Inspirational Story from the Back of a Challenging Culinary Business

JAKARTA - Building a business in the culinary field is often seen as promising, but behind it there are various challenges that must be faced. Some of them are maintaining consistency of taste, ensuring the availability of raw materials, to adapting to changes in living conditions to finances.

All of these factors are indeed part of the inseparable dynamics of the daily lives of business actors. As is the case with Mirna's story, 38 years old, owner of the Dapoer Deril cake business in Balikpapan.

Since starting her business in 2015, Mirna has not only built a business, but also arranged a lifestyle that is closely related to the culinary world, ranging from choosing ingredients, experimenting with recipes, to maintaining the quality of taste for her customers.

By utilizing digital platforms such as GrabModal, Mirna is able to reach more consumers while adjusting the rhythm of production to daily needs. For him, ensuring the availability of raw materials is not just a business matter, but also part of maintaining consistency in the kitchen.

"The first time I applied for a loan of Rp. 2 million to buy raw materials so that the stock was safe and could make more cakes to sell," he said.

Over time, cooking and selling cakes have become part of his daily life that he enjoys. However, a lifestyle change occurred when he had to move to another city following his husband. This move made his routine in the kitchen temporarily stop, as well as demanding new adjustments.

In this phase, Mirna chose to take a break for a while by utilizing the Jeda Bayar facility to give her time to adapt before returning to running her business as usual.

After that, Mirna again applied for the Jeda Bayar facility because she needed more time to prepare a business place in a new city.

"Because I moved to a new city, so my sales are automatically on vacation. It's not possible to pay every day," he added.

Moments like Lebaran also become a time of reflection for many business actors such as Mirna not only about increasing sales, but also an opportunity to rest, gather with family, and reorganize the rhythm of life in the future.

This year, the Jeda Bayar Lebaran facility for Driver Partners is available from March 17-25, 2026 and for UMKM Partners from March 18-24, 2026. Partners get a temporary payment extension so that they can fully enjoy the moment with their families without worrying about financial obligations, while planning their business steps after the Lebaran holiday.

OVO Financial President Director, Riady Nata, said that flexibility is important in supporting the daily lives of partners in the midst of various life dynamics.

"Through collaboration within the Grab ecosystem, we want to provide financial solutions that are not only easily accessible, but also provide flexibility for Partners in facing various life situations," he said.

Mirna's story reflects how today's MSMEs are not only focused on business sustainability, but also strive to maintain a balance of life. Adaptation to the digital ecosystem, time management, to the ability to take a break at the right time are part of a new lifestyle that is more flexible and sustainable.