In the last five years, Samantha White has made over 15,000 cakes in a jar in the kitchen of her Conder home.
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The idea for cakes in jars was inspired by an article Ms White read on how fruit cakes in jars were sent over to soldiers on the frontline in WWII.
Today her company sells 70 cakes a week and this number increases during holiday seasons such as Mother's Day and Easter. She caters for events such as weddings and birthdays, but said that she enjoys making her cakes for everyone.
Ms White is one of five finalists pitching for a major funding boost for her business at an event on Friday night in Canberra.
Five entrepreneurs will pitch their business ideas to a live audience and expert judging panel at the Australia Post Regional Pitchfest final at the National Convention Centre. The aim of Pitchfest is to unearth the next big idea to come out of regional and rural Australia.
One winner will be selected to compete in the national final to be held in Wagga Wagga in August. Around $100,000 in prizes in up for grabs.
Ms White said her pitch will be focused on broadening her market nation-wide. She said it had been five years since she launched her business, and she is now looking to grow her customer base.
The $100,000 cash prize would be used to build her business an e-commerce website, and to launch a formal social media marketing strategy.
"I made some cakes in a jar for my mum to take to work as a Christmas present in 2012, then people were asking where they could get some," Ms White said.
Within five minutes, she had started a Facebook page and within three days was inundated with orders for Christmas.
In naming her business, she was inspired by Mary Poppins, recalling a scene from the 1965 movie where Mary "measures herself and says 'I'm practically perfect in every way'."
At 200 grams, Ms White's cakes are also "practically perfect".
Ms White said while she nervous about her pitch, she was excited that her business could finally get the boost it needed to cater to a national market. She will be up against Canberra businesses Wildlife Drones, Career Maps, GG's Flowers and OzGuild.
Australia Post Regional Pitchfest final, 6.30pm, Friday June 16, Menzies Theatrette, National Convention Centre. Free. Open to the public.
