Lisburn entrepreneur bakes 
up a business success story

Originally from the Bahamas, Dawn Lowe launched Sweet and Lowe Cake Design during lockdown after honing her skills baking birthday cakes for her three daughters, and then quickly building a reputation for delicious cake treats among friends and family.

Sweet and Lowe Cake Design, based in Lisburn, offers cakes for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays – anything you need a cake for, Dawn creates an edible memory for all occasions.

Dawn said: “I started baking cakes about seven years ago when I first moved to Northern Ireland. I couldn’t afford to order a cake for my daughters first birthday, so I decided to make it myself. Then my other two kids wanted their cakes made, and then family and friends started placing orders, and it sort of just went from there.”

Dawn sought the help of the Go For It programme to help launch her business by completing the enquiry form online. The very next day, David, her business adviser, contacted her to get an idea of what she wanted to achieve.

“As I went through the Go For It programme David really built my confidence,” she continued. “I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without him or the programme. He helped me put together a business plan, which was probably one of my favourite parts as you get to see your ideas come to life. It helped me gain a little more clarity over financial projections and the marketing side.

“For anyone thinking about starting their own business – just “Go For It”. It is scary, there is a lot of responsibility, but you can get in touch with the Go For It programme and they will put you on the right path.”

David McKechnie, Business Advisor with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council said: “I am so pleased for Dawn, the work that she puts into those cakes, the artistry, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. So, I am really excited to see how Sweet and Lowe Cake Design progresses from here.”

Councillor and Chairperson of Lisburn and Castlereagh CC, Amanda Grehan said: “I am absolutely delighted to see another brilliant entrepreneur like Dawn take their future into their own hands by opening up her very own small business.

“Entrepreneurs are a key element in our community and economy. It is not because they create wealth, they come up with ideas and change which are essential for the growth of Lisburn.”