If you’ve ever dreamed of leaving the graveyard shift for something that smelled more like warm bread than cold cubicles, Marie Grace Parazo did it—and then some. A former BPO employee, she swapped routers and customer complaints for butter and sugar, turning her leap of faith into The Bailiwick Academy, the country’s first and largest online school dedicated to baking and cooking.
Started in 2017 with nothing but savings, guts, and a pregnancy that made her rethink her priorities, Grace’s venture is now home to over 30 instructors (including some from Australia) and more than 6,000 students worldwide. What began as a side hustle of cakes for co-parents has grown into a global classroom for breadwinners, moms, and OFWs.
So, what can Filipino parents learn from her story? Plenty. Especially if you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to turn your whisk into a lifeline.
Baking Dreams Into Business
Source: The Bailiwick Academy – YouTube
When asked what makes The Bailiwick Academy different from every other cooking video online, Grace doesn’t hesitate. “The Bailiwick Academy offers food business opportunities for breadwinners, moms, and OFWs. We help them how to bake and cook and then eventually turn it into a business. What makes it different is that we don’t just teach the recipes but also the business behind it.”
And unlike those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it webinars, Bailiwick’s courses are pre-recorded. “Our classes are on demand. So you can take it anytime, anywhere basta meron ka internet connection.” That flexibility, paired with optional face-to-face training in Paranaque, Pasig, and Quezon City, makes it a hybrid experience built for Filipino families juggling a thousand other things.
From Cheesecake to CEO
Source: Marie Grace Parazo
Grace didn’t exactly grow up with flour on her hands. “Medyo late bloomer ako sa pagdating sa baking. Nag-start lang rin yun sa pagkahilig namin sa pagkain nung husband ko and then started to look for ways on how to earn then. Kaya napili namin ‘yung baking.”
It was family—and finances—that pushed her further. “Every year, kailangan mong maghanda ng cake para sa anak mo. Medyo expensive for me kung lagi akong order. Kaya doon din nag-start yung pagkahilig ko sa pag-bake. Kasi I have to provide for my daughter.”
Source: Marie Grace Parazo
From cheesecakes to customized cakes, Grace learned by doing—and sometimes by baking in less-than-ideal conditions. “Nung dati sa bedroom ako gumagawa… kasi lalo na kapag maulan, kapag gumagawa ka ng customized cakes na naka-fondant, madali siyang malulusaw. Parang siya umiiyak kapag umuulan.”
Who needs a state-of-the-art kitchen when determination can fit on a bedside table?
The Toughest Batch
Leaving her BPO job wasn’t just about baking cupcakes. It meant betting their life savings on a brand-new idea while raising kids. “During that time, isa pa lang ‘yung anak ko, ‘yung daughter ko and then buntis ako that time. So ‘yung pregnancy ko, it was very difficult for me. Medyo scary yung time na yun nung nag-decide kami na mag-jump dito sa business namin.”
Finding instructors was her first hurdle. “Bakit ba sila magtitiwala sa akin? Eh sino ba naman ako?” Grace remembers cold-messaging chefs who brushed her off. Add in sales and marketing—two skills she admits she didn’t have—and the early years were messy.
Editing, too, almost derailed everything. “Meron ng video na shoot na namin pero antagal bago nabigay sa akin ‘yung final output. So we have to learn how to edit ‘yung videos then. So tiniyaga namin ‘yun mag-asawa… gamit lang namin ‘yung isang laptop namin.”
But the result? A 2018 launch that has now inspired thousands of students across the globe.
Baking Lessons That Go Beyond the Oven
Source: Marie Grace Parazo
For Grace, baking has never been just about food. It’s a metaphor for life itself. “Patience. Having patience. ‘Yun, importante ‘yun. At saka ‘yung planning… ‘Yun, kailangan mo rin yun in your everyday life. It may not work for you right now pero in time, as you go along, makakarating ka rin sa mga pupuntahan.”
One former caregiver from Ireland proves her point. After enrolling in Bailiwick’s artisan bread class in 2020, she’s now supplying baked goods to stores in her community—while having more time for her kids. “Super thankful sila na natulungan namin sila,” Grace says. These stories keep her pushing, even on days when the dough doesn’t rise.
Baking While Parenting
As her two kids grew—now 17 and 9—Grace has had to juggle being mom and mentor. “When they know naman na kapag once na nandoon ako sa desk ko, office desk, they know na I cannot be disturbed. Pero I also make sure na I have time for my family and for work. It’s more of managing myself.”
Her husband handles the bread (and prefers cooking), while the kids? Let’s just say they’re happy to eat. “Yung sa 9-year-old ko, siguro may pag-asa pa… pero bata pa naman, so may pag-asa pa.”
And when the kitchen closes, the family bonds over video games and Netflix marathons. Because balance isn’t found, it’s made.
Why Parents Should Take a Risk—And Maybe a Whisk
Source: Marie Grace Parazo
Grace knows not everyone is ready to leave the comfort zone. But if there’s one thing she’s sure of, it’s this: “Ako talaga kung gusto ninyo talaga yung ginagawa ninyo, just go for it. Huwag na kayong magdalawang isip kasi there’s really no perfect timing talaga. Malalaman mo lang na kaya mo kapag na-try mo na.”
She named her school Bailiwick for a reason. “Bailiwick means expertise. And that’s what we do. We invite experts in the industry to teach in our platform.”
And that expertise? It’s not just about baking bread. It’s about making life rise.
What’s in the Oven for You
Marie Grace Parazo’s story isn’t just about trading night shifts for aprons. It’s a reminder that baking, like parenting, takes patience, risk, and the willingness to get messy before you get it right.
So if you’re a parent wondering if it’s too late to chase your own recipe for success, Grace’s journey is proof that sometimes, the best way to move forward is to preheat the oven and take the leap.
Because in the end, the sweetest victories aren’t just eaten. They’re shared.
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