Woman left corporate job to start her own business making cakes in Toronto

A woman recently left her corporate job to dedicate all her time to her new cake business in Toronto.

By Patri makes the kind of cakes that go viral on social media, executed stunningly. Think vintage-inspired cakes with chunky piping, decorative cherries and bows, sporting written phrases like “witches don’t age,” “talk thirty to me” and “twenty ATE.”

Their viral nature translates to IRL purchases as well, with By Patri selling out at several markets they’ve attended.

“I’ve always been a big food girlie and always love being in the kitchen,” By Patri founder Patricia Halim tells YourCityWithIN.com.

“I wanted to build something that felt personal, purposeful, and fun, something that brought people joy. Cake felt like the perfect vehicle for that. I started with mini cakes because I kept hearing the same thing: people love cake, but full-sized ones are usually way too much. I wanted to create something cute, delicious, and just the right size, the kind of cake that makes any moment feel worth celebrating.”

Halim previously worked in advertising at a tech product agency as a resource manager, which she likens to the role of a casting director. The job involved lots of stimulating problem solving, the art of timing and working with people, but her heart wasn’t fully in it.

“I enjoyed parts of it, but it wasn’t something I truly loved. Some aspects of the role clashed with my personality, and over time, it led to burnout,” says Halim.

“Eventually, I decided to quit and take a break for a couple of months. During that time, I realized I wanted to redirect all that energy into something of my own.”

In January 2024, Halim officially launched By Patri with no business experience, but with a good level of confidence due to coming from a family full of entrepreneurs. As her business has grown, her lifestyle has changed completely.

In her corporate life, she’d start her day at the gym, get to work around 9 a.m., and stay rooted to the spot until about 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Now, she sets the pace of her week and adjusts the flow of her much more varied days, working on more administrative tasks at the beginning of the week and prepping orders by midweek.

“No two days look the same, which can be chaotic but also really exciting. I have a lot more flexibility and variety in my day-to-day life,” says Halim.

“Honestly, one thing I really appreciate is that I don’t get the Sunday scaries anymore. I’m actually excited to dive into the week because no two weeks are the same.”

One of the biggest changes for Halim has been doing everything by herself instead of with a team, but the excitement she gets from the unpredictability and the support she gets from her partner help carry her through.

“In corporate, I had a team to lean on, bounce ideas off, and share the workload. Now, the biggest shift for me is coming up with fresh ideas and not having anyone around to check if they’re actually good or to build on them,” says Halim.

“It can get a little lonely, but it’s also pushed me to trust my gut and get creative in new ways. Thankfully, I have my partner who’s been incredibly supportive. I can bounce ideas off him, he helps with content…you might have seen him in a few reels…he’s also the unofficial dishwasher and delivery guy.”

Halim is working on new flavour combinations inspired by her time growing up in Indonesia, and is hoping to one day open a permanent By Patri cake studio where she can host events and cake workshops.

“Seeing my cakes enjoyed by so many has been pretty surreal,” says Halim. “Overall, the support has been amazing, and it’s been so rewarding to see people genuinely enjoy what I create.”