YOU know that feeling of pride you get when you see a woman in her element doing what she loves and looking like a boss while doing so? Well, this is the feeling that I get every time I see today’s WOTW, and I am so happy to feature her today in this well-deserved title.
Ashline Sankar-George is the founder/operator of Indulge, a business that satisfies the sweet teeth of clients with the most luxurious cupcakes and especially cheesecakes and the likes.
This feisty female is on top of her game in baking and is not letting anyone break her stride as she continues to climb upwards, winning the preference of individuals and businesses along the way.
Indulge began as a part-time cheesecake business after Sankar-George broke away from helping her mother, Ruth, (whom she calls the ultimate Cheesecake Queen), who was at the time supplying the treats on demand to those who placed orders.
Ironically, Sankar-George said she absolutely abhorred cheesecake as a youngster, even though she had never tasted it. Thankfully, she possessed the natural talent for creating the very thing that she once hated and turned it into a professional gourmet business that her clients simply cannot get enough of.
Deciding that if she was going to work hard, she thought that she might as well be doing something that she enjoyed, was good at and where she was her own boss. So she left her 9-5 job in marketing to chase her dream — and chase she did!
She said: “The name Indulge, which speaks for itself, literally came to me within minutes of trying to come up with a name and I knew exactly what I wanted the logo to reflect. It needed to reflect me and my transition at that period. The colours are a collaboration of my favourite colours and the butterfly silhouette signifies new beginnings and ‘The Butterfly Effect’, small changes = great difference; exactly what was happening or about to happen in my life. Since then, I have not looked back and never regretted.”
The cheesecake queen said she is extremely meticulous with her creative process and starts off by using her most trusted clients to give her the raw truth, as opposed to ‘yes men’ who will tell her what she wants to hear.
She said: “I conduct testing and sampling before anything new is released to the general public. Samples are given to people I know are not afraid to give brutally honest feedback. If they disapprove, it’s back to the drawing board. If they approve, said product is added to the menu.”
One of the things Sankar-George is known for is producing a second-to-none premium product and service and to those who appreciate only the best as opposed to mediocre, one would agree that her prices are fair and just.
However, she just had to be coy: “Some people would disagree with you on the ‘affordable price’ part; however, I’d like to say that pricing also accounts for everything from our specialty packaging to the care and precautions taken during production, e.g. steaming of equipment and the use of food-safe gloves, hair nets, etc.”
Through it all, Sankar-George has not only grown businesswise, but has also remained a dominating force. This is the advice she had for anyone following in her footsteps:
“There is no one key to success. I personally don’t like the words ‘no’, ‘can’t’, ‘impossible’, etc. Uttering these words to me fuels my fire and makes me want it more! Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Listen to your customers/clients. Solicit constructive but honest feedback on your products and services. Don’t shun your customers for being honest because at the end of the day, the objective is to satisfy them and not the friend who will tell you only what you want to hear. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to be your best self.”
Like many other WOTW, I had a good chuckle at this one’s secret: “I cry a lot! I cry when I’m happy, sad, when someone else is hurting and I feel helpless and when I’m angry or frustrated. I cry when I feel overwhelmed with work or sometimes when things don’t go my way. I’m spoilt. Blame my mom and husband for that. When I’m done crying, I wash my face and pull myself together. Then, like a Boss Chick, I carry on and do what needs to be done! Crying does not mean I’m weak because I assure you I’m far from it. It simply means I’m human.”