Sweet and sour

“It is very challenging to have a business in Chicago but it’s s rewarding working for yourself and pull up a business form the scratch, from zero.” Tania A. owns a small Romanian traditional bakery. It is the only Romanian one in the Chicago area and provides pastry that otherwise would not be available. The business is only one year old but it attracts a lot of people, especially during Easter or Christmas. Tania is extremely happy when people like her wedding cakes because “that is a very important part of the wedding.”

Her partner, Ionel  A. is also a business owner.  “Construction is tough now, everyone is looking for work, house market is down so it’s very hard to get jobs unless you are a very good professional and people trust in you. At the beginning it’s scary because you don’t have always a job the second day, but if your good, your business starts to grow and gets better and better.”

For both of them the only downside is the amount of work they have to do. “There is no fun, you’re too tired to have fun after work” says Ionel. At the end of the day they come home and crash and find time for friends or family only at the end of the week. Their American Dream is to have a business that will grow to a point where they will be able to detach and not worry about going to work every day.“ A constant income, own a house and travel” ads Tania.