Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Shica.
Founder of Dr. Shica’s Bakery, and the conversation centers around her inspiring journey from educator to successful entrepreneur in the plant-based dessert industry.
Key Highlights from the Transcript:
- Origin Story: Dr. Shica began baking seriously after losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic. Encouraged by a marketing director, she launched her bakery business.
- Why Vegan?: She chose to make vegan cookies to cater to people with dietary restrictions (e.g., lactose intolerance, dairy allergies) and to offer a healthier, inclusive dessert option.
- Celebrity Support: Her cookies gained popularity in L.A., attracting celebrity clients like Doug Allen (creator of Entourage) and Teri Weinberg (producer of The Office), and even making a birthday cake for Jessica Simpson.
- Product Line: Includes chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, lemon, confetti sugar cookies, and cookie dough mixes. She emphasizes premium ingredients and a unique signature flavor.
- Expansion: Her products are launching in over 4,100 stores including HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls across the U.S. and Canada.
- International Recognition: Selected to speak at the largest snacks and sweets show in Dubai and participate in Canada’s minority supplier program.
- Vision: Aspires to be the “Betty Crocker or Nabisco of plant-based cookies,” with a legacy brand featuring her face as the logo.
- Advice: Her secret to success is staying “prayed up” and working hard, especially as a minority female entrepreneur.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi. I am Rashan McDonald, a host of weekly Money
Making Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this
show provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading
other people's success stories and start living your own. If
you want to be a guest on my show, please
visit our website, Moneymakingconversations dot com and click the be
a Guest button. Chris submit and information will come directly
(00:23):
to me. Now let's get this show started. Please welcome
to Money Making Conversation master Class. So she can tell
her her story how they all started, doctor Shika. How
are you doing, doctor Sheika?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I am doing great. Rashauran, how are you a vegan cookie? Yes,
a vegan cookie.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
How did that idea start?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh my gosh, okay, so the idea of a vegan
cookie we started right at twenty twenty after the pandemic.
I was an educator. I was in the field of
education education management, and I always been baking on the side,
baking on the weekends and bacons since I was a
teenager in the South to be uh. But when I
(01:07):
lost my job the company closed as a result of COVID,
and the marketing director she was like, you know what
you as a little go ahead and start your bakery at.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
This time, So basically you were working a normal job,
just like everybody, forty hours a week. Yes, they had
no aspirations of a cookie business.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No, I didn't really think I had it in me.
You know what I'm saying. I never really thought that
that was something I could do.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Wow. And so but why vegan? You know, like I said,
I've teached your cookies. They tached. I have to say, fantastic.
And with that being said, and I'm not a vegan guy,
and so you know, someone tell you when I say
I'm not a vegan guy, I don't know what that means.
All I know is I like things are the good.
I like good desserts. This dessert hit a home run
(01:57):
with me. Now, with that being said, there are a
lot of cookies out there you could have made that
are non vegan. Why did you choose vegan?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay? So we wanted to make a cookie that is
delicious and flavorful for everybody to enjoy, right, Okay, So
I know that there are people out there with dairyology.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
You.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Some people have latose intolerance, some people don't want the cholesterol,
some people are looking for. You know, we're in the
age of everybody want something different. But what I do
what I do know is that people want something delicious
and flavorful, and we wanted to be able to have
something that everybody enjoyed. So that's why we came out
with the plant based cookies.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Now there's it's called Doctor Shika's Bakery. That's the name
of the brain correct. Now, I would like hearing backstory
on people because, like I said, and we're going to
get to how it all got launched, because I'm sure
there's more to this joy story. But where are you
originally from?
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I'm originally from Easily, South Carolina. Many people have not
heard about it.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I'm about to say, I've been all those South Carolina
I've never been there. Okay, maybe drove past it real fast,
but I've never stopped.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yes, you've never been there. So Easily. It is like
in between Greenville and Clemson and so if you've ever
heard of the Clinton Tigers and that's yeah, so it's
in between in between. It's a small city in between those.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And then you made your way to Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yes, I made my way to Atlanta. Lived there in
Atlanta for about eight years and then I always had
this dream of moving to LA always had a dream
of moving to LA. Ended up taking a teaching position.
