MBA in a Day: Three Things I Learned from a Bake Sale

The SugarMamas Logo 

MBA in a Day: Bake Sale. False advertising? You may say so, but only after surviving one yourself. I challenge you!

Suffice it to say that I am anything but a domestic goddess, but occasionally a sweet treat makes it from my kitchen to the world. A week back a co-worker suggested we have a bake sale to raise funds for a friend in need. Now my co-worker is a brilliant baker, and I pale by comparison, but I agreed that it was a good deed, an opportunity and a learning curve that could benefit us all. Thus the SugarMamas were born. And here is my MBA in a day, in three succinct and fearless points.

1. Don't be afraid to shine. In her much-quoted text Our Deepest Fear, Marianne Williamson reminds us that each one of us has something unique to offer, and by doing so we liberate others to express their greatness. Our bake sale reminded me that though I am not the greatest baker, I do have something unique to offer: I can design nifty little logos, invent catchy little jingles and run a fudge-based guerilla marketing campaign second to none. The great thing about a benefit event is that it is for a good cause, so the attention can always be deflected. You can shine for others :).

2. Don't be afraid to fail. Somewhere inbetween preparing 50 dozen cookies, sweets and other treats, the thought crossed my mind that we would not be able to sell it all. Worse yet, there was the nagging Desperate Housewives angst that my offerings, most of which were created specifically to be free of cane sugar, eggs, dairy and artificial nasties, would not sell alongside the decadent delights of my gifted fellow SugarMamas. As it turns out, every single thing was sold within under two hours. The fears served no purpose. (Naturally, some fears are simply sound internal marketing advice and deserve some consideration. Insecurity is not one of them.) 

3. Don't be afraid to ask. The first three quarters of our goodies literally walked off the shelves within less than an adrenaline-filled hour. Easy as pie - pun unintended. This was when it was time to take a deep breath, lay out the remainder on a tray and hit the office circuit. Explaining our cause - often in my baby Arabic - seemed tricky at first, but I soon discovered that the worst that can happen is that people could say no. The great thing is that pretty much everyone has 500 baizas (roughly USD 1.30) to spare for a colleague in need, especially in exchange for a sweet treat. In fact, selling something for a cause is excellent practice for anyone who is considering actually selling something (products, services or employment) for a living. Yes, there are people who will say no. So what? Find the people who will say yes - and be strategic about targeting them.

For a decidedly undomestic goddess like moi, our Bake Sale was a true education. It was enlightening to work on something together, to feed people, to try something new, and to support a friend. It was an education in workflow, stamina, kitchen chemistry, packaging, marketing, people power, girl power, self-knowledge, cooperation, money, in organization and, very importantly, in giving. We ended up raising 150 Omani Rials, which comes to around USD 390. A modest amount, and not enough to make a profit at a bakery, but and unexpected gift and certainly a powerful symbol of support, solidarity and, as always, learning. 

Hats off to the sweet and sassy SugarMamas!