‘Strong women’ key ingredient to Blacktown baker’s success

Blacktown baking entrepreneur Sarah Osei is proof that hard work and passion form the perfect recipe for success. Find out her message to other young women on International Women’s Day here.

Blacktown’s Sarah Osei hopes to inspire other women through the success of her own business, Sarah's Cupcake Creations. Picture: Angelo Velardo.

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A love for baking and a dream to start her own business have seen Blacktown’s Sarah Osei blaze a trail for other young Ghanaian-Australian women this International Women’s Day.

Two years after launching Sarah’s Cupcake Creations, Ms Osei has turned a side hustle into a full-time business, catering for community events with her range of cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

Speaking at SydWest Multicultural Service’s International Women’s Day event on Friday, March 8, Ms Osei said taking the first step as an entrepreneur was the hardest part.

“It is a bit daunting at first,” she said.

“During the first year of my business, I wasn’t making any money from it, it was just the love and passion that got me through.

“But after a while, after you build that confidence and reputation and establish a clientele, you put yourself out there more and that’s how you get more business.”

Business woman Sarah Osei, owner of Sarah's Cupcake Creations, poses for photographs in Blacktown on International Women’s Day. Photo: Angelo Velardo.

After completing a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery and Retail Baking, Ms Osei said it was her mum who was the key ingredient to her success.

“Coming from a line of very strong women in my family, my mum is a very strong part of the community and she’s always been pushing me to strive for me dreams - that was a really big factor in me starting my business,” she said.

Taking part in SydWest’s Women’s Small Business Project - which trains and mentors women from culturally diverse backgrounds in starting their own business - Ms Osei received professional support in the areas of marketing, social media and managing finances.

She hopes her success story will inspire other women and girls from Blacktown’s African-Australian community.

“My goals are to one day create a space where I can bake for all of the community, especially in Blacktown, where children can look up to me,” she said.

“I would love that children can see somebody that looks like them so they know they can pursue their dreams as well.”