I taught college and Phoenut Arizona. Did that while I
was finishing my doctorate. I was finishing my PhD. And
(03:43):
then I had an opportunity to move out to LA
and I was like, Okay, this is my time to
actually move to LA.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Now here's the fun part because I do know a
little little about her story. Now she's been laid off,
no aspirations of starting a cookie business. So basically she's
doing the Rock and Hart place. What's your next dream?
You know, Entrepreneurship wasn't a plan. And I always like
to tell people all dreams are all plans aren't always plan.
(04:13):
Sometimes that happened when when you see it happening, you
got to realize that moment. Tell us what happened in
Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Okay, So in Los Angeles again, I was doing an
education job. Here got laid off. Marketing director said go
for it. I started doing pop ups around LA and
so I started having a celebrity clientele. So I had
some people, really interesting people that came out, like the
creator of the show entourage. Doug Ellen, he was one
(04:42):
of my biggest cheerleaders and still is today, and that's
one of my favorite shows. For him to come by
one of our pop ups and actually taste our cookies
and brownies and give it a check off, you know,
that was a big thing to me, right and so
from there, you know, he told Terry Weinberg. She was
a producer of the TV The Office, which is another
favorite show of mine. I've even even got all the
(05:05):
way around to making birthday cake for Jessica Simpson and
delivering it at her house. These are things I never
thought that I would do because my my initial goal
was not to have a bakery. I was an educator.
I have three degrees in education. I have a bachelor's,
a master's, and a PhD. And so that was my
career path that God said otherwise.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
But I love the fact that you're gonna say, look,
I'm still gonna keep doctor in my name here. I
may not be using it academically, I might not have
been losing that a job, but it's gonna be doctor
KU's bakery.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Okay, Yes, yes, I earned it. I went to school
for seventeen years to get that degree and you know,
being able to still educate people on having a better
for you option. You know, I'm still educating people, you know,
So I'm bringing that education to the phil of cookies.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Now, let's let's talk about the different brands, because you
know you you out there pop up and now I
see you have a chocolate chip or oat meal raisin,
a lemon and a confetti sugar. Did you have that
back when you started with your pop up?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
No? I didn't. And this is so funny because again,
I always baked in the South, started from when I
was with my mother and grand grandmother, and I didn't
always have all these recipes like my family's known for
making great red belt a cake, you know what I'm saying,
and making delicious chocolate cake, pound cakes, things like that.
But honestly, the time where people would come and ask me, hey,
(06:36):
you know, word got around. Can you make me this?
Can you make me that? You would never believe some
of the things that I made the first time back
then I had never made before, I ever made before,
and so it was like a learning experience. And one
thing that I do know is I pourt my heart
and soul into everything that I make. And so you know,
if it wasn't perfect, I would make it again. It
(06:58):
wasn't if it wasn't to my satisfashion, I would make
it again. So my goal was to make sure that
someone would say, you know what, this is the best
cookie I ever had, the best brownie ever had. And
I really still stands on that principle today.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
But now let's talk about developing the different flavors. So
when the person from the office came by, the person
from the series Entourage came by, what cookies or what
desserts were they eating that they were, you know, just
appraising you for your desserts.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Okay, So they love the chocolate chip cookies, they love
the oatmeal, they love the linen cookies, and they love
our brownies. But they really loved the wholesomeness of everything
that I bake because I use premium ingredients. And actually,
we have a signature flavor. We have our own flavor
line that's actually built into every product that we made.
(07:51):
So if it has a unique taste, then you won't
find that anywhere else because it's our our unique flavor.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Now, so you have chocolate chip, oatmeal, raisin over raisin
on the way, I separating it because it's what if
over raising is one of my favorite cookies lemon and
in confetti sugar. Then you also have cookie dough mixed,
so one can buy the cookie as is or you
can make the cookie. Why was that part of the plan?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Okay, so you know how one thing always leads to another.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
No, I don't do I don't doctor sheef. I'm interviewing you. Okay, Please,
I'm very naive about this whole development, so please explain
it to me and the audience.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Okay. So after we were doing the pop up, so
we had an opportunity where we can open up a
small kiosk get one of the malls here in La
So we took that opportunity. We did a small kiosk
get the mall for like a year and a half
and it was great because it was a great testing ground.
