliability of our deliveries, eliminating the need for re-baking and additional costs.

Interviewer: Do you have any final words of advice for aspiring young entrepreneurs?

Maliha: First of all, if you are passionate about something, don’t give up, even when you face obstacles and challenges. In customer-based industries, remember that different customers have different tastes and preferences, so you would not be able to please everyone. It is essential to know what you want to achieve and the standards you want to maintain. You will receive feedback from customers, which can help you improve, but you need to define your own path. We see various businesses serving different customer bases because it’s impossible to satisfy every single customer. I would also say that you should start your business idea with the resources you have available. Don’t wait till you have every single resource needed or till you feel you are fully ready. Also, network or connect with people in your industry. This provides a support group where you can collaborate, and bounce ideas off each other. No one understands you more than someone in the same field or situation.