‘KK’s Sweet Treatz’ love at first bite

Jul 07, 2024 Features / Columnists, News, Young entrepreneurs

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“I think young entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in society today, they have the ability to bring fresh new innovative ideas forward.  When looking at the word youth, I think of rejuvenation and regeneration and that is exactly what young entrepreneurs are supposed to mirror in today’s society.”

By Allyiah Allicock

Kaieteur News – “From a tender age, I portrayed leadership skills and always wanted to be that individual that stood out in the crowd. Hence, I would think out of the box and act likewise.” Those are the words of a young woman, Kaylan Maleah Duncan, who one year ago today took the bold step of turning her passion for baking into a budding enterprise.

Today, The Waterfalls take a sneak peek into Duncan’s thriving baking business called ‘KK’s Sweet Treatz’. Duncan, is the eldest of her four siblings. With a blossoming business in tow, the ambitious 18-year-old who plans to one day become a corporate lawyer just completed two years of the CAPE programme at the St. Rose’s High School.

In a recent interview with this magazine, Duncan said her passion for baking was inspired by her mother and grandmother who did small-scale catering. “Over the years, I had developed a love for making desserts which was sparked by my mother and grandmother… With much thought, some practice sessions and the taste reviews from family members, I confidently turned my passion into reality,” she said confidently.

Duncan added that she also started the business as a way of earning an income for herself to support her academic pursuits.

As the name of the business suggests, KK’s Sweet Treatz offers freshly baked homemade goodies and desserts. Duncan shared that first her business started off with its bestselling treats which are cinnamon rolls but as of recent, she introduced cheesecake to the list.

Selling these delicious treats for a year now, the young entrepreneur said that her support base has mainly been her parents, however, friends and other relatives have also encouraged and supported her business from since the beginning.

Duncan also acknowledged that along her business journey, there have been some challenges. According to her, because she was still attending classes when she first started, she struggled with time management.  “I attended the St. Rose’s High School sixth form and during that time, I was still taking in orders so I had to come up with a plan so that I don’t neglect my studies …I wanted to achieve the wonders of both worlds so I had to make some sacrifices and so I would wake up as early as 2am to start baking and during that time, I would use the quiet hours of the morning to do some additional reading and so by 7am, I would be finished baking and preparing for school. In this way, I still got to do what I love and attend school on time,” Duncan recalled.

While getting that challenge under control, the young woman said now she is focused on building her brand and taking things to the next level. “I plan to one day have a physical location and sell various baked goods and desserts, and hopefully, I can use my skills to finance my studies since I have yet another passion to fulfill which is to become a corporate lawyer,” she said.

She added that with plans to expand her business, she would like to provide employment and training for young women who also would like to advance their passion for baking.

With that being said, our featured entrepreneur is of the view that small business owners are important in our society since they contribute towards the country’s development. “I think young entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in society today, they have the ability to bring fresh new innovative ideas forward.  When looking at the word youth, I think of rejuvenation and regeneration and that is exactly what young entrepreneurs are supposed to mirror in today’s society,” Duncan said.

In her opinion, she related that young people are looking for role models who are trendsetters for things that aren’t always positive and uplifting. However, she noted that by using one’s given talents to be a positive light, the nation on a whole can produce all rounded youths who can gainfully occupy themselves and give back positively to their society, she expressed.

When asked what she thinks can help small businesses in our society grow, Duncan disclosed that more local support is needed.

“These newspaper articles are a good start to boosting small businesses but I think more can be done by Guyanese people to support their own for example instead of purchasing from those different fast-food franchises, try something from a small local business, we have a plethora of social media platforms instead of using those platforms for negativity ‘big up’ a small business by reposting or sharing some content, you can promote and support a small business without spending a dollar by doing those simple things,” she noted.

In supporting KK’s Sweet Treatz, you can contact telephone number (592) 617-5684 to place your orders or check them out on Instagram @treatskksweet or Facebook @Sweet Treats.

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• Kaylan Maleah Duncan, KK’s Sweet Treatz, regeneration, society, Young entrepreneur

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