People would come by try the product, we would get
the feedback, and of course I couldn't be there like
(08:57):
like all the time, but I wanted to make sure
that I hired bakers that could make the desserts like
I could, So in order to have the consistency, I
started making these cookie mixes and putting them in the
bag so the person would only have to add the
dry the wet ingredients. They would only have to add
the butter in the water. And eventually I started thinking.
(09:18):
I was like, you know what, I'm really making cookie mix.
I should be putting this in the bag to sell
this as well. So that's how that came about, because
we would have customers at them all. They would come
by and say, oh, I love this, but I wish
I could ship something to my sister in Brooklyn, or
I wish my relative in North Carolina could have some
(09:39):
of these cookies. So I started thinking more about it,
and I was like, you know what, the cookie mix
is the answer. You know, we can ship that anywhere.
They can just add their own butter and water. It's
super easy to make.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
So it's one stick of vegan butter, right, it's one
stick of salt vegan butter, and it's two tablespoons of
warm water.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
That's it, Yes, exactly, Yeah, that's it. That's it, And
it tastes just like we would make it.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
And I think that's the key in this conversation with you,
doctor Shika, is that people unknowingly in their compliments inspired
you to get to this point here because you didn't know,
you just was doing something that you would talent it at,
but when when the moment arised, you didn't hesitate to deliver.
Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yes, that is correct. That is correct. And honestly, like
I told you, I came from a family of bakers.
But just to be honest with you, Rishan, even when
I lived in Atlanta, I didn't even know where I
really had the talent of baking, you know what I mean.
I always baked cookies with my daughters, and you know,
baked for a family, you know, for family gatherings and
(10:46):
things like that. But I didn't know that I had
this hidden talent until I was laid off from my
job and I had to make a move. At that point,
I was like, you know what I gotta make. I
gotta do.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Something right right and doing that and so when I
see I'm just going down this resume of things because
you've got to launch these cookies. Now, let's talk about
that launch, you know, because you're going to be in
over forty one hundred stores. I mentioned some of the
brand's home goods TJ Max Marshalls throughout the US and Canada.
What is a launch? What exactly do you have to
(11:18):
do because a lot of people need to realize that
just because stores have your product, you still have a
lot of work to do. Tell us about the process.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Oh oh yes, absolutely, So these cookies of shits about
two and a half weeks ago and right now we're
like going into the stores. And you know, every day
I'm going into a store. Are they here yet? Are
they here yet? Are they here yet? And they should
be there any day now. But the thing is, as
an entrepreneur and having a business like this, you can't
(11:49):
wait to start marketing when a product gets on the shelf.
Your marketing efforts need to start way before that product
gets to the store. And so that's one tidbit that
I can get to people. You know, when you have
a product that's going on the shelves, you want to
make sure that it flies off the shelf.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
And that's important because of the fact that and you
don't you know, and that's what you're doing right now.
You're sin Rashwan As I do this interview right now.
My product may not be where somebody's hearing it, but
they need to know going and ask for it, go
and say, hey, I heard about the doctor Sheikh's Bakery
it's coming here. Cookies are coming here. Do you have them?
Because that's what you want, right, You want people to
(12:30):
want your cookies. You want people to ask for your cookies.
And then when it gets there, somehow they get moved
to the front a little quicker because people know because
these stories that she's mentioned are in the business of
making money. Ladies and gentlemen, they want whatever they put
on that shelf to get sold. Now, if people are
coming and asking for the cookie, then guess what, they
get excited and they want to make sure next time
(12:53):
you come in and ask, you find it. And so
that's what this is all about.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Correct, correct, yep, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
Money Making Conversations master Class. Welcome back to the Money
Making Conversations master Class, hosted by Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Now, let's talk about the road show. What exactly is that?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Basically, what a road show is like a demonstration. It's
almost like whenever you're walking around and you you're tasting
everything new. Yeah, it's a fun part of if where
you get full. You walk around, you get full and
you're like, hey, I don't even need to eat dinner.
Anymore because I'm full.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the road show. Oh yes, she's
had to stop me. Chevelte. You know you're not gonna
buy that? Well the offriend. Can I just try it? Okay,
so just taste it? And so so now this is
the thing that really got me excited about you. Are
you elected to be a speaker at the largest snacks
(14:01):
and sweet show in the Middle East called ism And
that's Dubai.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yes, that is in Dubai. Now, I kid you not.
