Sold Cupcakes at 18, This Young Entrepreneur Now Runs a Gifting Business, Makes ₹1 Cr Per Year

They say age is just a number, and this holds true for Bangalore-based young entrepreneur Megna Jain. She began selling cupcakes during her college days at just 18 years old.

In an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia, Megna shared, "I started it just for fun," reminiscing about her early days of baking and selling cupcakes in her apartment.

Coming from a Rajasthani family, her love for sweets was rooted in her upbringing. In 2011, when her neighbour offered a summer baking class, Megna, the only child among adults, enrolled.

She found joy in making cupcakes, and with support from her family and friends, her hobby turned into a business. She would bake cupcakes on Sundays and sell them in her college cafeteria on Mondays.

Turning Point:

A business plan competition at NIT Trichy became a pivotal moment in her life. She won third place in the competition, and this opened doors for her to incubation opportunities with Indian Angel Networks.

This success left her with a tough decision: continue college or dive into entrepreneurship.

"I was overwhelmed. I didn't understand equity or funding back then, so I decided to finish my degree first and think about the business after graduation," shared the founder of Dream A Dozen.

Despite this, she kept baking and selling cupcakes, earning around Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 8,000 per month during her college years.

Post College Journey: 

After graduating, Meghna worked with Inner Chef, a food tech company, for 15 months. She started working in the dessert category but when she left, she was managing operations across four kitchens in Bangalore.

Post Inner Chef, she began training at Cakewala, where she gained valuable hands-on experience in a bakery setting. Meanwhile, driven by her ambition to work with major food industry brands, the young entrepreneur started applying to Starbucks.

While seeing no luck from Starbucks, she started working on her dream—building her cake business. She designed logos, curated menus, and more.

Just as she was about to launch her cake business from home, she received an offer from Starbucks. With her Dream A Dozen brand almost ready, she faced another tough choice.

"Ultimately, I chose to pursue my cake business idea over the Starbucks job offer," said the young entrepreneur during the conversation with Startup Pedia.

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From Home to Pan India: 

Dream A Dozen was launched in January 2018 and has seized every opportunity since. From summer baking workshops to corporate Diwali hampers, the brand has built a loyal customer base.

Within six months, she moved operations from a home kitchen to a two-bedroom residence and later to a larger commercial space in 2020.

Just days after relocating to the new space, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing a shutdown. While bakeries were allowed to operate, Dream A Dozen, being cake-focused, was hit hard.

The founder faced multiple challenges, and the emotional toll of shutting the doors just when they were planning for a vibrant launch was huge.

Despite the challenges, Megna did not lay off any of her 3-4 employees. "I had enough revenue to sustain us," she shared. Before the pandemic, the business was generating Rs. 1-1.5 lakh per month, which helped during the crisis.

As restrictions eased, her team adapted to the "new normal," with alternate workdays and a focus on safety.

Also Read: With just Rs 27,000 investment, this 29YO turned his friend's birthday decoration idea into a Rs 40 Cr worth company

Evolving the Business: 

During Diwali 2020, when a corporate client sought pan-India gift deliveries, Megna evolved her cake business. She developed long-shelf-life products like cookies, crackers, and chocolates with beautiful packaging for gifting. 

She also collaborated with local self-help groups to include handmade items like painted masks, diyas, and candles, supporting women in the community.

The all-women kitchen became a point of pride. Initially unintentional, it empowered women in a male-dominated industry. "We are changing lives, one cake at a time," Megna said proudly.

Also Read: Husband-wife duo's fuel delivery startup, backed by Ratan Tata, eyes Rs 200 Cr RRR in FY25.

Empowering Women: 

Dream A Dozen now employs 20 regular staff, 98% of whom are women. And most of them don't have any prior experience of baking or any formal education.

The cake brand has one experienced head chef who trains these women. Moreover, there are also 40-50 temporary workers who support the business during peak seasons such as Diwali and Christmas for packing and production.

While discussing the impact the business has made in the lives of the women, the founder said that Dream A Dozen has transformed various lives.

One inspiring story Megna shared was of a former housekeeper who started with menial tasks but, after learning to bake, managed the entire kitchen. By the time she left, she was the highest earner in her family, breaking the cycle of early marriage.

The young entrepreneur further added, "We focus on young individuals, from the age of 20 to 25 and create a culture which proves that with the right support and opportunity, anyone with zero to no experience can rise above their circumstances" during the Startup Pedia interview.

Also Read: How Boult Built A Rs 700 Cr Revenue Brand Without Any External Funding

Sales and Growth: 

Initially, the Bangalore-based cake brand focused on Western gourmet flavours; it now celebrates the "desi" tastes such as ghee, pistachios, and cardamom- under the section "Desi Gourmet Gifting". This way they are approaching a new segment in the gifting market.

The brand has found its niche in the B2B market, specialising in corporate gifting. Dream A Dozen currently offers 23 curated gift hampers with over 100 SKUs, including cupcakes, cakes, cake pops, and cheesecakes.

The customers can also customise the available catalogues according to their requirements. It has just launched the D2C category to serve individuals beyond corporate.

Before the pandemic, the Bangalore-based cake brand generated Rs. 1-1.5 lakh in monthly revenue. In FY21, it made Rs. 30 lakh, doubling to Rs. 60 lakh in FY22. By FY24, Dream A Dozen crossed Rs. 1 crore in revenue.

Scaling the Dream:

Talking about the future plans for her business, Megna said that Dream A Dozen's vision extends beyond being just a business. It aims to become a brand- a name people recognise and trust.

The founder also envisions building the gourmet gift brand as a Rs.100 crore brand in the next 5-10  years with consistent growth and perseverance.

Observing the rise in entrepreneurship culture, Megna believes, "The budding founders should understand the value of consistency. People give up too soon. Sometimes, you win just by staying in the race."