Who is Dale Greenidge?
I am a twenty-something year old entrepreneur, cursed with wanderlust whilst living an epicurean lifestyle. I am the founder and director of Blissful Bites Bakery.
What does your day to day entail?
My day entails baking before cock crow. I then head off to the office - grabbing breakfast from a cafe in the area. Attend meetings and complete numerous errands. Engage with our social media team, ensuring all orders are taken and digital content is available and ready for dissemination. Seated lunch at a bistro or a village bar/restaurant preferably. If impossible due to time constraints, take-out or drive-thru would suffice. Return to the kitchen to put finishing touches on products, pack orders and prepare for deliveries. A quick meal, then off to meet customers and satisfy their sweet tooth. Back to base, sleep, repeat.
Tell us a bit about your business Blissful Bites.
Blissful Bites Bakery is a home-based bakery established in November 2014. We operate predominantly in Barbados but have found ourselves supplying products time and time again in American states like Florida, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania - providing bliss in the form of cakes, cupcakes, pastries etc for all events and occasions. Delivery packages are available upon request. For the right price, we happily travel across the island or outside of Barbados to deliver orders for our customer's special day.
How did your interest in this field develop?
I always had a great interest in food. Anyone knowing me would tell you that Dale loves his belly. I would wonder how things would taste if they were prepared differently or if one used this ingredient in place of this one and often times I wondered what it'd be like to be a chef. I was selling mobile phones and accessories for a telecommunications company when I decided to resign and attend the Hospitality Institute at Barbados Community College in 2012. While studying there and interning at restaurants across the island, I quickly realized the hot side of the kitchen was not for me as I find heat quite unbearable. The garde manger was better as it was cooler but the pastry shop was where I felt most comfortable. It was also air-conditioned and the meals weren't always as fast-paced. This gave me lots of time to enjoy the many steps and processes that desserts go through before being plated and presented to diners.
Around this time I began baking for myself at home. A family member noticed I no longer bought cake from bakeries or supermarkets and asked me to bake something for them. Unknown to me at the time, the item was to be shared in a group outside of the family circle. The feedback received was rather impressive and referrals brought in a somewhat steady cash flow. Someone suggested I go resister as a business and market myself properly before the Christmas rush. I raced down to the Corporate Affairs office without even knowing what I'd name the business. I only considered it when the form was on the desk before me. I filled it out, paid and officially registered in November of that year.
What do you love most about being a business owner?
I love the freedom associated with trying new cake trends or when my creativity is allowed to run wild. Ever so often I'd get a customer tell me to make whatever I desire and they'll just pay for it. They have faith knowing that the taste of the product provided will blow them away and its appearance will be more than aesthetically pleasing to their eye. Additionally, I get to focus on pursuing my passion. Even though the hours are sometimes long and grueling, I don't always feel it because it's what I love.
Tell us your most memorable achievement to date.
One of my most memorable moments was walking into the kitchen after Christmas and noticing just how many pails of butter and crates of eggs were used. Those moments really make me happy because ingredients used equate to profits made.
Where can our readers connect with you online?
Our website is on its way but in the mean time, both existing and potential customers can connect with us on Instagram and Facebook using the handle "@blissfulbitesbds" or by searching for "Blissful Bites Bakery". There, customers can see our online portfolio of goods we've baked and sold. They can slide in our DM's or shoot us an email at blissfulbitesbds@gmail.com. They can also call and/or message us at (246) 230-0797. Our team is standing by to assist.
