JWW Success Stories
1) Nora Chreim, Sweet Pattiserie
Nora Chreim wears many hats. First off, she is a wife and a mother to four beautiful children. Her fifth child is her new company: Sweet Patisserie. Co-owned with her sister Tammy, Sweet Patisserie is a unique pastry caterer. They make the best kosher desserts in Panama. Baked with lots of love, using home style methods and premium ingredients, to ensure the highest quality of desserts.
“We take it as a great honor and a privilege when we get to participate in one of our customer’s celebration, and we strive to give it our all to ensure that they’ll love it and want to come back for more!” - Nora Chreim
How did you defeat fear to start your project?
“Well it started with my first event ever. Almost 6 years ago, my good friend Debbie Abadi asked me to help with a huge event she was planning. She called me and said "YOU HAVE TO DO IT!” She didn’t give me the opportunity to stop and think about it, and that helped me a lot in not doubting myself. Debbie is one of the biggest party planers here, so it was a lot of pressure. The best way to start is to just give it your all and hope for the best!
When I decided it was time to go even bigger, I sat down with my sister and we started planning on opening our own business. Demand was increasing and we couldn’t keep baking from our home kitchens. Together we opened Sweet Patisserie and we have been spreading our sweets all over Panama for almost two years now! Again, never hesitating, never second guessing ourselves, just believing in us, in our desserts and in our brand.”
What is one thing you think is important as a Jewish woman in your career?
“Faith! It’s the most important thing to live by and it fills you up when you think you can’t keep moving forward. Once a good teacher of mine told me, “If you are not going forward, you’re automatically moving backwards”. At first I didn’t agree with her, and I used to think that it was possible to somehow just stay in the same place. Well, let me tell you, she was absolutely right, you always have to strive to be a better person, a better mother, a better wife and how to improve your relationship with G’d. If you stay in the same place long enough, you’ll get comfortable and won’t want to keep going. Never get to a stage where you’re to comfortable!
What piece of advice were you given when you were starting?
“To work hard, to give it my all and to never take shortcuts because it always ends badly.”
What piece of advice would YOU give to anyone starting their own thing?
“I would say to absolutely stay true to yourself, don’t try and copy anybody. Be original, be authentic, be exclusive and you’ll absolutely thrive! Let them copy you, but never the other way around!”
Why do you do what you do?
“Because I absolutely LOVE it! It brings me peace and joy and it relaxes me. It’s always very important to so something you really enjoy, and not what you think others would like you to do.”
What motivates you? What are you passionate about?
“To innovate! I do not enjoy making the same things over and over. I’m always on the look out for new things, new desserts, new techniques, etc. It keeps it interesting and I never get bored.”
Nora Chreim is a true Jewish Wonder Woman and has been nominated to tell her success story at the next JWW Workshop in Panama. You can find her on Instagram at @sweetpatisseriepty.