The 12 Year-Old MasterChef Competitor and Business Owner, Maria Dakis

New York, New York – (NewMediaWire) – November 9, 2020 – Maria Dakis is a 12 year-old entrepreneur and Owner of Genius Sweets Box, a dessert company with products made by Maria herself. Maria has been cooking since she was 2 years old, and was fascinated by her favorite chefs on The Food Network, Giada De Laurentis and Ina Garten. When Maria first started cooking, she would replicate recipes that these chefs cooked on The Food Network, and has been hooked ever since. Maria was so passionate about cooking that when she was just 8 years old, she was casted to compete on Gordon Ramsay’s MasterChef Junior in season 6. Although she did not win the show, she placed 14th out of hundreds of competitors and eventually this year, had the idea to start Genius Sweets Box.

Maria was motivated to start her own business for several reasons. At such a young age, many of her elders and friends asked when and how they could try her treats. Both of her parents are business owners, so it only felt right that she would launch her own business as well. The driving force of her business is baking creations that she is passionate about and that she loves, and being able to share them with others has proved to be extremely rewarding to her.

Many entrepreneurs face difficult challenges when starting a business, and Maria is no exception. Due to her relatively young age and little experience in the business world, it was difficult for Maria to get a grasp on marketing her company to a broad audience. She was making delicious and delectable treats but did not know hot to reach people to get them to purchase her treats. The other challenge that she has faced is gaining future customers. Many people perceive younger-aged individuals as inexperienced, so gaining a customer base has been another challenge to overcome for Maria.

Maria has faced a very different challenge aside from her business as well. When Maria was three years old, she was diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis, which is an autoimmune disease. Due to the current state of the world and the COVID-19 pandemic, Maria has been forced to stay home from school to attend online and take special precautions to prevent exposure to the virus. As a 12 year-old girl, Maria has been faced with a multitude of challenges, but is using her situation to motivate her work and build her business.

One’s mindset is crucial to the success of their business, and Maria is an extremely determined young girl. In Maria’s life, she feels that setting goals and working diligently towards them is extremely important for the advancement of the business. As a young entrepreneur, Maria has learned the importance of measuring success as she continues with her business. Success in her eyes means pursuing what you love, and making money while doing it, which is exactly what she is doing.

Moving forward, Maria is looking forward to growing her business and advancing her techniques to better perform in the industry. With time on her side and a passion greater than most, Maria is working to start selling her goods at Farmers’ Markets and Flea Markets in the Los Angeles area. She is also producing videos of her cooking and baking on her Instagram. To follow Maria Dakis on her journey as a young entrepreneur and chef, click here.

Kiley Almy
860-866-6928
Kiley@nextwavemktg.com