Deep in the Dough

Glynn grew up on the island of Negros. Fresh out of college, she worked as a promodiser in a department store, never imagining that the bagger who often helped her on shift would one day become her husband. They married young, started a family at 25, and welcomed their first child a year later.

She once dreamed of becoming a teacher and completed a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Technology and Livelihood Education. However, without the opportunity to take the licensure exam, she had to set that dream aside and focus on raising their family. In 2012, her husband was transferred to Iloilo City to work as an office clerk for a major holding company. The couple moved there, hoping the change would bring stability.

But the years between 2007 and 2012 were anything but stable.

With only her husband’s minimum-wage salary, Glynn found herself juggling a series of sidelines just to make ends meet. She sold cosmetics and skincare products through a direct-selling company. She cooked dishes and set up makeshift food trays in front of busy establishments, hoping passersby would stop for a meal. When she became pregnant with their second child, she opened a small sari-sari store from the window of their rented home, starting with only PHP 500 in capital.

Still, the income was never enough for their first child entering school, a baby on the way, and a family adjusting to a new life in Iloilo.

But there was one thing Glynn knew she had: baking.

It had been her passion for as long as she could remember. So quietly, between school errands and household chores, she returned to her mixing bowls and measuring cups. She baked cookies, breads, and pastries, and anything she could sell. Her first loyal customers were her husband’s workmates, then fellow parents at her children’s school, and finally neighbors who followed the sweet smell that wafted from her kitchen.

Her bread pudding became a neighborhood favorite.

Her business journey took a turn in 2014 after she was invited to a CARD center meeting. Encouraged to open a savings account, she and her husband later became clients of CARD Bank, a microfinance-oriented rural bank. Soon after, she took her first loan of PHP 5,000, just enough to buy a refrigerator for her expanding baked goods and to add capital for her sari-sari store. Over the years, the habit of saving through CARD Bank helped her grow her business slowly but consistently, giving her the confidence to keep going even after setbacks.

And there were setbacks, especially health challenges. There were days when large orders came in, but her body could not keep up. Yet each time, Glynn found her way back to the kitchen and continued baking with eagerness. Soon enough, she is also baking customized cakes for specific customer orders.

Today, that future is finally taking shape. Her eldest is now a first-year college student, a CARD scholar; her youngest is in fifth grade. Her business, first driven by necessity, has grown into a trio of thriving ventures: a sari-sari store, baked pastries and customized cakes, and, later, fuzzy-wire creative crafts—all run with the same consistent diligence.

When asked what she would tell others dreaming of starting their own business, Glynn advises knowing your market.“Dapat hindi lang yung gusto nila kumita, dapat passion din nila (ang kanilang negosyo) para may eagerness din na mag-grow ang business nila… (It shouldn’t just be about wanting to earn money; their business should also be their passion, so they’ll have the eagerness to grow it),” she said, and advice clearly reflected in her own dedication, as she continues with heart despite any setbacks. She also advises always managing any loans carefully, as timely repayment keeps your business healthy.

Her words are simple. But like her soft, warm, love-baked bread pudding, they carry the quiet strength of a woman who built a life day by day with both hands deep in the dough.