FELCY SHEEBA: Not Business as Usual
ARTWORK BY SHEEBA DECORATING CAFE 33
The Beginning
When I was a little girl, I always enjoyed and was skilled at art in school, but as I grew up, this was one ability I hardly ever used. As a younger adult, I would often ask God why He gave me a talent that I had no use for. Many years later, when I became a mother and baked for my kids, I found myself using my art skills. Soon friends started asking me to bake cakes for their kids. I had a nine to five job at this point and as part of the employment contract I wasn’t allowed to run a business on the side, so I would occasionally bake, decorate, and give away cakes for free.
SHEEBA & COLIN WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS
The Reluctant Entrepreneur
At that time, I knew the business God wanted me to get into had something to do with baking. I was still new to baking then, so I kept this to myself for years. In the year 2010, when I was 30, we had just had our second child. When our first child was born, I had gone back to work after just three months. I wasn’t too thrilled about the idea of running a business instead of having a nine to five job. I felt I was not equipped or skilled, and neither did I have any prior experience running a business. I hadn’t even heard of ‘Business as Missions’. I had a nine to five corporate job and a husband (Colin) who was in full-time Christian work. I told God that I was happy having a secure job and that if He wanted me to get into business, He would have to take the lead on this project and get it up and running in His own time. During the second pregnancy, I told God that I wanted to take three years away from work, so I could spend time with my girls. I quit my job in faith, asking God to provide for the family. Right after I quit, the cake orders started pouring in once again. I knew this was God, as I had not advertised anywhere. Friends and friends of friends would call and request cakes. At this point I registered the business as 33 Cakes. This was me telling God that by the end of my three-year period at home with the kids, when I turn 33, to let me know if this is what He wanted me to do with my life.
In 2018, GLO Australia brought a team to India. Part of the team’s agenda was to help Colin set up a business. While in India, one of the team members saw me bake a cake for an order and immediately said, “That’s your business idea!” I wasn’t surprised. In fact, I knew this was coming. It was not Colin who was meant to start a business, it was me. From this we created…
Café 33!
Fast forward to 2023, we now run Café 33 in Chennai. It’s a small café, but it’s got a 4.8 star rating on Google. I bake all the cakes and the desserts for the Café, and Colin makes the fillings for the sandwiches, etc. Each one of us knows what our responsibilities are. We have two staff working for us and we make a great team. The best part about the Café, is that it frees Colin to take time from work and travel for camps and ministry whenever he needs to. Business as missions for the reluctant entrepreneur – mission accomplished by God! I now realise that God never gives us a skill or talent that we have no use for. Baking is why He put those art skills in me. I didn’t understand as a younger adult, now I do.
Unicorn Cakes
Rice Paper Rolls
Milkshake
Meals
Communion Cake
Bus Cake
Why 33?
Even to this day, I frequently get asked why the business is named 33. Was it because of Jesus’ age when He died? After reading this story you may have already guessed that my reason for the name was simpler than that. Calling it 33 was a reminder of showing trust in God to lead and provide the way. I was so reluctant to enter into business that I told God He would have to open the doors.
God opened the doors. God brought in the people. It was all God, just God!
God speaks to people in different ways, and everyone has their own story but mine centres on 33.
What is your 33?