It’s been exactly one decade since Dawn Chang was first seen on ABS-CBN as a housemate on the Pinoy Big Brother: 737 season where she was known as “The Bombshell Baker ng Parañaque, in the same batch that also included Big winner Miho Nishida (for the regular edition) and Jimboy Martin (for the teens edition). Little did she know that her PBB nickname would end up becoming one of her biggest passions in life now.
In an exclusive interview with PUSH BETS this month, Dawn talked about baking and being based in Australia before she joined PBB. “Nagsimula talaga ito sa Australia. Doon kasi ako nakatira bago ako mag-join ng Big Brother, bago ako bumalik dito sa Pilipinas. First, I enjoy kasi the kitchen. Kahit tutulong lang ako mag-slice ng onions, magluto, mag-bake at the same time. So I love to bake in the kitchen. Lalong lalo na siyempre pag ang sarap ng binake mo, ang sarap ng niluto mo, tapos na-e-enjoy ng pamilya mo at ng friends mo. So dun siya nag-originate talaga.
"Na-encourage ako ng mga friends and family ko to pursue this as a business. Kaya yun, dire-diretso na,” she said.
While based abroad, the former GirlTrends member said she was thankful for how supportive her Aussie friends were when she started trying to sell her baked goods from home.
“Sinuportahan ako ng mga friends ko. They actually ordered. Totoo yun ah. Ang mga totoong kaibigan o-order at magbabayad sa'yo as a support. Hindi puro hingi lang. Hindi yung puro libre lang. At saka ang totoong kaibigan hindi humihingi ng discount. Magbabayad in full. They want to support you and help you become big,” she added.
READ: 12 sexy photos of former Girltrend Dawn Chang
When she returned to the country to join PBB, Dawn admitted she got busy with projects in showbiz. I“When I got out of the Big Brother house, I was very blessed na nabigyan ako agad ng trabaho tapos regular show. As a matter of fact, umaga, tanghali, gabi, even hapon, may show ako. I was very visible. Sabi ko, bakit parang puro work na lang ako. Wala na akong sarili kong hobby, other than work. So that’s when I started baking again. Sabi ko ano ba yung madali lang muna. At saka nag-ke-crave ako ng cookies. So I personally love cookies talaga,” she recalled.
READ: PBB Housemate Dawn Chang was raised by two Mothers
When she realized she wanted to start baking again, Dawn brought her baked goods to the set of It's Showtime for her colleagues to try. “So ayun, nag-bake ako ng cookies, dinala ko sa Showtime. Pinakain ko sa mga GirlTrends and Hashtags. Na-enjoy naman nila. Tapos sasabihin nila sa akin, ‘Medyo masyadong matamis.’ So mag-be-bake ako ng bago. Babawasan ko yung sugar. So ganun sila sa akin. I listen to them. Para kasi sila yung mga customers ko eh. Sila yung tumulong sa akin. Sila ang taste testers ko.
"Just for fun, pinost ko siya on Instagram and taking order. Ako din yung sumasagot ng mga inquiries sa tulong ng mga hosts ng Showtime na ako’y very grateful. Wala akong business plan or anything like that. Parang side hustle ko siya,” she added.
During her PUSH BETS interview, Dawn also shared what advice she has for budding entrepreneurs who are starting out just like she did one decade ago.
“You have to start with passion and drive. If there’s anything I can advise, it is to have a plan. Kasi ako wala akong plan dati. Iba pa rin kapag may plano. Hindi lang pinagplanuhan, pinag-isipan din dapat. And then you have to be ready to learn from mistakes kasi you will make a lot of mistakes. So you just have to keep going. Do not give up on the first hurdle. Do not give up on the second, on the third, on the fourth. You just have to go through it. You just have to keep going. So resilience talaga,” she admitted.
Last June, Dawn celebrated her brand’s decade long existence in an Instagram post. She wrote, “I didn’t always know what I wanted to be until I baked my first batch of cookies. Something clicked, and I’ve been mixing, whisking, and taste-testing ever since. Baking became my happy place, my creative outlet, and honestly… my favorite kind of science experiment (with a little math sprinkled in). Fun fact: DC Delights is actually 10 years old! It all started in my little kitchen in Melbourne, and after a decade of chewy cookie adventures, (with some cake and cupcakes along the way) we’re still here, baking with love and sharing the joy. Cheers to more sweet years ahead!”
Dawn's bakery brand DC Delights now has four branches all over Metro Manila.
Watch Dawn Chang’s full interview on PUSH BETS here:
Dawn Chang on building a cookie business and falling in love | PUSH Bets