With a brand inspired by the words of his mother, Vlad Muresan, the manager of “Un dulce”, set this business in motion two years ago in Cluj-Napoca. A sommelier and a passionate cook, Vlad discovered his love for making desserts when he took part in Masterchef in 2013. Today, Un dulce means a production kitchen and patisserie, 8,000 cakes every week, a team of 11 and a turnover of 100,000 euros.

Vlad Muresan is one of the entrepreneurs featured in the visuals for BT’s current campaign, “Romania, 470,000 SMEs strong”.

Let’s hear his story!

In HoReCa since 15. As a child, his mother’s “food processor”

“I’ve been working in HoReCa since I was 15, back in high school, so this field has been familiar for many years. It’s not something I discovered recently. Many people choose to start businesses in this area because it’s trendy, whether restaurants, bistros or coffee shops. Often, ventures like these appear without a deep understanding of what happens behind the scenes. So I’m not surprised when such businesses disappear. As far as I’m concerned, HoReCa is the field that suits me best, where I feel at home and that gives me the chance to grow personally. To be at home in this world you have to be dynamic, flexible and creative. Fortunately, my passion for HoReCa has also become a family business,” Vlad Muresan told us.

His passion for gastronomy was born much earlier, in childhood, when he was six. “In our home kitchen, I was my mother’s food processor,” Vlad added.

Taking part in Masterchef, “a milestone that helped me get better”

Vlad told us about the Masterchef moment, which since 2013 has whetted his appetite for desserts: “Looking back, taking part in Masterchef was more a mix of ambition and curiosity than a plan to make a name for myself in business. At the time I didn’t realise the consequences of taking part in that contest, positive or negative. What’s certain is that it was a milestone for me, in the best sense, that pushed me to move forward, to get better, more measured and more aware of every decision I made.” More than that, the competition helped him discover his passion for making desserts: “it suits me and I can learn every day. Because for me ‘dessert’ isn’t called dessert, it’s UN DULCE, as my mother used to say when we were kids,” Vlad says.

Vlad chose entrepreneurship right after Masterchef, and here’s why: “That was when I understood that either I started a business on my own then, or I’d stand still. I wanted to make the most of the springboard Masterchef offered at that moment, and I took a risk. I knew there would be no turning back, and I stand by that decision every day.” The business now has 11 employees, and turnover has grown from 10,000 euros a year initially to 100,000 euros a year in 2016. As for the market, Vlad told us that this is actually the biggest challenge: “We have to face a market that’s still immature and we’re forced to navigate waters that are rarely calm—sometimes with big waves, sometimes with small ones. There are rules you sometimes apply and sometimes don’t. You have to understand a market whose rules aren’t yet embedded, and often you try to play by intuition.”

“I test combinations of flavours, tastes and textures. Inspiration can come from anywhere”

Vlad Muresan’s cakes are built on combinations of flavours, tastes and textures: “Inspiration can come from anything and anywhere, but in general it has to be unforgettable—something that stays with you, whether in taste memory or in your personal story. One of our most loved cakes is named after my daughter and was created especially for her, with everything she means to me in mind. That was a very special inspiration, but generally inspiration comes from the many gastronomic trips we take to explore new cakes and the latest concepts. Family holidays don’t smell of sea and sand, they smell of European patisseries! Un Dulce means perseverance, consistency and creativity to us.”

Un dulce pays the utmost attention to ingredients, and 40% of its products are raw vegan. The cakes are therefore made, “with great care for health, as natural as possible, without artificial colourants, precisely so I can capture in one sweet the full aroma, subtlety and colour that only natural ingredients can offer. Because it’s uplifting to see an open smile on people’s faces as they taste something that came from my hands,” Vlad told us.

“We are the Un Dulce customer”

On customers, Vlad told us: “We are the Un Dulce customer. They ask, they know what they’re asking for, they know why they’re asking, and they stay loyal if you don’t disappoint them. They look for quality—not only in products, but also in services—from the way you’re greeted to the music you listen to while enjoying a coffee alongside a cake where you can taste Belgian chocolate of the finest quality.”

Banca Transilvania & Un Dulce: “BT stood out and we ended up working with it exclusively”

On working with Banca Transilvania, Vlad believes that “BT set itself apart from other services of this kind. In the end, we came to work exclusively with Banca Transilvania thanks to fast, efficient services, good advice and the smoothness of all transactions. It helped me win back time, which is extremely precious for the business. Not least, a huge positive effect for our customers was the bank’s decision to include me in the visuals for the campaign Romania – 470,000 SMEs strong, representing entrepreneurs. We received a great deal of appreciation because of this, and for ‘Un Dulce’ it was an excellent way to raise awareness. So, thank you for the support!”

3 sweet tips for those who want to start a business

For those just starting out in entrepreneurship, Vlad Muresan has the following advice:

• You probably have entrepreneur friends. Talk to them about what it really means to start a business so you can set realistic expectations. 
• It’s a pity that a big part of the enthusiasm you have when you launch a business disappears when you find yourself in front of a pile of rules, procedures, paperwork, permits, etc. Overwhelmed by bureaucracy, many entrepreneurs with excellent ideas give up. Don’t give up!
• Starting a business isn’t just about having a more or less brilliant idea. Not even about finding the perfect location or design. There are many hidden aspects that crop up along the way and can disarm you. Don’t be disarmed!