I did not even have a pass for it. I
did not even have a pass for it. But because
I'm a dreamer, like you've introduced me, I'm a dreamer.
The first and foremost, I was like, you know, let
me go ahead and get this passport because I'm going
to prepare myself for the doors that the Lord is
about to open up for me. Now, also keep in mind,
(14:32):
Dubai is like a place I've always wanted to go.
But when I got that email that said, hey, we
would like for you to be an expert speaker on
our not even a panel, They're giving me the floor
to speak for thirty minutes based on green snacking, based
on you know, a plant based approach. I'll have the
(14:52):
stage for that long of a time to be able
to talk about what I've been crafting here, delicious flavorful
plant based dessert.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
All right, look at guys, I'll tell you some My
mouth is dropped open because that is like, you just
can't buy that. That is awesome. You don't know how
you would submitted, You don't know how they contacted, but
the opportunity is going to be made available for you
to present your caddo now internationally.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yes, internationally. So they're gonna have thirty thousand buyers from
fifty different countries at the show. So that tells you
the magnitude of this show.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Wow, Okay, that's one place. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm just
telling you about the dreamer here doctor Chica's Bakery Cookies
Canada Minority Program. You were selected to be part of
the trade show for the Minority Supplier program in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yes, that's in Toronto, Canada.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Again, what you want to do to me is like
mm no, no, this is amazing stuff you just said
to buy now ye in Canada and you just and
you're just the cookie lady.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Yes, I'm the cookie lady. Yes, And there are very
few brands that are plant based, but there are a
lot of people in Canada that are plant based, and
so they have an initiative to bring as many products,
even if they have to import them into the country.
And we were selected for this program, and being a
minority female, Oh my gosh, that really just floored me
(16:24):
to be a part of this program in general to
bring more plant based products to Canada.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
And so when you go there with your product, you
told about the number of buyers that are going to
be in the buy potentially internationally. What is the Canada
Minority program. What are you what are you presenting to them?
And who's going to see your product?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Okay, so we have appointments. They already have appointments set
up with buyers that are already ready for our products.
They're already ready. They're going to be closing deals in Canada.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Congratulations, you know, just an idea. You didn't think he
was a cook. I just got to keep rehashing your
story got laid off COVID, one of the most one
of the darkest moments in the history of this country.
And then you just start doing pop ups in la
and when somebody asked you to do something you didn't hesitate.
If you if you didn't do it right, you learn
(17:17):
how to do it. If that cake didn't taste good,
you threw it in the trash. You was not going
to deliver a cake that didn't taste good. And now
some major corporations speaking, let's talk about.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
That Kellogg's, Yes, Mars Yes.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
On the green snacking. Now this is a young lady,
ladies and gentlemen. Doctor Shika didn't even have a passport.
And I'm not saying that as a putdown. I'm just
saying that it can all. It can happen for anyone
who's listening to this show if they believe it, if
they don't let nay say us step in the way
up their opportunities, don't let negative moments say this is it.
(18:00):
I'm going back to whatever I was supposed to do.
This is not going to work. And now you are
being presented to you. So what's what's the endgame for this?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
My goal really is to be like the Betty Crocker
or the Nabisco of plant based cookies. So whenever you
walk into your grocery store, whether you're looking for a
cookie mix, brownie mix, cake mix, you're looking for cookies,
ready to eat. Whatever you're looking for, We're able to
provide that. But to also be able to have my
face is the logo on the product, you know, for
(18:30):
my kids and grandkids legacy. I mean, that's that's my goal,
as well as to be able to give back to
the community.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
I've interviewed a lot of people on this show, and
you know, everybody has a dream. I have a dream.
And this show is about money making conversation master class
and people tell their secrets to success. And if you
have to see your secrets is to success, what would
you say it is?
Speaker 2 (18:54):
I'm gonna say, stay preyed up. That's what that's that's
the most important. Like before I start my day, when
I sit in my chair in front of this computer,
I'm like, Jesus, take the wheel, because like you're you're
challenged throughout the day. You're working with fenders, you're working
with retailers, you're working with buyers, you're working with so
(19:14):
many personalities, so many timelines. So you gotta have fans,
you know what I mean, Because it's not easy. It's
not an easy thing, and especially for you know Mi
Nardi female, it's even harder. It's even harder for us,
and so you know, just stay prayed up. That's the
best advice I can get.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
And then follow that up with a lot of hard work.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Okay, a lot of hard work.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Thank you for coming on much your Money Making Conversations
Masterclass and good luck. This has been another edition of
Money Making Conversation Masterclass posted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank
you to our guests on the show today and thank you.
