“My name is Raeesa Ally Khatree. I live in Brisbane and I have two children. I’m originally from South Africa, where I was a lawyer. I moved to Australia 14 years ago and as a result, I couldn’t practice law.
My business is Edible Love by Rae, I started off creating beautiful cupcakes and cakes for events, and over the past two-and-a-half years, it evolved into more of a service-based business, teaching and doing workshops.
I stumbled upon cake decorating because I needed a birthday cake for my daughter, she was turning five at the time and I couldn’t find anyone who could make a cake that suited our requirements of being halal. That sparked something in me. I started posting my cakes on Instagram and in 2017 I was called by the producers of Great Australian Bake Off and they asked me to audition for the show. That, with Global Sisters, was the changing point for me.
It means so much to me to not have to worry about where the next paycheque is coming from or how I am going to support my family. Being able to do something that ignites passion and still be able to take care of children and bring in some sort of income, that is an amazing feeling.
My biggest barrier to work was that many people require experience or an Australian qualification. I could not commit to studying again full time, and with the informal jobs I was trying to apply for, I didn’t seem to get anywhere or enjoy anything. Another barrier for me was that overwhelming and intimidating thought of how do I actually go about starting a business? My Big Idea was the motivation I needed and Sister School broke the whole process down for me. It helped me realise it’s not as intimidating or overwhelming as I thought it would be and they just made it such an easy process. What stands out the most was the two Sisters who ran Sister School. They had such passion inside them to see other women succeed, they brought out the best in each of us.
Global Sisters is an organisation where you literally have a tribe of other women who are all cheering you on, all are there at your disposal, no matter what you need, day or night. That for me is just absolutely incredible: that there’s an organisation that will do this for someone they don’t know yet help them on so many levels without expecting anything in return.
It’s not just doing a course with somebody and saying, ‘Tick, they’ve done it,’ and then they wipe their hands of you, it’s the complete opposite. It’s almost as if they are on your back, at your side, helping you, cheering you on and constantly motivating you and seeing you through the entire process and making sure you’re ok every step of the way.
Coronavirus has meant that all of my workshops have been cancelled, but it’s given me time to pause and reflect. It’s given me time to focus on social media and I’m trying to build a website.
”It is inspiring to be surrounded by other women who actually share that same goal of wanting to empower themselves and not waiting and sitting back for someone else to empower them.
Raeesa KhatreeEdible Love by Rae
