Ssekabembe's baking business started with Shs25,000

To maintain consistent quality in the baking business, she knows that true success is earned through time, effort, and unwavering perseverance.

As part of the Watoto Sisterhood, a community of women united by friendship and purpose, Ssekabembe engages with fellow women entrepreneurs, sharing her experiences and insights to empower them. On International Women’s Day, she highlighted her passion for helping other women navigate the hurdles of entrepreneurship, drawing from her journey to inspire and uplift others in their pursuits.

Like many, Ssekabembe expected life to follow a straight path. But it did not.
“After completing my studies at Gayaza High School, I went to Makerere University. Initially, I aspired to become a doctor, but as I progressed through my final years of high school, I realised I didn’t have the emotional strength to face suffering and witness people dying. Thus, I pursued my second-best option: Food Science and Technology. I completed my degree and returned home,” Ssekabembe says.

While at university, she operated a small business selling telephone tokens, catering to a time when mobile phones were uncommon.

“These experiences led me to start thinking about business at an early age. While at university, I operated a small business selling telephone tokens. Mobile phones were not common then, and only a couple of girls had cell phones. Most of us relied on tokens to make phone calls, making that her first venture,” she recounts.

Adding: “After graduation, I felt uneasy about asking for financial support, except when submitting a curriculum vitae in search of a job. While at university, I received just enough money to get by.”

One day, she visited her cousin who was working at Greenland Bank (now Cairo Bank) on Kampala Road. At the time, the bank was being liquidated, and my cousin was working on behalf of the Bank of Uganda to assist with the process. She seized an unexpected opportunity.

She notes that she had always known that Bank of Uganda employees enjoyed nice lunches, often free of charge. Her cousin invited her to join them. That day, she realised that opportunities usually arise when you least expect them—in fact, Colossians 6:5 reminds us to "be ready at all times." 

“During lunch with my cousin and his colleagues, he requested a cake for his girlfriend, offering me Shs10,000 for it. Drawing from my childhood baking experiences with my mother, I accepted the challenge,” she elucidates. 

Using ingredients from her mother's kitchen and a few purchases, she baked a large 12-inch cake, which impressed her cousin's colleagues. Back in 2005, Shs10,000 wouldn't cover the cost of such a cake, but she baked it. The sweet aroma got his colleagues to ask about the cake’s price.

“I told them it was Shs10,000,” she said with a smile, hinting that both of them had wanted the same cake but didn’t have cash on hand.
“They inquired about the price, and I realised I had struck a chord. Borrowing Shs25,000 from my dad to buy more ingredients, I baked two additional cakes and sold them for a profit. This moment ignited my entrepreneurial spirit, and I began exploring new office clients for my cake business, officially registering it in 2004 despite having started the business in 2003,” Ssekambebe adds.

Despite using Shs25,000 to buy ingredients, she sold the cakes for a profit of Shs20,000. What began as a small request grew into a successful business, highlighting the importance of seizing opportunities and pursuing one's passion.

Growing the baking business
Her business journey was unplanned as she was looking for ways to make money. This is why the business she initially started was informal.

After her Degree in Food Science and Technology, she expected to work as a nutritionist or quality control manager. However, her first job was in a factory producing meat products, where she was paid Shs150,000 per month—a salary much lower than she had anticipated.

Despite this, she remained focused on delivering her best work, excelling in marketing, and hitting her targets.
“This experience taught me essential marketing skills that later helped in building my business. After six months, I received three job offers, one of which paid Shs350,000. I then moved to a USAID-funded project, where I earned Shs960,000. At the same time, my baking side hustle began to grow. I seized every opportunity to market my cakes among the new people I met, and my business grew from five cakes a week to fifteen,” she recounts.

Throughout this time, Ssekabembe remained committed to her main job and ensured that her side hustle never compromised her work ethic.

Although she eventually transitioned to full-time business, it was not an immediate decision. The key was consistent effort, patience, and integrity—reminding me that growth and success take time and every experience contributes to her journey. It took her about 15 years to start earning a proper salary.

