Kai Yang Chan (left) and Jiayi Zhuo (right) run Singapore-based bakery Cake Inspiration, which, as it turns out, is not just a cakewalk.
Courtesy of Cake Inspiration
Love at First Swipe
When Kai and Jiayi matched on Tinder at the tender age of 19, it was more a gamble than a love story. Spoiler: it turned out to be a jackpot. Six years later, they’re not just hitched; they’re also business partners in carbohydrate confectionery.
“I joined Tinder because scrolling in class during math was more appealing than quadratic equations,” Jiayi explained. “We both just figured we’d find someone more interesting… and apparently, we did!”
As opposites attract, Jiayi is the introvert while Kai is the designated party starter. They could open a bakery-themed sitcom anytime now.
Baking Under Pressure
Cake Inspiration didn’t just pop out of thin air. It began as a parent-powered home bakery in 2010, back when cakes were still frosted by hand and not by robots.
“My parents kicked off this venture when I was nine. I was too busy perfecting my cake-decorating skills to focus on academics,” Jiayi said, reminiscing about her career path, which decidedly did not involve textbooks.
But then came the pandemic, and everything turned upside down faster than a poorly flipped pancake. Sales plummeted, and her parents were eyeing retirement like it was a delicious slice of cake just out of reach. Enter Jiayi to save the day. With superhero determination (and a spatula), she took the helm.
Rebranding and Rescuing
In 2020, Jiayi didn’t just step in; she innovated like a baking Julia Child on caffeine. She rebranded the family business with trendy sub-brands — Eggyi.Co (think bento cakes for the cool kids) and Petissier (because, obviously, pets deserve gourmet cakes too).
With eye-watering prices ranging from a breezy $100 to a staggering $10,000, they clearly took the “Marie Antoinette approach” to cake: let them eat cake, and maybe add a side of caviar while you’re at it. Currently, they manage two kitchens and a staff of 14, who likely have cake dreams haunting them every night.
Chan-trepreneurship
Now, Chan wasn’t one to shy away from entrepreneurship either. While most kids were trading Pokémon cards, he was flipping sneakers and pondering the mysteries of capitalism.
Fast forward to 2022 when he jumped ship from whatever job he was holding to join Jiayi full-time. He introduced a revolutionary idea: why not sell to businesses instead of relying solely on those pesky individual consumers? Genius! However, business-speak may not sound as cool in casual conversation.
His addition to the team included influencer marketing, because who doesn’t want a cake eaten by a celebrity? It’s like a modern-day version of chocolate-covered dreams.
Cake of Dreams and Celebrity
One day, while the universe aligned, three Korean-American influencers, the Ha sisters, were in Singapore for a beauty store pop-up. Kai, ever the opportunist, seized the moment. He prepped a custom cake faster than you can say “sugar rush”!
Timing is everything. Just as he puffed into the hotel lobby, cake in hand, he bumped directly into the sisters. Voilà! Hand-delivery like a fairy godmother of frosting. One of the sisters later took to social media, sharing their sweet surprise with over 500,000 viewers. One cake to rule them all!
This cake encounter kicked off their celebrity marketing strategy because everyone needs a slice of fame… and frosting.
Marriage and Markets
Despite the classic advice against mixing work and romance, Chan and Zhuo found it surprisingly advantageous. Their division of labor is so seamless it might just be a baking miracle.
“I manage the external chaos and she reigns over internal operations. We don’t step on each other’s toes,” Kai revealed. Who knew sourcing flour and whipping up sexy cakes could lead to marital harmony? The secret spice is trust, after all.
So, if you’re itching to start your own entrepreneurial adventure, pivot your career, or just avoid a life chained to spreadsheets, consider assessing your culinary skills. Or you could just download Tinder and hope for the best; your cake dreams await!
