He turned a home-based baking business into a thriving enterprise

SINGAPORE – The seeds of his business were sown when Muhammad Hisham Bakri was a child, helping his grandmother make lapis cakes during Hari Raya.

Hipster Bakes started as a home-based business in 2014 but has since expanded into an online shop and a physical store in Upper East Coast Road.

Hisham also sells personalised cakes and baked goods such as cookies, tarts and edible cookie dough on e-commerce platform Shopee.

He recalls: “My late grandmother would give me hands-on practice in baking several layers of the lapis cake.

“From there, it sparked my interest, as I was curious to know more about baking and the process of churning out a good lapis cake. I just started to bake as a hobby, as and when I felt like trying out new recipes.”

He started baking moustache-shaped sugar cookies in 2014 with his older sister Nur Lizawati Bakri, who was a human resources business partner at a multinational company before joining his bakery in 2018.

When friends requested personalised cakes, the siblings ventured into that as well.

When demand grew, they opened a store at Siglap Centre in 2015, before moving to East Coast.

Things really took off, however, when Hisham joined the Shopee platform in 2019, which helped broaden Hipster Bakes’ customer base, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 45-year-old also has experience in building management and put his visual communications degree to work doing graphic design at a gift company.

He says: “I was in charge of the company’s collateral materials and catalogues, as well as product styling and photography. These have come in handy while running my own bakery now.”

But the path was not always smooth sailing.

Hisham was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia just before he turned 40 in 2021.

“Upon hearing the diagnosis, my only thought was of the business and whether my sister would be able to manage everything with me out of the equation temporarily,” he says.

He was “out of commission” for 30 days after his first hospital admission, but went back to baking full-time after several rounds of chemotherapy.

“Since receiving this diagnosis, I’ve come to realise that I need to prioritise my health and well-being instead of just working myself to the bone every day,” says Hisham, who is single.

“Previously, I worked almost 365 days a year. But after the diagnosis, I appreciate taking some time off or a day off to have some time for myself or with friends and family.”

Do you invest?

I have invested mostly in kitchen equipment to enhance the productivity of the bakery, especially during festive and peak periods.

I also invested in some physical gold in 2023. I am not really planning to make any other investments. I don’t really have a high appetite for risk, and I believe in having a long-term plan before indulging in any sort of new venture or investment.

What was your first exposure to investing?

I received a small gold bar from a friend as a birthday gift and I thought that would be something I would like to invest in. I am currently trying to build a small portfolio in precious metals.

What has been your biggest financial mistake?

There’s none that I can think of so far.

What has been your best financial decision?

It’s being my own boss, as my income is not dependent on a company. I set my own targets, and I have the leeway to do as I see fit to move my business in a certain direction.

I also decided to move to a bigger working space to cater to the number of orders that we are receiving. With the current space that we have, we are able to produce more and in turn increase our revenue.

My proudest moment was when we managed to break our own sales record during the pandemic.

Some of our most popular items now include the hazelnut tart, ondeh tart and our bestseller, the ondeh cake. For edible cookie dough, our bestsellers are Edible Chocolate Chip and Edible Birthday Cake.

Moneywise, what were your growing-up years like?

I was raised in a middle-income family. We always had enough, but I remember watching my parents work hard so our family would have enough. It made me realise that earning a living and adulting is no easy feat. That made me a bit worried, thinking about what my future would be like and whether I would have enough to lead a comfortable lifestyle.

What was your childhood dream?

I wanted to be a lawyer.

When did you realise money is important?

It was when I started working and had my own bills to pay, like insurance and mobile phone bills. I realised that despite having a salary every month, there were responsibilities and dues to be paid.

Where’s home for you?

I live in an HDB flat in the east.

Do you drive?

I do not have a licence and I like to be a passenger prince.

What would your perfect day look like?

Waking up to an order of 100 cakes.

Money Matters

What would you do if you suddenly had a windfall of $1 million?

I would pay off whatever needs to be settled and use the balance to invest in property.

If you suddenly had only $100 to your name, what would you do with it?

I would stretch the money to buy inexpensive staples such as rice, eggs and canned food. I would sell any unused items that I have and look for freelance work to get by.

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