Flair

In recognition of Inter-American Year of Women the Bureau of Women's Affairs and the Flair Magazine celebrates women who have made a significant impact in specific areas contributing to national development.

Safiya Chisholm is passionate about business, pastry and life.

She uses baking to relieve stress. A graduate of Florida International University, she holds a degree in finance and subsequently became involved in investment. A dynamic entrepreneur, she is the owner of Pastry Passions, a successful desserterie and bakery in the the Corporate Area.

The idea to turn her hobby into a business originated when she met her husband. He expressed an interest in one day owning a bakery, but admitted to his lack of culinary skills. She shared her love for baking and Pastry Passion was born out of their similar 'passion'. After toying with the idea, she finally quit her corporate job.

Honing her skills

Chisholm attended the French Culinary Institute in New York to hone her skills, and earned a diploma in classic pastry arts. She returned to Jamaica and took the leap of faith. She recalls that "Human resources were a major challenge when we were starting up." She continued, "Everyone in Jamaica thinks they can bake, but very few people have the actual knowledge of the science involved in baking," she explained. Chisholm also experienced shifts in attitudes towards work ethic.

"While I was in Manhattan at the Gramercy Tavern Restaurant, I worked 16 to 18 hours each day, so to return to Jamaica where eight to nine hours were considered the standard was a big adjustment for me."

Gender has had both a positive and negative impact on her business. But she has garnered most of her support from the men in her life: father Erwin Burton and husband André, both directors at Pastry Passions. Her greatest challenges are from men who find it difficult to relate to and take instructions from senior female managers.

She highlighted the importance of setting up systems for the day-to-day operations as one of the keys to running a successful business. She believes that strategic planning reduces the number of hours spent on the job. A 'hands-on' manager who empowers her employees to develop confidence and work on their own initiative, she underscores the importance of daily performance appraisals to ensure that employees receive constant feedback. She opines that the quality of the product can be improved if feedback and guidance are given promptly and consistently.

Chisholm advises young persons who wish to start their own business to "Make sure that you have a good support base as it may take longer than you expect before you start seeing a profit." She also believes that persons need to address their spiritual and physical health needs. She attributes her success to her strong relationship with God, and is grateful for the support of inspirational teachers who have helped her to become a model confectioner. As a mentor, she gives back by sharing her talents. She partnered with HEART Trust/NTA to provide skills training and 'on the job experience' as an instructor at the Boulevard Baptist Church last summer.

She recalled that a few months after opening the second branch of her bakery the recession hit and business declined. But she is unwavering in her commitment to succeed as an 'out of the box' entrepreneur.

An optimist, she outlined her plans for further expansion and her dream of opening a factory.

An avid reader, Chisholm 'surfs the Net' regularly to keep abreast of new developments in the industry. She is also involved in several trade shows and other activities which allow her to pursue her lifelong 'passion'.