With an initial working capital of 50,000 and involving the whole Dilla brood composed of husband, Ben; three children, Betsy, Jeffrey, and Bien Carlo,; niece and sister, in her “assemblyline,” set up a home based baking calling it Sweet Home bakeshop, right in their home at Francisco Street in Pasig City. On a weekend the family averages 10 three ? layer wedding cakes, and more than 10
birthday cakes.

      Since it started operation in 1983, the brisk sales of Sweet Home bakeshop have been consistent the birthday and wedding cakes being its top sellers. The sales increased when the Dillas branched out to its new outlet along the high-traffic Pasig Boulevard on March of this year, as" a lot of walk-in clients started noticing us ", observed Tess.

      Her baking entrepreneur is share by eldest daughter Betsy, a business management graduate. Betsy incorporates her own brand of designs, which she achieves through “experimentation:.

Cakes have a steady market. It is unlikely that there will be shortage of clients for birthday and wedding", Tess says, However, as in all other enterprise product trends and innovative techniques which can be learned through reading books, a magazines and attending workshops, must be kept up.

      Considering consumer profile is also necessary. Tess relates that majority of her foreign clients prefer more “dense” cake base like pound, walnut or fruit cake, which go with the Fondant variety. Whereas, Filipino clients prefer a more “light” cake base such as butter cake that goes with the boiled-icing cake variety. For clients who are medically advised against sweets, cakes and desserts. Buts the essential ingredients for a successful business recipe according to Tess, is passion. She say’s, “ If you have passion in what you do, fresh ideas just keep coming and demand for long hours work becomes a piece of cake.”