IVANA SETIAWAN
Graduation year: 2007
Where did you go to university? What did you study?
I went to William Angliss Institute of TAFE for my Advance Diploma in Business in Hospitality and Certificate VI in Patisserie. I also went to Swinburne University for my Accounting Degree.
What product/service do you provide?
The inspiration behind my business. Sweets O’ Treats provides cakes for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, engagements, weddings, baby and wedding showers, corporate events and many other special occasions.
What is a typical day like for you?
* 5.30am Wake up
* 5.45am Review today’s to-do-list, check my emails and texts and assign tasks to employees
* 7.00am Gym/piano lesson
* 8.00am Work (baking/R&D) and meetings
* 5.00pm Leisure time / groceries
* 6.30pm Cook and dinner
* 8.00pm Review tomorrow’s to-do-list
* 8.15pm Browse new ideas / recipes / inspiration for upcoming events
* 9.00pm Reading/movie/piano
* 10.30pm Sleep
Do you use social media to promote your company/business?…list the links below.
Yes I use social media to promote my business.
Instagram: @sweets_o_treats
Website: www.sweetsotreats.com
Facebook: Sweets O’ Treats
Tokopedia: Sweets O’ Treats
Go-Food: Sweets O’ Treats
Grab-Food: Sweets O’ Treats
Tell us something memorable from your time at Sekolah Ciputra.
Something memorable about Sekolah Ciputra was when I had to do work experience in Matahari Department Store for a week. I had to experience every position they have; in-house management, how they do their stocking, receiving and delivering stock, storage, ordering goods right through to being a sales girl and talking to the customers. I had to wear stockings, hair-net and make up (it wasn’t common at that time to wear make up during high school). I remember the store manager even specified the colour I had to use for my eye-shadow too! Had to be eye-catching, nothing too soft.
I remember I arrived to work late as I had to travel from West Surabaya and they put me in to the Matahari Delta Plaza! I had to wait for an hour outside the staff’s door (its their regulation by the way, anyone who is late has to wait for an hour after the shift schedule). At that time, it wasn’t the best week for me. I complained a lot to my friends, family and teachers, but it was compulsory part of the IB. My teachers keep repeating, work experience is important for you Ivana… but at the time it was hard for me to understand why it’s important to do work experience at that age.
Only later, when I moved to Melbourne I realized how important it was for me to have some work experience. I thought working while studying would be fun, so I began my search. It took me weeks and dropped off around 40-50 resumes at different cafes and restaurants in the Melbourne CBD. The first question they usually asked me was whether I had any work experience on my resume! I felt so lucky, at least I did some in high school. Some of my friends who had never done work experience during high school, found it difficult to find a job. Not many places want to employ someone who has never worked before.
What advice would you give to a graduating student that was interested in creating their own business?
Take as much work experience as you can. Paid or voluntary, it surely will teach you something. You will learn things for your future; how to treat your employee, problem solving in a real working environment, how to deal with managers, working within a team, etc . And never stop learning, believe in yourself and never give up. How can you lead a business, if you can’t lead your life?
What was the inspiration behind your business?
My parents were the inspiration behind my business.
Finally, doing business from O is the challenge.
