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How April Pechardo Embraced Entrepreneurship Amid the Pandemic

The Challenge

In 2019, April Pechardo and her son migrated from the Philippines to join her husband in Sacramento, where she began working in the hospitality industry. Not long after she started, the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the industry, and April was laid off from her hotel job. Looking for a way to fill her time, she took up baking. She began crafting classing Filipino goodies such as ube pandesal, a type of sweet bread that went “viral” in the early days of the pandemic. 

At the urging of her taste testers (her friends and family!), April began selling her ube pandesal and ensaymada on Facebook Marketplace and via Instagram in June of 2020 under the name “The Sugar Mommy”. Her client-base grew quickly, but she needed to legitimize her business in order to keep growing. 

The Gameplan 

In January 2022, April began working with Sacramento Valley SBDC Director, SiewYee Lee-Alix, who advised April on the steps needed to make The Sugar Mommy official. With guidance, April applied for a City of Sacramento Business Operations Tax, filed her Ficticious Business Name papers, and will soon acquire a catering license. In February of 2022, The Sugar Mommy website launched, where April now conducts her business. 

Results  

Since launching officially, April has been able to seize new opportunities for The Sugar Mommy. She now operates out of a rented commissary kitchen, and supplies pastries for the Curiosity Cafe at the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity. “I’m really grateful for the support of the people who believe in me,” says April. “And I am thankful to the SBDC for pushing me to do more with my business, and for all of the support from Ms. Lee”