February 26, 2025 • 17 mins
In this engaging episode, we delve into the inspiring journey of Caroline Merryman, the creative force behind Caroline's Cookies. What began as a delightful pastime during the pandemic has flourished into a successful cookie business with multiple locations, capturing the hearts of cookie lovers everywhere. Caroline shares how she transformed her passion for baking into a bustling brand, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship with innovation and creativity.
From her initial cookie deliveries to friends during lockdown to launching her storefront, Caroline's story is a testament to resilience and adaptability. Listeners will gain valuable insights into building a brand, managing growth, and maintaining a passion for one's craft. Additionally, Caroline discusses her evolving cookie flavors, each inspired by her culinary creativity and the support of her community.
Discover the joys and realities of entrepreneurship in the food industry as Caroline offers practical advice for aspiring bakers and business owners alike. If you’ve ever dreamed of turning a hobby into a thriving business, this episode is a must-listen! Join us, and don’t forget to check out Caroline’s Cookies for a taste of her delightful creations. Please share your thoughts with us and remember to subscribe for more inspiring stories!
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Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that focuses on how to use the money you have, make the money you need and save the money you want – brought to you by Neighbors Federal Credit Union.
The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that
focuses on how to use the moneyyou have, make the money you
need and save the money you want.
Now here is your host, ms KimChapman.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome back to Money Matters.
I'm Kim Chapman, your host, andwe're just going to go ahead
and jump into it because, guesswhat, Today we have a very
special guest.
Anybody like cookies out there?
I know I do, whether it's forbreakfast, lunch or dinner.
And so today we have CarolynMerriman with us.
She is the owner of Caroline'sCookies.
(00:35):
If you haven't heard about her,then sit back, because you're
going to want to learn all abouther cookies and how she's
become an overnight sensation.
A local entrepreneur Welcome,Caroline.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'm excited.
I mean cookies everybody'sfavorite Right and I mean it's
after the holidays and I knowthat we've got king cake on our
mind, but cookies are just alittle bit better.
I love a good cookie.
So I read a little bit aboutyour story and it told me that
you got this idea back duringCOVID because you were sitting
(01:09):
at the house with nothing to do.
So tell us about your journey.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
So I had just graduated high school in 2020,
which is an interesting year tograduate high school and I had a
lot of free time on my handsduring the pandemic, when we
were shut down, and I had alwaysenjoyed baking.
It was my thing.
I wasn't athletic or anythinglike that, so my hobby was
baking and during that free timeI started baking like crazy and
I was delivering cookiesspecifically to my friends and
(01:35):
putting it in their mailbox,because I knew I couldn't put,
like, a cupcake or a cake in themailbox, especially in
Louisiana heat, and I loved howdiverse the cookies were.
You could do anything withcookies really Well.
I ended up starting anInstagram for fun and that's
where the creation of Caroline'sCookies was, and it was really
just a hobby and a passion.
I had no plans to make it intoa business, especially not the
(01:56):
business that it is today.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
That's really, really cool, and especially when you
talk about during a pandemic,when people were bored they
didn't have anything to do, andI did hear a lot of stories that
people started businesses somany.
So even before that did itstart with an Easy-Bake oven?
I mean, where did you evenlearn to bake?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
That's funny because nobody's ever asked me that and
I did have an Easy-Bake oven.
The stuff didn't taste good butit was fun and I had.
Nobody in my family knows howto bake.
They like to eat it, but theydon't know how to do it, and
everything that I learned wasfrom YouTube.
I was big into YouTube.
I would sit and watch all ofthe people that I knew on
YouTube bake cupcakes, cookies,cakes, and then I would actually
(02:34):
pretend to film myself and makeYouTube videos, but my mom
didn't actually let me post them.
So yeah everything I learned wasfrom online.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Wow, so OK, so you started just baking cookies,
sticking them and deliveringthem to people.
When did it really start togrow?
When did you start to thinkthat maybe I could actually turn
this into a business?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah, so in middle school and high school it was
kind of my thing.
I remember sitting on the busfor 45 minutes with cupcake tray
on my lap.
But then, after high school andI was about to go into college,
I started that Instagram and Ididn't even have the idea to
sell them because at the time Iwas just using my parents
ingredients.
So I didn't care about themoney, I was just using my mom's
money.
And then when a person reachedout to me they said Are you,
(03:16):
would you be interested inselling the cookies to me?
