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21-year-old Marissa Greene is making waves in the culinary industry through her business, Marissa’s Assorted Treats. Currently, she offers/sells cakes, cupcakes, cheese straw, and chicken puffs.
Marissa was born, raised and currently resides in Agricola, East Bank, Demerara. She attended The Bishops’ High School and is now pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management.
During her teenage years, Marissa baked as a hobby, up until 2019, when her business venture was born.
“I followed the wild idea of hosting a bake sale while completing my final year of CAPE at The Bishops’ High. Since then, people around me have shown their support by placing orders whenever they have a small event or occasion,” she said.
During COVID-19, when everything shifted online, Marissa spent more time baking and perfecting her craft. She also received positive feedback from customers and unending encouragement, as such, she decided to take her business seriously.
“Managing school, work, and a business can definitely become overwhelming. Time management is really essential and as much as I would want to stay on target with deadlines, I always need to remember to take breaks whenever I find myself becoming frustrated. When it comes to challenges, they are too numerous to mention. I have invested a lot of time and money into finding the right method/recipes for each product,” Marissa added.
When it comes to meeting a customer’s expectations, she takes it very seriously, however, one of her biggest challenges is customers canceling their order(s) at the last moment.
She mentioned, “I always put myself in the shoes of my supporters and I never want to fail them or cause disappointment in any way. I’ve also dealt with people placing orders and canceling at the very last moment which is disheartening because I often adjust my schedule to facilitate my customers in the best way that I can.”
After experiencing major challenges and loss, Marissa has established a deposit system to ensure that her time and ingredients can be compensated for cases when customers’ decline orders at late moments.
She highlighted, “I am exceptionally proud of my growth whenever I look back at where I started. I have come a really far way. Over the years, I have established great personal and professional relationships with really amazing people.”
Marissa has established a wholesale distribution for her cheese straw locally. She has also been able to reach customers overseas. Marissa said, “I am extremely grateful for the support I receive, and I am thankful for the people who continue to motivate me, whether by giving reviews, sharing baking-inspired videos, reposting business flyers, or even delivering my products themselves to people they have recommended me to. Words can not express the extent that I appreciate them”
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In the future, Marissa intends to own a cafe and have her products reach more customers, whether local, regional or overseas. She also intends to explore new products and keep pushing until her dream comes into fruition.
The young entrepreneur said, “We all need to start somewhere, and creating a business is not an overnight journey. It comes with practice, and as long as your love for what you do exists, keep going. One day it will pay off, and you will be pleased with the outcome.”
For persons who are interested in seeing samples of Marissa’s produce, you can connect with her business via Instagram @marissasassortedtreats, and to place orders, you can send a message via WhatsApp +592 612 2988 or DM @marissasassortedtreats.
