Photo courtesy of Cassandra Padilla
It was Cassandra Padilla’s love of sweets and passion for baking that made her decide to create Dulce Sweets. She started her business plan in October 2008.
Padilla is a part of the Lyles Center National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship program (NFTE) at Roosevelt.
Roosevelt High School Senior Padilla won the 2010 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for creating her business, Dulce Sweets, where she crafts truffles and other chocolates. She accomplished before she even turned 18 years old.
“It was in small business management that I was challenged to make, and present a small business, which I had to create,” Padilla said. “In that class I participated in the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship business plan competition.”
“I first catered an event for 150 people, providing the desserts for the event dinner,” Padilla said. “My truffles aren’t pricey, and are made for the world to enjoy.”
Padilla competed in the NFTE competition with 65 other students. “During the NFTE business plan competition, I presented my business plan to my class and five judges,” Padilla said. “I was surprised to find out that I tied for first place. I ended up being victorious after a tiebreaker presentation and competed next against the winners from other schools in the Central Valley.”
After this presentation Padilla had started her small business, took orders, produced those orders and made a profit from her truffles. Padilla even catered the competition she was competing in.
“When the day of the competition arrived, I was exceedingly nervous, excited, more stressed then ever and was panicking, like usual,” Padilla said.
Although, she placed second, her teacher Linda Voth informed her that she had been nominated for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
“I had to fill out some forms and submit an essay and copies of my business plan along with some other forms like a spread sheet and income statement,” Padilla said.
“I was shocked to find out that I had won and would be going on an all-expenses paid trip to New York on April 12 as a representative of California.”
NFTE and Virtual Enterprise teacher Linda Jean Voth is who helped Padilla conceive her idea about Dulce Sweets.
“She entered my Small Business Management class in her junior year,” Voth said. “I introduced her to the NFTE Program and each student wrote a business plan for a small business. I helped her conceive the idea for Dulce Sweets and so it was born.”
Voth helped put together Padilla’s business.
“I am so very proud of Cassandra,” Voth said.
“I was allowed to help her write the business plan, helped with the first batches of truffles she made and also secured a commercial kitchen for her to produce her product in compliance with health safety food law.”
“She has worked very hard to accomplish this award. She has discovered a niche market in Fresno – which could expand to California – even to the entire USA,” Voth said.
Padilla believes that she will be attending Fresno State next year. She plans to major in mathematics and minor in business.
Padilla had advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. “Try your best and work hard, that’s all that matters. Taking the first steps are the hardest part, but in the end it pays off.”