I'll listen to your audience now. If you want to
listen to any episode I want to be a guest
on the show, Visit Moneymaking Conversations dot com on our
social media handle is money Making Conversation. Join us next
(20:04):
week and remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Mm hmm
Hi. I am Rashan McDonald, a host of weekly Money
Making Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this
show provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading
other people's success stories and start living your own. If
you want to be a guest on my show, please
visit our website, Moneymakingconversations dot com and click the be
a Guest button. Chris submit and information will come directly
(00:23):
to me. Now let's get this show started. Please welcome
to Money Making Conversation master Class. So she can tell
her her story how they all started, doctor Shika. How
are you doing, doctor Sheika?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I am doing great. Rashauran, how are you a vegan cookie? Yes,
a vegan cookie.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
How did that idea start?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh my gosh, okay, so the idea of a vegan
cookie we started right at twenty twenty after the pandemic.
I was an educator. I was in the field of
education education management, and I always been baking on the side,
baking on the weekends and bacons since I was a
teenager in the South to be uh. But when I
(01:07):
lost my job the company closed as a result of COVID,
and the marketing director she was like, you know what
you as a little go ahead and start your bakery at.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
This time, So basically you were working a normal job,
just like everybody, forty hours a week. Yes, they had
no aspirations of a cookie business.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No, I didn't really think I had it in me.
You know what I'm saying. I never really thought that
that was something I could do.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Wow. And so but why vegan? You know, like I said,
I've teached your cookies. They tached. I have to say, fantastic.
And with that being said, and I'm not a vegan guy,
and so you know, someone tell you when I say
I'm not a vegan guy, I don't know what that means.
All I know is I like things are the good.
I like good desserts. This dessert hit a home run
(01:57):
with me. Now, with that being said, there are a
lot of cookies out there you could have made that
are non vegan. Why did you choose vegan?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay? So we wanted to make a cookie that is
delicious and flavorful for everybody to enjoy, right, Okay, So
I know that there are people out there with dairyology.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
You.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Some people have latose intolerance, some people don't want the cholesterol,
some people are looking for. You know, we're in the
age of everybody want something different. But what I do
what I do know is that people want something delicious
and flavorful, and we wanted to be able to have
something that everybody enjoyed. So that's why we came out
with the plant based cookies.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Now there's it's called Doctor Shika's Bakery. That's the name
of the brain correct. Now, I would like hearing backstory
on people because, like I said, and we're going to
get to how it all got launched, because I'm sure
there's more to this joy story. But where are you
originally from?
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I'm originally from Easily, South Carolina. Many people have not
heard about it.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I'm about to say, I've been all those South Carolina
I've never been there. Okay, maybe drove past it real fast,
but I've never stopped.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yes, you've never been there. So Easily. It is like
in between Greenville and Clemson and so if you've ever
heard of the Clinton Tigers and that's yeah, so it's
in between in between. It's a small city in between those.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And then you made your way to Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yes, I made my way to Atlanta. Lived there in
Atlanta for about eight years and then I always had
this dream of moving to LA always had a dream
of moving to LA. Ended up taking a teaching position.
I taught college and Phoenut Arizona. Did that while I
was finishing my doctorate. I was finishing my PhD. And
(03:43):
then I had an opportunity to move out to LA
and I was like, Okay, this is my time to
actually move to LA.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Now here's the fun part because I do know a
little little about her story. Now she's been laid off,
no aspirations of starting a cookie business. So basically she's
doing the Rock and Hart place. What's your next dream?
You know, Entrepreneurship wasn't a plan. And I always like
to tell people all dreams are all plans aren't always plan.
