Startup Accelerator Spotlight: Geita

Startup Accelerator Spotlight: Geita
GetSetUp Blue Logo
Bg Square Inside Shape Decoration White 08 - Accountant X Webflow Template

Geita Chatterjee's brownies are truly unparalleled. During the pandemic, she found herself spending more time in the kitchen and on the computer, creating merchandise for her budding baking business. Thanks to the Startup Accelerator Classes, Geita is now refining her marketing skills to take her business to the next level.

Baking as a Stress Reliever

Geita’s journey didn’t start in the kitchen—it started in front of the camera. Trained at a film and television institute, she quickly landed a job as a TV news reporter for Doordarshan. But being a 24/7 journalist while raising children was no easy feat.

"At times, my phone rang in the middle of the night to cover something happening around the city," she recalls.

Eventually, Geita had to leave her journalism career. She moved on to teaching restaurant etiquette and spoken English until the pandemic struck and everything shut down.

Throughout her career, baking remained a constant—a relaxing pastime and a way to show her love for friends and family. When the pandemic hit, her children encouraged her to bake more seriously.

"I've always had a passion for baking. In our circle of friends, my baking was well known. I was not confident in my products because I always thought I could do better. Then we did a blind tasting among our friends, which included brownies from different stores and my homemade brownies. I numbered them and asked my peers to judge them. When I tallied the results, I realized that mine had topped the charts in most tastings. That boosted my confidence."

From the Kitchen to a Business Venture

With newfound confidence, Geita invested in an extra oven, created logos and stickers, and fully committed to her baking. She started producing cakes, cupcakes, brownie pies, strawberry pies, cookies, and birthday cakes. With help from her daughter, she even ventured into social media, creating Instagram reels to promote her products. Soon enough, she began making sales, and each order from Geita became a unique experience, with customers raving about her delicious creations. However, there was a challenge: orders only seemed to flood in around holidays.

"I have made 50-60 hampers for Diwali with pistachio cakes and brownies. But then, after the festival, there has been a significant gap in orders," Geita explains.

Revitalizing Her Business with GetSetUp

To address this inconsistency, Geita began marketing her business as an exclusive, uniquely delicious brand. However, she soon realized that running a business is exhausting. The demands of entrepreneurship started to take a toll, but the Startup Accelerator Classes through GetSetUp reignited her drive. "It has reminded me of my passion," Geita says.

Now, with renewed enthusiasm and the skills she's learning in the Startup Accelerator Program, Geita is more determined than ever to turn her love of baking into a sustainable business. Visit Geita's Instagram shop at The Sticky Dough to see the tasty desserts she's creating!