Pooja Dhingra on overcoming challenges and running a successful business

Pooja Dhingra, just like her desserts, is #MoreThanPretty with @mango.

Cosmo: Tell us what made you take up baking professionally.

Pooja Dhingra: “I started baking when I was six years old, and I never imagined that it could be my job. I wanted to be a lawyer, but two weeks into law school, I knew that baking is where my passion lies. I moved to Switzerland to study hospitality, and pastry kitchens piqued my interest. I came back to India when I was 22 years old and launched Le15…and it’s been 13 years now. 

C: Tell us how pastry making and being yourself can be challenging at times? 

PD: “I don so many hats, so every day is a new challenge! Being an entrepreneur, starting very young, and being a woman in this space often comes with a lot of challenges, but I am grateful that it’s not the same anymore. But it does keep me on my toes! Earlier, when I had just launched my business, I used to cry every day. Fast forward to today, I know that I’ll face issues along the way, but I now know how to deal with them.” 

C: Tell us about how you managed to sustain your brand during the pandemic and how did you overcome those massive challenges?

PD: “COVID was a huge realisation for me due to various reasons. I think the food and beverage industry didn’t see it coming at all… I felt like I had my back against the wall because our main revenue source was from people walking into our cafes and stores, which stopped completely during the pandemic. 

During the first few days of the pandemic, I had moments where I thought that I’d lose everything. I would stare at the Excel sheets and ask myself questions which I had no answers for. 

I remember, I cried a lot for the first few weeks and then decided to turn it around and somehow make it work. We started food delivery, and I began working on cookbooks and conducting online classes. This helped me generate revenue that kept the team alive and the business afloat. And before I knew it, the year ended and we were more profitable than we were pre-pandemic. So, today, I feel a lot stronger and more confident in my own abilities and business skills.” 

C: Where do you derive strength and confidence from? 

PD: “My confidence depends on myriad factors, sometimes it comes from within (which is the best kind of confidence), and other times, from friends and family.  And also from my customers, who believed in me and helped me in my journey. I felt like if they [my customers] believe that I can do it, then I really can!” 

C: What does the word pretty mean to you?

PD: “I attribute this term to one’s inner self—the kind of person that you are and the kind of energy and light you bring to a room of people.” 

C: Which is your favourite cake? 

PD: “That’s a tough one as I love desserts…and cakes! Currently, I am leaning towards anything with dark chocolate and passionfruit.”