(04:13):
Sometimes that happened when when you see it happening, you
got to realize that moment. Tell us what happened in
Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Okay, So in Los Angeles again, I was doing an
education job. Here got laid off. Marketing director said go
for it. I started doing pop ups around LA and
so I started having a celebrity clientele. So I had
some people, really interesting people that came out, like the
creator of the show entourage. Doug Ellen, he was one
(04:42):
of my biggest cheerleaders and still is today, and that's
one of my favorite shows. For him to come by
one of our pop ups and actually taste our cookies
and brownies and give it a check off, you know,
that was a big thing to me, right and so
from there, you know, he told Terry Weinberg. She was
a producer of the TV The Office, which is another
favorite show of mine. I've even even got all the
(05:05):
way around to making birthday cake for Jessica Simpson and
delivering it at her house. These are things I never
thought that I would do because my my initial goal
was not to have a bakery. I was an educator.
I have three degrees in education. I have a bachelor's,
a master's, and a PhD. And so that was my
career path that God said otherwise.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
But I love the fact that you're gonna say, look,
I'm still gonna keep doctor in my name here. I
may not be using it academically, I might not have
been losing that a job, but it's gonna be doctor
KU's bakery.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Okay, Yes, yes, I earned it. I went to school
for seventeen years to get that degree and you know,
being able to still educate people on having a better
for you option. You know, I'm still educating people, you know,
So I'm bringing that education to the phil of cookies.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Now, let's let's talk about the different brands, because you
know you you out there pop up and now I
see you have a chocolate chip or oat meal raisin,
a lemon and a confetti sugar. Did you have that
back when you started with your pop up?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
No? I didn't. And this is so funny because again,
I always baked in the South, started from when I
was with my mother and grand grandmother, and I didn't
always have all these recipes like my family's known for
making great red belt a cake, you know what I'm saying,
and making delicious chocolate cake, pound cakes, things like that.
But honestly, the time where people would come and ask me, hey,
(06:36):
you know, word got around. Can you make me this?
Can you make me that? You would never believe some
of the things that I made the first time back
then I had never made before, I ever made before,
and so it was like a learning experience. And one
thing that I do know is I pourt my heart
and soul into everything that I make. And so you know,
if it wasn't perfect, I would make it again. It
(06:58):
wasn't if it wasn't to my satisfashion, I would make
it again. So my goal was to make sure that
someone would say, you know what, this is the best
cookie I ever had, the best brownie ever had. And
I really still stands on that principle today.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
But now let's talk about developing the different flavors. So
when the person from the office came by, the person
from the series Entourage came by, what cookies or what
desserts were they eating that they were, you know, just
appraising you for your desserts.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Okay, So they love the chocolate chip cookies, they love
the oatmeal, they love the linen cookies, and they love
our brownies. But they really loved the wholesomeness of everything
that I bake because I use premium ingredients. And actually,
we have a signature flavor. We have our own flavor
line that's actually built into every product that we made.
(07:51):
So if it has a unique taste, then you won't
find that anywhere else because it's our our unique flavor.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Now, so you have chocolate chip, oatmeal, raisin over raisin
on the way, I separating it because it's what if
over raising is one of my favorite cookies lemon and
in confetti sugar. Then you also have cookie dough mixed,
so one can buy the cookie as is or you
can make the cookie. Why was that part of the plan?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Okay, so you know how one thing always leads to another.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
No, I don't do I don't doctor sheef. I'm interviewing you. Okay, Please,
I'm very naive about this whole development, so please explain
it to me and the audience.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Okay. So after we were doing the pop up, so
we had an opportunity where we can open up a
small kiosk get one of the malls here in La
So we took that opportunity. We did a small kiosk
get the mall for like a year and a half
and it was great because it was a great testing ground.
People would come by try the product, we would get
the feedback, and of course I couldn't be there like
(08:57):
like all the time, but I wanted to make sure
that I hired bakers that could make the desserts like
I could, So in order to have the consistency, I
started making these cookie mixes and putting them in the
bag so the person would only have to add the
dry the wet ingredients. They would only have to add
the butter in the water. And eventually I started thinking.
(09:18):
I was like, you know what, I'm really making cookie mix.
I should be putting this in the bag to sell
this as well. So that's how that came about, because
we would have customers at them all. They would come
by and say, oh, I love this, but I wish
I could ship something to my sister in Brooklyn, or
I wish my relative in North Carolina could have some
(09:39):
of these cookies. So I started thinking more about it,
and I was like, you know what, the cookie mix
is the answer. You know, we can ship that anywhere.