I was like, hmm, this could bea good way, you know, to make
money and have fun.
And that's when my mom was likewell, now you got to start
buying the ingredients.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So what did you start with?
Typical chocolate chip, becausewe'll get to the different
flavors in a minute.
But what did you even startwith?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So I started with.
The four staple flavors.
We have today are the fourflavors I actually started with
back then, so I've been makingthem for four years now.
Every day is different, though,because baking can be tricky.
But we have chocolate chip andcookies and cream.
Those are our two chocolateflavors, and then circus and
vanilla sprinkle, and those aremy two, not chocolate flavors.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Oh, wow, I mean that is really, really cool.
So let's talk about when you,you know, started to expand.
You were doing them for friends.
Somebody asked.
You said, hey, you know, I'llpay you for this.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
How did it expand?
Tell us about that.
So I well, first I had to startbuying ingredients in bulk
because it wasn't working whatwe were doing with my little
bags of flour.
So go to Costco, start gettingingredients.
And I remember seeing the 25pound bag of flour for the first
time.
Oh, my goodness, this is crazy.
This is feeling real.
And my mom's like, well, you gotto start an LLC.
I was like, oh what?
So she introduced me to thatand then I had to.
I was paying taxes for thefirst time, but I'm jumping
(04:31):
ahead.
So I originally just startedselling them from Instagram
private messages and peoplewould come and pick them up at
my house.
And then I had businessesaround town start offering me to
use their space for a pop-up,and that's when things kind of
picked up.
But I remember the first timethat it was real was doing it at
the farmer's market.
That was a huge goal of mine.
I'd always loved the farmer'smarket and I kind of thought to
myself it would be a silly ideayou know like be really cool to
(04:52):
have a booth at the farmer'smarket.
But it felt like just an ideathat would never happen.
And then, after a few months,we ended up.
I ended up getting a booth atthe farmer's market, and that's
when it felt real.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
So tell us about the farmer's market.
What was it like?
I can imagine your first day.
Were you nervous?
What kind of cookies did?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
you bring with you.
So I was extremely nervous.
I had my brother and my momthere and I had to use like a
POS for the first time to ringcustomers up and figure out how
to charge taxes and things likethat.
I want to say, maybe I broughtlike 300 to 500 cookies and it
was really surreal seeing likecookies and the brand on it for
the first time and I was likethis is so much fun.
(05:30):
It was an experience that meand my brother got to have
together because we're nineyears apart, so we don't have a
lot in common.
He's nine years older than meand he enjoys photography and
branding and he's he's done allthat for me, so it was a great
like family experience, I wouldsay so tell me about.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
How did you even look ?
I mean, it's not rocket science, but Caroline's cookies.
At what point did you realizethat you even had to come up
with a name?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
That was in the very beginning, before it was even a
brand.
So my brother was getting intophotography and videography and
branding and all that creativestuff and he was like I'll make
you a logo for fun, because hewanted to start doing that.
And while I'm like, well, it'sCaroline's Cookies, I didn't
think anything about it.
The logo was originally blueand I was like I don't really
like blue enough.
So what about purple Did purpleand that was it, no thought into
(06:14):
it.
And I always say, if I knewwhat was coming, I probably
would have put way too muchthought into it.
I'm kind of glad that I didn'tknow what was coming my way,
because I just did it and it wasdone.
It was just for fun, so therewasn't any overthinking.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So what type of challenges, obstacles did you
face?
Like you said that first timeyou had to pick up a 25 pound
bag of flour, you know, did youever think, oh, my goodness,
this is too much?
What type of help did you evenhave in those early days?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, in the beginning I started doing like a
hundred cookies the first day.
But it was a challenge tofigure out how to go from a
hundred cookies to 900 cookiesout of my parents kitchen.
Where's the space for that?
How are you going to do that inthe amount of time?
So it was really just me doingit.
But I will say my mom helped mewith the dishes because I don't
like to do the dishes.
So it was a challenge figuringout how to.
(07:02):
How am I going to scale?
Because I would do a pop up andthen I would sell in 30 minutes
and the customers wereobviously pretty frustrated.
They've been waiting in line,they didn't get cookies.
So just figuring out how tomanage my time, but I had it
down to a T.
I would make this batch ofcookies and have these in the
oven and then have thesechilling and then I would wrap
them.
