Mrs. Riska’s Dream
Meeting Mrs. Riska was such a delight. She greeted us with laughter and a lively voice in her home. Mrs. Riska is one of the residents of Rawa Badak Selatan whom we visited that day. We sat for a light chat in her simple living room. In the hallway near the dividing wall between the living room and her bedroom, we could see an oven and cake-making equipment neatly arranged on a small wooden table.
After a brief introduction, we learned that Mrs. Riska used to be a karate athlete representing North Jakarta in her youth. Through her athletic career, she also received a scholarship to continue her studies in economics.
This experience motivated Mrs. Riska to dream of starting her own business, realizing that an athletic career has its limits. Moreover, she had a passion for the culinary arts. This interest led her to enroll in a certified culinary course, while also working as an office employee.
After a brief introduction, we learned that Mrs. Riska used to be a karate athlete representing North Jakarta in her youth. Through her athletic career, she also received a scholarship to continue her studies in economics.
This experience motivated Mrs. Riska to dream of starting her own business, realizing that an athletic career has its limits. Moreover, she had a passion for the culinary arts. This interest led her to enroll in a certified culinary course, while also working as an office employee.
The Beginning of Mrs. Riska’s Business Success
After completing the course and earning her certificate, Mrs. Riska accepted her first cake order. She fondly recalled that her first order came from her father’s office, Pertamina. Using Rp1,500,000 from her own savings, Mrs. Riska fulfilled the order. From that initial order, she made Rp3,000,000, twice the amount of her investment.
This success boosted her confidence to take on more orders and promote her cakes to friends and family. Gradually, her cake business grew in popularity through word-of-mouth promotion.
Cake orders increased significantly, especially before major religious holidays. With the success of her cake sales, Mrs. Riska decided to leave her office job. It gave her more flexibility in looking after her family, particularly her husband and children.
This decision brought her joy as she could now fully support her children’s education and talents while still earning an income. She even found time to return to karate, this time as a coach. She now manages both her cake business and her karate club. Through these two ventures, Mrs. Riska generates income to support her husband.
This success boosted her confidence to take on more orders and promote her cakes to friends and family. Gradually, her cake business grew in popularity through word-of-mouth promotion.
Cake orders increased significantly, especially before major religious holidays. With the success of her cake sales, Mrs. Riska decided to leave her office job. It gave her more flexibility in looking after her family, particularly her husband and children.
This decision brought her joy as she could now fully support her children’s education and talents while still earning an income. She even found time to return to karate, this time as a coach. She now manages both her cake business and her karate club. Through these two ventures, Mrs. Riska generates income to support her husband.
The Impact of the Pandemic on Mrs. Riska’s Business
Then came the pandemic. This was the toughest time for Mrs. Riska’s business. Social restrictions forced her to temporarily shut down her karate club. At the same time, the public’s purchasing power dropped significantly, which greatly affected her cake business. During this challenging period, the most she could earn from her cake sales was 80% of her original investment. She shared these memories while reflecting on those difficult times.
Just as Mrs. Riska was starting to lose hope in the cake business she had been building since 2011, compounded by the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic, she heard about a cooperative. Her neighbor, Mrs. Pur, aware of her struggles to revive her business, invited her to join.
Just as Mrs. Riska was starting to lose hope in the cake business she had been building since 2011, compounded by the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic, she heard about a cooperative. Her neighbor, Mrs. Pur, aware of her struggles to revive her business, invited her to join.
The Cooperative Revives Hope
Mrs. Riska received an explanation about the cooperative from Mrs. Pur. What convinced her to join, aside from the need for access to capital, was how clear and easy it was to understand the loan terms.
Another factor that attracted her was the savings feature in the cooperative, showing that it wasn’t just about providing loans. She appreciated that the cooperative also aimed to educate its members on financial management.
By the time we met that day, Mrs. Riska had been a member of the Batavia Maju Bersama Cooperative for two years. During that time, she made new friends with whom she could share stories and business insights. Mrs. Riska remained active in attending the Annual Member Meetings, and she chose to reinvest her profit share into savings rather than cashing it out.
"Being a member of the cooperative has brought me many benefits. As a member, I can access loans with lower interest rates compared to banks. The cooperative helps me save regularly and reach my financial goals," Mrs. Riska shared with enthusiasm.
The loan from the cooperative slowly helped her recover from the hardships of the pandemic. Most importantly, with the capital, she could ensure a steady supply of ingredients to meet the orders she received.
This stability played a significant role in maintaining her steady income, which was crucial for her financial plans, especially in saving for her children’s future. She had savings in the form of gold savings and educational funds at Bank DKI.
The revival of Aden Cake, Mrs. Riska’s cake business, after the pandemic was largely due to her wise decision to join the cooperative. This move reignited her dream of one day opening her own cake shop in a strategic location. She envisions Aden Cake, which started as a home business, evolving into a bakery that is widely known, like other famous cake shops.
Written by: Luwyse
Edited by: FD Team
Another factor that attracted her was the savings feature in the cooperative, showing that it wasn’t just about providing loans. She appreciated that the cooperative also aimed to educate its members on financial management.
By the time we met that day, Mrs. Riska had been a member of the Batavia Maju Bersama Cooperative for two years. During that time, she made new friends with whom she could share stories and business insights. Mrs. Riska remained active in attending the Annual Member Meetings, and she chose to reinvest her profit share into savings rather than cashing it out.
"Being a member of the cooperative has brought me many benefits. As a member, I can access loans with lower interest rates compared to banks. The cooperative helps me save regularly and reach my financial goals," Mrs. Riska shared with enthusiasm.
The loan from the cooperative slowly helped her recover from the hardships of the pandemic. Most importantly, with the capital, she could ensure a steady supply of ingredients to meet the orders she received.
This stability played a significant role in maintaining her steady income, which was crucial for her financial plans, especially in saving for her children’s future. She had savings in the form of gold savings and educational funds at Bank DKI.
The revival of Aden Cake, Mrs. Riska’s cake business, after the pandemic was largely due to her wise decision to join the cooperative. This move reignited her dream of one day opening her own cake shop in a strategic location. She envisions Aden Cake, which started as a home business, evolving into a bakery that is widely known, like other famous cake shops.
Written by: Luwyse
Edited by: FD Team