They can just add their own butter and water. It's
super easy to make.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
So it's one stick of vegan butter, right, it's one
stick of salt vegan butter, and it's two tablespoons of
warm water.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
That's it, Yes, exactly, Yeah, that's it. That's it, And
it tastes just like we would make it.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
And I think that's the key in this conversation with you,
doctor Shika, is that people unknowingly in their compliments inspired
you to get to this point here because you didn't know,
you just was doing something that you would talent it at,
but when when the moment arised, you didn't hesitate to deliver.
Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yes, that is correct. That is correct. And honestly, like
I told you, I came from a family of bakers.
But just to be honest with you, Rishan, even when
I lived in Atlanta, I didn't even know where I
really had the talent of baking, you know what I mean.
I always baked cookies with my daughters, and you know,
baked for a family, you know, for family gatherings and
(10:46):
things like that. But I didn't know that I had
this hidden talent until I was laid off from my
job and I had to make a move. At that point,
I was like, you know what I gotta make. I
gotta do.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Something right right and doing that and so when I
see I'm just going down this resume of things because
you've got to launch these cookies. Now, let's talk about
that launch, you know, because you're going to be in
over forty one hundred stores. I mentioned some of the
brand's home goods TJ Max Marshalls throughout the US and Canada.
What is a launch? What exactly do you have to
(11:18):
do because a lot of people need to realize that
just because stores have your product, you still have a
lot of work to do. Tell us about the process.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Oh oh yes, absolutely, So these cookies of shits about
two and a half weeks ago and right now we're
like going into the stores. And you know, every day
I'm going into a store. Are they here yet? Are
they here yet? Are they here yet? And they should
be there any day now. But the thing is, as
an entrepreneur and having a business like this, you can't
(11:49):
wait to start marketing when a product gets on the shelf.
Your marketing efforts need to start way before that product
gets to the store. And so that's one tidbit that
I can get to people. You know, when you have
a product that's going on the shelves, you want to
make sure that it flies off the shelf.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
And that's important because of the fact that and you
don't you know, and that's what you're doing right now.
You're sin Rashwan As I do this interview right now.
My product may not be where somebody's hearing it, but
they need to know going and ask for it, go
and say, hey, I heard about the doctor Sheikh's Bakery
it's coming here. Cookies are coming here. Do you have them?
Because that's what you want, right, You want people to
(12:30):
want your cookies. You want people to ask for your cookies.
And then when it gets there, somehow they get moved
to the front a little quicker because people know because
these stories that she's mentioned are in the business of
making money. Ladies and gentlemen, they want whatever they put
on that shelf to get sold. Now, if people are
coming and asking for the cookie, then guess what, they
get excited and they want to make sure next time
(12:53):
you come in and ask, you find it. And so
that's what this is all about.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Correct, correct, yep, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
Money Making Conversations master Class. Welcome back to the Money
Making Conversations master Class, hosted by Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Now, let's talk about the road show. What exactly is that?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Basically, what a road show is like a demonstration. It's
almost like whenever you're walking around and you you're tasting
everything new. Yeah, it's a fun part of if where
you get full. You walk around, you get full and
you're like, hey, I don't even need to eat dinner.
Anymore because I'm full.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, the road show. Oh yes, she's
had to stop me. Chevelte. You know you're not gonna
buy that? Well the offriend. Can I just try it? Okay,
so just taste it? And so so now this is
the thing that really got me excited about you. Are
you elected to be a speaker at the largest snacks
(14:01):
and sweet show in the Middle East called ism And
that's Dubai.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yes, that is in Dubai. Now, I kid you not.
I did not even have a pass for it. I
did not even have a pass for it. But because
I'm a dreamer, like you've introduced me, I'm a dreamer.
The first and foremost, I was like, you know, let
me go ahead and get this passport because I'm going
to prepare myself for the doors that the Lord is
about to open up for me. Now, also keep in mind,
(14:32):
Dubai is like a place I've always wanted to go.
