(From left) Joanne Chua, 25, and Eunice Leow, 23

More than two years ago, in the midst of scooping ice-cream and serving customers at a local ice-cream parlour, two friends made a pact – a Pancake Pact, to be precise – to open their own café one day and serve their favourite dish, pancakes.

Barely one year after they decided to commit to fulfilling the pact in early 2010, Strictly Pancakes was born.

The young duo, Joanne Chua, 25, and Eunice Leow, 23, couldn’t be happier.

“Working in the F&B line can be physically and mentally exhausting, but when we see the physical shop, it is an amazing feeling,” said Joanne, who spent two years in the banking sector prior to Strictly Pancakes. “It’s something tangible to show what you’ve been working so hard for.”

When asked to provide tips for other aspiring entrepreneurs, fresh graduate Eunice stressed that patience is a must-have.

“You have to be patient, especially when it comes to dealing with your staff,” she said. “You also need to know how to manage stress during peak periods, and to be prepared to work long hours, including weekends.”

For two girls so young, surely they have a mentor to guide them along the way, right?

“Sure we do, his name is Google,” joked Eunice.

The experiences they shared during a cosy media session organised by Lenovo also highlighted the effectiveness of new technologies in brand marketing today.

According to Joanne and Eunice, social media tools, such as Facebook and Twitter, have been particularly useful – even more so than distributing flyers.

“March 1 was International Pancake Day this year, and we broadcast our special offers and promotions via Facebook and Twitter. It really helped to propel our business that day,” recounted Eunice.

Strictly Pancakes is located on 44A Prinsep Street. For more information, visit www.strictlypancakes.com.sg.