Gen Z Speaks: At 23, I’m running my family’s cake business with my husband. We’re learning to find the sweet spot between love and work

In 2009, my parents found themselves jobless. 
They tried out different ventures for a few years, eventually starting a home-based business in 2010 creating bespoke cakes. I will always remember coming back from school to my home smelling like cakes, and being able to have cakes anytime I wanted — a boon for any young child! 
For years, I watched my parents work till the wee hours and skip meals just to fulfill orders and fund our life. In 2013, they had grown the business enough to open a physical space. I was so very proud. 
When my husband Kai Yang and I took the helm of CakeInspiration in 2023, we knew we were stepping into big shoes. We wanted to pay tribute to my parents’ hardships, and continue their legacy. 
Our journey has been one of honouring tradition while boldly introducing new ideas, all while navigating the challenges of running a business as a young married couple.
I met Kai Yang in 2019, in the most Gen Z way possible: Tinder.
We were complete opposites. Kai Yang is a charismatic extrovert who used to party every week. I’m an introvert who’s always preferred to stay home. 
Because of how different we are, our friends did not expect us to get together, let alone get married four years later. But it was also our differences that attracted us to each other. We gave each other a new perspective to life. 
Kai Yang has always had an entrepreneur mindset — but still, I never really expected him to be part of my family’s journey with CakeInspiration. Kai Yang himself had never considered working in food and beverage (F&B) before.
But in 2022, Kai Yang took an overseas opportunity to do business development for startups in Vietnam. 
The six-month programme allowed him to meet and network with a lot of business veterans and experts. Upon returning to Singapore, he had many opportunities to work in big, established companies.
But the more we talked about it, we realised what was more important to us than a conventional corporate career: I wanted to pay tribute to my parents’ hardships, and continue their legacy. Kai Yang has always wanted something of his own, but now he also wanted to support me in my family’s business. 
I was very happy when my husband decided to join me at CakeInspiration. 
With CakeInspiration, my parents had established a reputation for crafting beautiful, personalised cakes for every occasion. 
From the beginning, we knew that we wanted to maintain the high standards set by them while infusing our own touch.
Having no F&B nor bakery experience, Kai Yang started off with very minor roles in the company. After six months, he’d developed a good understanding of the operation and the processes. 
However, when Kai Yang and I took over, we immediately saw that the brand needed a stronger voice to thrive in the rapidly evolving market. So we decided that he would go back to his forte: Connecting with people. 
Now, I run and manage the entire operation behind the scenes while Kai Yang is the public face of the business. For example, Kai Yang might leverage his connections to bring in a new cafe looking to fill out their dessert lineup; I will then use my creativity and experience to put together a proposal that suits the client’s requirements.
We’ve found that we function very well together as we bring complementary skill sets to the table. 
I ensure that every cake that leaves our kitchen is a work of art, while Kai Yang handles everything outside the kitchen, including networking and business development. His efforts have opened doors to collaborations with highly established companies and luxury brands.
However, leading a business together as a young married couple has not always been easy. 
We’ve faced our fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to balancing our personal and professional lives. We often catch ourselves talking about work, even during our downtime or times we’re meant to be reconnecting and recharging with each other.
There were moments of frustration and doubt, but our shared vision for CakeInspiration kept us grounded.
We also resolved to set time aside every week to have date nights where shop talk is off the table — but we admit that we do still struggle with it sometimes .
Due to our age and our status as a married couple, we’re also often met with scepticism.
Many compliment our capabilities and daringness to set out on our own in business; some even tell us that our generation will be the future of the F&B industry. But on the other hand, many other clients express doubt about our experience in the industry, and question if we can deliver service to their standards. 
There were also times when we felt the weight of societal expectations pressing down on us: Could we really survive being husband and wife, and co-workers? 
However, we believe that love and business can coexist harmoniously. We are proof that with mutual respect and understanding, it is possible for two people to build both a successful business and a strong marriage between themselves.
A key factor that helped us navigate any challenges is our commitment to communicating openly. 
We make it a point to always share our thoughts and feelings with each other, no matter how difficult the conversation. This transparency has allowed us to understand and support each other through the highs and lows of our journey.
I’m very proud to say that under our leadership, CakeInspiration has evolved. We have not only maintained the high standards of our predecessors but have also brought our craft to the forefront. Our brand now has a stronger voice, and our cakes have garnered more public attention.
For example, we’ve grown our presence in the business-to-business space, in no small part thanks to Kai Yang’s networking efforts that have secured us opportunities with several luxury brands.
As my parents begin to transition out of the business, they are elated by our progress and that I’ve found my footing in taking over what they started. 
They are still around to support us whenever needed, but Kai Yang and I are now able to make big decisions on our own. 
However, they do worry for me as they know that any journey in F&B will not be easy. But they are relieved and comforted to know that Kai Yang will be by my side through it all, both at home and in the workplace.
Moving forward, our aim is to establish our business as the go-to cake-maker for luxury brands and high-end corporate events, while still catering to the middle market. As a home-grown brand, we want CakeInspiration to become a name known by many Singaporeans. 
Ultimately, our foremost goal will always be to put smiles on our clients’ faces. In the words of my parents: “A cake is more than just a dessert; it is a symbol of celebration, love, and joy.”
Our journey is far from over. We are constantly learning and evolving, driven by our love for the craft and our desire to push the boundaries of what a cake business can be. 
We hope our story inspires other young couples and entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and overcome challenges to create something beautiful together.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Zhuo Jiayi, 23, is the owner of custom cake business CakeInspiration, where her husband Chan Kai Yang, also 23, is the chief executive officer.