But when I got that email that said, hey, we
would like for you to be an expert speaker on
our not even a panel, They're giving me the floor
to speak for thirty minutes based on green snacking, based
on you know, a plant based approach. I'll have the
(14:52):
stage for that long of a time to be able
to talk about what I've been crafting here, delicious flavorful
plant based dessert.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
All right, look at guys, I'll tell you some My
mouth is dropped open because that is like, you just
can't buy that. That is awesome. You don't know how
you would submitted, You don't know how they contacted, but
the opportunity is going to be made available for you
to present your caddo now internationally.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yes, internationally. So they're gonna have thirty thousand buyers from
fifty different countries at the show. So that tells you
the magnitude of this show.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Wow, Okay, that's one place. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm just
telling you about the dreamer here doctor Chica's Bakery Cookies
Canada Minority Program. You were selected to be part of
the trade show for the Minority Supplier program in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yes, that's in Toronto, Canada.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Again, what you want to do to me is like
mm no, no, this is amazing stuff you just said
to buy now ye in Canada and you just and
you're just the cookie lady.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Yes, I'm the cookie lady. Yes, And there are very
few brands that are plant based, but there are a
lot of people in Canada that are plant based, and
so they have an initiative to bring as many products,
even if they have to import them into the country.
And we were selected for this program, and being a
minority female, Oh my gosh, that really just floored me
(16:24):
to be a part of this program in general to
bring more plant based products to Canada.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
And so when you go there with your product, you
told about the number of buyers that are going to
be in the buy potentially internationally. What is the Canada
Minority program. What are you what are you presenting to them?
And who's going to see your product?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Okay, so we have appointments. They already have appointments set
up with buyers that are already ready for our products.
They're already ready. They're going to be closing deals in Canada.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Congratulations, you know, just an idea. You didn't think he
was a cook. I just got to keep rehashing your
story got laid off COVID, one of the most one
of the darkest moments in the history of this country.
And then you just start doing pop ups in la
and when somebody asked you to do something you didn't hesitate.
If you if you didn't do it right, you learn
(17:17):
how to do it. If that cake didn't taste good,
you threw it in the trash. You was not going
to deliver a cake that didn't taste good. And now
some major corporations speaking, let's talk about.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
That Kellogg's, Yes, Mars Yes.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
On the green snacking. Now this is a young lady,
ladies and gentlemen. Doctor Shika didn't even have a passport.
And I'm not saying that as a putdown. I'm just
saying that it can all. It can happen for anyone
who's listening to this show if they believe it, if
they don't let nay say us step in the way
up their opportunities, don't let negative moments say this is it.
(18:00):
I'm going back to whatever I was supposed to do.
This is not going to work. And now you are
being presented to you. So what's what's the endgame for this?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
My goal really is to be like the Betty Crocker
or the Nabisco of plant based cookies. So whenever you
walk into your grocery store, whether you're looking for a
cookie mix, brownie mix, cake mix, you're looking for cookies,
ready to eat. Whatever you're looking for, We're able to
provide that. But to also be able to have my
face is the logo on the product, you know, for
(18:30):
my kids and grandkids legacy. I mean, that's that's my goal,
as well as to be able to give back to
the community.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
I've interviewed a lot of people on this show, and
you know, everybody has a dream. I have a dream.
And this show is about money making conversation master class
and people tell their secrets to success. And if you
have to see your secrets is to success, what would
you say it is?
Speaker 2 (18:54):
I'm gonna say, stay preyed up. That's what that's that's
the most important. Like before I start my day, when
I sit in my chair in front of this computer,
I'm like, Jesus, take the wheel, because like you're you're
challenged throughout the day. You're working with fenders, you're working
with retailers, you're working with buyers, you're working with so
(19:14):
many personalities, so many timelines. So you gotta have fans,
you know what I mean, Because it's not easy. It's
not an easy thing, and especially for you know Mi
Nardi female, it's even harder. It's even harder for us,
and so you know, just stay prayed up. That's the
best advice I can get.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
And then follow that up with a lot of hard work.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Okay, a lot of hard work.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Thank you for coming on much your Money Making Conversations
Masterclass and good luck. This has been another edition of
Money Making Conversation Masterclass posted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank
you to our guests on the show today and thank you.
I'll listen to your audience now. If you want to
listen to any episode I want to be a guest
on the show, Visit Moneymaking Conversations dot com on our
social media handle is money Making Conversation. Join us next
(20:04):
week and remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Mm hmm
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Thomas "Nephew Tommy" Miles
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Kier "Junior" Spates
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