From Sharing Rent to Sharing Success: Four friends reveal how loyalty, hard work, and belief in each other changed their lives in the UAE.
For many expatriates, moving to the UAE begins with a simple goal: creating a better future for their families. Long working hours, financial responsibilities, and the challenge of building a life far from home become part of the journey. For four Filipino friends in Dubai, that journey eventually transformed into an inspiring UAE success story built on trust, resilience, and entrepreneurship.
Jay Esqueta, Delia Rubios, Chrissie Asuncion, and Carla Castro arrived in the UAE at different stages of their lives, each focused on career growth and supporting loved ones back home. Like countless overseas workers, they came searching for opportunity. What they found along the way was something equally valuable: a friendship that would eventually become the foundation of a successful business.
A Friendship Built Through Shared Experiences
Esqueta, Rubios, and Asuncion first arrived in Dubai in 2005, while Castro joined them years later in 2018. Their friendships developed naturally through work, shared experiences, and the realities of life as expatriates.
Esqueta and Rubios became flatmates, sharing expenses, responsibilities, and the everyday challenges that come with living abroad. Meanwhile, Asuncion and Rubios built a strong professional relationship after working together for more than 16 years in the corporate sector.
Over time, the four friends became more than colleagues and acquaintances. They became a support system for one another, navigating career challenges, family responsibilities, and life in a foreign country together.
The Hidden Talent That Started It All
The business idea did not begin with a formal business plan or an investment proposal.
For years, Esqueta quietly nurtured a passion for baking, creating cakes for family gatherings, birthdays, and special occasions. His creations were admired by friends, but he never considered turning the hobby into a business.
That changed after a simple visit.
Following a fun run, Asuncion stopped by the apartment shared by Esqueta and Rubios and noticed the cakes he had been making. Impressed by both the quality and creativity, she encouraged him to think bigger and start offering his cakes to a wider audience.
What began as a casual conversation soon evolved into a serious idea.
Within two months, Esqueta, Rubios, and Asuncion officially launched Jaysiedel Cakes, turning a personal passion into a business venture.
Taking the Leap While Keeping Full-Time Jobs
Starting a business was not easy.
All three founders already had established careers and financial obligations. Walking away from a stable income was never an option.
At the time, each brought different skills that would later become valuable to the business. Esqueta’s sales background helped him build customer relationships. Rubios contributed financial discipline and organizational skills. Asuncion brought expertise in communication and operations. Later, Castro joined the venture, adding operational management and product development capabilities.
Today, those responsibilities remain clearly defined within the company:
- Jay Esqueta leads cake decoration and sales.
- Delia Rubios oversees finance.
- Chrissie Asuncion manages digital marketing and sales.
- Carla Castro handles research, development, and operations.
Their complementary strengths allowed the business to grow while maintaining professional standards.
Overcoming Challenges in a Competitive Market
Building a cake business in Dubai meant entering a highly competitive market already filled with established brands and experienced players.
The founders faced several obstacles during their early years, including limited startup capital, strict regulatory requirements, and the challenge of building brand awareness from scratch.
Operating within the UAE’s food industry also required compliance with rigorous health and safety standards.
Rather than viewing these requirements as barriers, the founders embraced them as opportunities to improve.
Dubai Municipality’s strict food safety regulations pushed them to maintain high standards and operate professionally from the beginning. The process helped strengthen customer trust and reinforced the quality-focused culture they wanted to build.
Lessons Learned from Life in the UAE
The friends credit much of their entrepreneurial mindset to the environment they experienced in the UAE.
Living and working in Dubai exposed them to a culture that values discipline, efficiency, innovation, and accountability. These qualities became deeply embedded in the way they approached both business and personal growth.
They also appreciated the country’s structured business ecosystem, which provided clear processes for licensing, compliance, and business operations.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, these systems created confidence that hard work and persistence could eventually lead to meaningful opportunities.
Putting People Before Profits
One of the defining principles behind Jaysiedel Cakes has been its commitment to people.
Having experienced the uncertainty of expatriate life themselves, the founders understood the importance of stability for employees and their families.
Even during slower business periods, they chose to continue paying full salaries, recognizing that many team members depended on that income to support loved ones.
Their philosophy is simple: leadership is not only about celebrating success. It is also about standing beside people during difficult times.
For them, the company operates as more than a business. It functions as an extended family built on mutual respect and shared responsibility.
Giving Back to the Community
As the business grew, the founders also looked for ways to contribute to the wider community.
Through collaborations with Filipino organizations and community groups, they launched initiatives focused on free birthday celebrations and cake-sharing activities.
Their goal was not only to sell products but also to create moments of joy and connection.
For the founders, every cake represents something larger than a business transaction. It symbolizes celebration, hope, and togetherness.
A UAE Success Story Built on Loyalty and Belief
The story of Jaysiedel Cakes is ultimately about more than entrepreneurship.
It is a story about four friends who shared apartments, responsibilities, and dreams before sharing business success. It demonstrates how trust, loyalty, and perseverance can create opportunities that extend far beyond individual ambitions.
Their journey reflects the experience of many expatriates who arrive in the UAE seeking better opportunities and discover something even more meaningful along the way.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, their message remains simple: start where you are, stay committed, and trust the process. Success rarely arrives overnight, but with patience, consistency, and belief in one another, even the smallest beginnings can grow into something extraordinary.
Source: Gulf News
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From left to right: Jay Esqueta, Chrissie Asuncion, and Delia Rubios
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