Founder@ Interview
Interview with Viva O’Flynn
“When you’re baking or cooking and if what you’re making doesn’t taste right or look right, maybe you’re using the wrong recipe. You just have to keep experimenting, fine-tune your recipe and try again. I’ll apply it to life now. In life, when what you’re doing isn’t working, maybe you’re using the wrong game plan. Maybe it’s not aligned with your vision, core values, passion even your strengths and weaknesses. Instead of quitting, just keep on experimenting. Fine-tune your game plan or make another one. While there’s life there’s hope. Keep dreaming, achieving and living a meaningful life. .” – Viva O’Flynn
Today we feature Viva O’Flynn, the founder at Love Viva Cakes and Crafts. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.
Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?
I’m Viva Andrada O’Flynn of Love Viva Cakes and Crafts. I make the cake of your dreams come to life for your important celebrations so you can enjoy special moments with your family and friends free from stress and worry.
A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us, how did you start, from what age, and what made you decide to change direction and start?
I’m originally from the Philippines. In the Philippines, I was an entrepreneur, artist, journalist, event organizer, and trained chef. I went to London in 2014 to further my studies as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu. I attended a cooking class and there I met my future husband, John. After a year of us flying to visit each other and keeping in touch online, we got married in the Philippines.
I’ve left the life I’ve known, family, friends and moved here to the UK to be with my husband, John. Since then I’ve used my skills and experience in Gloucestershire and have been Entrepreneurs Champion of Create on the Square and Coffee Shop Manager of the Friendship Café among others. I’ve been living here in the UK for five years now.
On the subject of baking. I’ve always loved baking since my grandma asked me to help her out in her kitchen when I was 5 years old. The wafting aroma of freshly baked homemade goods transports me back to my childhood years and I’m filled with love. Whenever I bake, I listen to love songs so my secret recipe which isn’t so secret anymore is love.
Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?
Love Viva Cakes and Crafts makes the cake of your dreams come to life for your important celebrations so you can enjoy special moments with your family and friends free from stress and worry.
Love Viva Cakes and Crafts creates treats for your special feasts. It is based in Gloucestershire.
What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?
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Cake is a symbol of joy, celebration, belonging, friendship and love. You eat cake to enjoy life.
Did you know that cakes also have healthful benefits? Cakes are made by mixing flour, eggs, and sugar together and they’re excellent sources of carbohydrates, thus cake provides you energy.
So the next time you’re having a special occasion, do add cake to your menu and indulge. I can help you with your cake needs. I make vegan, gluten-free cakes as well. I also make handmade gifts that you could share with the people you love.
Here in the UK, I’m also dabbling into events. I’ve organised craft fairs at Gloucester Resource Centre, the Friendship Café, Gloucester Guildhall and St. Mary De Crypt, and more to come, plus this FUNtastic Virtual Fair where we’re in your homes.
In the UK, far from family and friends back home in the Philippines, I do my best to represent where I come from. In my own way, I want others to see the goodness and creativity of the Filipino people.
I enjoy sharing my skills and talents with others.
Since I started my business Love Viva Cakes and Crafts three years ago, I have consistently been baking cakes and desserts to help charities raise money. During the lockdown I also donated my cakes and bakes to feed frontline workers and local communities.
When World Humanitarian Drive (an NGO/ charity) need me to step up and host online events for them, I do so with the best of my ability. I am grateful that WHD chose me to be the host of their online show “Inspiring Millions Show”. It is a voluntary role, and I look forward to it every Friday. I enjoy listening to the stories of our guests. Our virtual audience get inspired week after week.
I am the secretary of Filipino Association of Gloucestershire (GlosPinoys). I have helped GlosPinoys plan out activities and events for the organisation.
I have also donated my artworks to Twitter Art Exhibit to raise funds for The Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund (Linc) Cheltenham.
I also volunteer for Grow2Gether as Community and Communications Manager. In my own way I help in empowering the youth.
Thank you for sharing that. What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?
It can be tough on the business journey from starting it and continuing it from day to day. I keep persevering, taking one step at a time. I have a long way to go to reach my goals, but it feels good whenever I make my clients happy with my products and services.
When people think of starting a business, they think their time is flexible, there is more freedom to do what they want, that if they have a product or service customers are easy to find, that they can earn unlimited profits because they’re their own boss.
The truth is it’s tough to be an entrepreneur, starting a business is challenging. Being your own boss is a lot of responsibility. You would be responsible for your clients, employees, suppliers, the direction of your business, future growth. If you don’t know proper time management, you may get stuck with day to day tasks and not achieve much. You would need to be multi-skilled if you want to save money, as outsourcing can get costly too. You would also need to learn how to market your products and services effectively so that prospective customers would know what you offer and how it addresses their needs.
If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Every effort you make matters, even if it seems you’re not living your dreams. With every step, you’re gaining skills and experience inching you closer to the best version of you. Who knows where your path may lead? Open up to opportunities. Discover your entrepreneurial path and give everything your best.
We’re nearly halfway through our interview so it’s a great time to ask how does your business run. What three tools make your business run better?
Social media accounts: facebook, instagram, twitter, linkedin
website: www.loveviva.co
What do you know now that you wished you had known before?
When people think of starting a business, they think their time is flexible, there is more freedom to do what they want, that if they have a product or service customers are easy to find, that they can earn unlimited profits because they’re their own boss.
The truth is it’s tough to be an entrepreneur, starting a business is challenging. Being your own boss is a lot of responsibility. You would be responsible for your clients, employees, suppliers, the direction of your business, future growth. If you don’t know proper time management, you may get stuck with day to day tasks and not achieve much. You would need to be multi-skilled if you want to save money, as outsourcing can get costly too. You would also need to learn how to market your products and services effectively so that prospective customers would know what you offer and how it addresses their needs.
I think it’s easier to be an employee, earning a paycheck, getting paid per hour. When you’re an entrepreneur, you think of your startup constantly and may not even get paid for it.
With being an entrepreneur, you always have to innovate and do things better than others, constantly delight your customers and find ways to work better with your employees and suppliers.
What has been your greatest or proudest achievement or moment?
Whenever I make my clients happy with the products and services that I offer, that is my proudest moment.
What future life goals do you want to achieve and why?
My personal vision is to be the best I can be for my family, community, country, and the world. I am committed to getting better every day. I choose to celebrate life and share love through my creativity. My personal mission is to create and share inspiration, joy, and love in all that I do; to make the world a lovelier place with my creations and relationships with others.
To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?
When you’re baking or cooking if what you’re making doesn’t taste right or look right, maybe you’re using the wrong recipe. You just have to keep experimenting, fine-tune your recipe and try again. I’ll apply it to life now. In life, when what you’re doing isn’t working, maybe you’re using the wrong game plan. Maybe it’s not aligned with your vision, core values, passion even your strengths and weaknesses. Instead of quitting, just keep on experimenting. Fine-tune your game plan or make another one. While there’s life there’s hope. Keep dreaming, achieving and living a meaningful life.
“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Love Viva Cakes and Crafts”
To learn more about Love Viva Cakes and Crafts Visit https://loveviva.co/
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