Turning point
She notes that career growth often begins with a commitment to learning and seizing new opportunities. For her, the encouragement she received from her community to read more and enhance her skills pushed her to pursue a Master's degree. 

At the University of Pretoria in South Africa, she enrolled in the Master’s in Public Health programme. The business kept running under her mother’s supervision and a few employees she had hired.

While her initial goal was education, the journey took unexpected turns.
“I had heard that studying abroad could unlock job opportunities, so I began searching for work. However, as a student on a visa, I quickly realised how difficult it was to find paid employment,” she says, noting that at the time, xenophobia was on the rise, and the fear of hiring foreigners was prevalent. Business owners were hesitant, especially given the additional complexities of visa restrictions.

Despite these challenges, she found a job at a bakery where she worked every Saturday, with no pay.

“Having faced my setbacks, including being fired in the past, I understood the significance of simply being in the country. What I learned at the bakery was far more important. I observed the daily production of thousands of cakes, how to create attractive displays, and studied the operations of a bakery with multiple locations,” Ssekambebe narrates.

That bakery with 20 locations quietly laid Ssekabembe’s foundation for her entrepreneurial journey. 
“Though I didn’t realise it, everything I learned there has been instrumental in the success of 'Bake 4 Me'.”

Status and growth
Currently,  Bake 4 Me has grown to five outlets and is still expanding. This is in addition to the bakery in Bunga – along Ggaba road. With a capacity to bake 400 cakes a day, the twenty-one-year-old enterprise employs 82 full-time staff members and produces thousands of cakes weekly.

She appreciates how each experience—working without pay, learning by observation, and gaining hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment—prepared her for the success that she is enjoying.

Her top clients include a mix of corporate companies, schools, plus families, all of whom appreciate her delicious creations.

Sourcing raw materials
Ssekabembe endeavours to get most of the materials from the local market but occasionally sources some materials from different countries like South Africa, China, Dubai, India and Indonesia.

“My business is not focused on importation. Much as it reduces my costs because I get stuff cheaper, you get to a point where you divert into importation instead of concentrating on what you have to do. This has its pros and cons because if stuff is stored, your capital is locked up,” she says. 

Challenges
She says working in Kampala, Uganda, presents many difficulties, such as poor roads, traffic jams, and frequent power outages. Generator power is nearly three times more expensive than Umeme. During slow months, overhead costs can weigh heavily, especially during the fasting season for Muslims and Christians.

Despite these challenges, she opened new branches and hired more staff during the pandemic while many businesses closed.
“If you have a business idea, start now—things will never be perfect. Remember, warriors take action,” Ssekabembe says.

Balancing business, family, and personal life
Working from home has helped her balance family, business, and ministry. “I’m grateful for my supportive husband, as not everyone has that advantage. If you are struggling, don’t hesitate to seek change through prayer,” she notes.

Bake 4 Me has grown significantly. “I share my entrepreneurial journey because I know the challenges. Don’t let difficulties intimidate you; pour your passion into your work,” she elucidates.

She urges employees while at their jobs to focus and devote their time to their side hustle after, even if it means sacrificing sleep.

She continues: “As a mother, I’ve faced challenges without maternity leave, but the sacrifices have been worth it. Many sleepless nights later, my business is thriving. Implementing effective systems as you grow is key, allowing you to oversee operations smoothly.”

Success tips
She says success is possible regardless of your starting point. Resilience, agility, and hard work are essential. 

Be open to learning and seize opportunities, often from unexpected places. Business will have its ups and downs, and you don’t need a large startup capital to begin. Start with what you have.

Citing her experience, she once handed out flyers in a parking lot, which led to six cake orders. The key is to be proactive and resourceful. Avoid shortcuts and stay on the path of integrity.

While challenges will arise, commit wholeheartedly to your business. If you are juggling a side hustle with a job, give your employer your full effort during work hours and then focus on your business.