POLOKWANE – Eunice Maenetje swapped doing hair for baking world-class cakes.
The 40-year-old decided on a career change in 2019 when the calling into confectionery beckoned her. She explained that although she was a successful hairdresser running her own salon in town, she made a promise to herself that she would not be a hairdresser at 40.
“I have never seen an older person cutting hair. That was the reason I decided that I wouldn’t be that person,” she explained.
Her journey as a baker started when she would bake for herself and someone tasted her muffins. He requested her to bake a few muffins for him and he would pay her.
“I didn’t take it seriously because baking was something I did for fun, it wasn’t meant to be a business. That was never part of the plan,” she explained.
She made R150 from that order of muffins and she felt so good about it. She started contemplating turning it into a business because of the joy that she felt when she was paid for her work.
“I had been doing hair for years but I had never had the level of excitement I did making money from baking. It was the first money I ever made from baking and I was so proud of it,” she added.
Maenetje decided to take on the challenge of becoming a full-time baker and founded Kratos Baking and Confectionery. She had a quick reality check about dealing with different clients that have different expectations.
“The biggest challenge is clients wanting to collect their cakes rather than have it delivered, which results in the potential for damage. You will be shocked how many people believe they are entitled to a refund when the cake is damaged during the delivery process,” she said.
Maenetje plans to have multiple streams of income and has bought hectares of land for farming.
“I would like to have a bakery on the property as well as doing vegetation and poultry farming,” she added.
You can find Maenetja’s delectable baked treats at Goseame Fresh Produce Open Market and NJ Fresh Produce and Butchery.
