Founders of The Doughnut Mum and Westlab Pastry, Lytha and Holly Khorn picked a challenging time to launch a business in Sydney’s south-west suburbs.
Lytha’s family background in the bakery industry and long-held dream to start her own business drove the tenacious couple to press on and embrace the brighter side of COVID-19 lockdowns - and they’ve been rewarded with sweet success.
Making a career pivot to start a business
"I had taken a career break to look after our three kids," says Lytha. "When you’re out of work for a while, it’s hard to return. So, in October 2019, we committed to a lease in Warwick Farm and opened a small business that, at the time, only served fresh doughnuts and coffee. It was a big risk for us."
Dealing with tough times
"Soon after opening, the devastating summer bushfires happened," recalls Lytha. "The sky was red and smoky for a few weeks and people were told to stay home due to poor air quality. We got through it and even opened a pop-up in a shopping centre but in March 2020 the first COVID lockdown was announced.
"We had to shut it down for around three months. We had about five staff members then and not knowing what would happen was the most frustrating thing for us. There were definitely times when we questioned our life choices."
“Don’t ever doubt yourself; nothing is impossible” – Holly Khorn
Growing the business
"Thankfully, we had a very understanding landlord who gave us a rent-free period and we received some form of government grants," says Holly, who quit his job to help Lytha run the business. "Then we reopened three days a week to test the waters. Interestingly, during COVID, many people who lived in the south-west didn’t travel to the city for work – that community support got us through and once we gained some momentum we reopened fully.
"We increased our drinks range, added pies and pastries to the menu and eventually took over an existing cafe 10 minutes away, which is expanding again. It will seat at least 30 people. We also won Australia’s best doughnut in 2022 – something we’re very proud of."
What I wish I’d known
"In the beginning, I would get so upset by online reviews," says Lytha. "A lot of emotions were wasted on unnecessary and probably unconstructive feedback and I’ve learnt to disengage from the negativity. It’s important not to take things personally when it comes to business."