So I got it down to a science.
But eventually my mom was likeI would like my kitchen back and
that's when I had to figure outif I was going to drop
(07:23):
Caroline's cookies and stay incollege or drop college and
pursue Caroline's cookies,because my mom was ready to have
her kitchen clean.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Well, I know that you now have a store in Lafayette,
yes, one in Perkins Road, andyou just opened one in Boca.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
So it looks like you made the right decision.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So talk about opening that first store.
What was that like?
How did you make that decisionHonestly?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
it was kind of like a whirlwind and I feel like it
happened so quickly, but Iremember.
So.
My best friend's name is Faithand I've always been close to
her since I was five years old.
Her dad is a businessman, he'san entrepreneur, and I remember
sitting down with him in theirliving room one night and I was
like I really want to pursuethis.
And he was all for it.
He was like college will alwaysbe there and you got to just
(08:09):
pursue this thing.
I want to drop out of college.
Here's a budget.
We think we can do it.
That was the first step, andthen next was looking for a
space.
But then, after we found thespace, it was all like the legal
stuff that I had no idea.
And that's what.
I'm really glad that I had abusiness partner, because you
had to get a lawyer and then youno idea what was going on.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
But you know, I like, even at 19 and even though
we're talking about cookies,that B word always seems to make
it in every conversation thatyou need a budget.
So thank you for making thatpoint.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Oh yeah, we had a budget.
Now Did we stay within thebudget?
Not as much as we would haveliked, but that's where we
started and I feel like that wasthe beginning stages of the
storefront.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
So when was the first store open?
And that was in Lafayette,correct?
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, so we opened our first location in Lafayette,
not far from my house.
That was August 14th 2021.
So that was about a year afterI had started the Instagram, so
it was a pretty quick process, Ifeel like.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So I imagine you were on the storefront.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Everything was you were probably the cook, the
greeter, the janitor thebookkeeper.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
So what was it like in those early days and how has
it changed from the first storeto where you are now?
I feel like I was kind of atrain wreck.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I remember being I was very shy at the time.
Well, I was.
I was an anxious person so Ididn't like to be in the front
of house and just everything todo with the customer aspect
really made me nervous.
But I didn't let anybody elsebake cookies for at least a year
, so if I was sick, Caroline'sCookies was closed.
So I tried to have my hands oneverything and that just wasn't
logical, that wasn't realistic.
So I've definitely learned howto delegate and rely on my team
and trust in my team over theyears.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
So let's talk about the fun stuff, the flavors.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
So you mentioned that you have four of your staple
flavors, which are chocolate,chip cookies and so originally I
had chocolate chip, becauseobviously you have to have OG,
and then I like Oreos, socookies and cream is a no
brainer.
Right.
And then I want to say I sawsomeone do like a blondie
(10:05):
brownie, a blondie bar.
That was like the circusinspired.
So I was like let me see how Ican turn this into a cookie.
And then the vanilla sprinkleis just a sugar cookie.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
So I kind of tried to hit all the staples, but then
you've gone beyond that becauseyou do so many different flavors
.
So let's talk about some of thedifferent flavors and what is
your inspiration to keep it.
You know, keep a variety.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So we have over 75 flavors and we've well, I've
created those recipes over theyears.
I try to create about tworecipes a month, and everybody
always asks where I gaininspiration.
My brain never stops Like I ambursting with creativity, but
when I'm running out of ideas Ilook at any cookbook I can.
So, whether that be a cookie, acupcake, a brownie, you can
turn anything to a cookie, in myopinion.
And then sometimes I'm walkingdown the aisles of Walmart
(10:49):
seeing what's new, looking atthe little Debbie's.
Can we turn any of that to acookie?
So Walmart has a lot ofcreativity and really just
gaining inspiration from mycustomers too.
People are commenting ideas allthe time, and that's a great
way to find ideas as well.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I've got to ask.
I've been to your storefront,the Perkins Row, and they were
sold out.
If I think about everything,what is that like to have a
product and to know that you canstart in the morning with tons
of product and before maybe noonyou're sold out?
What is that like?
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yeah, keeping up with demand and figuring out how
many cookies to bake so that wayyou don't bake too many and you
have waste or you don't bakeenough and you have frustrated
customers.
That's probably been thehardest thing.
So, for example, today's FridaySome Fridays will be crazy busy
and you have no idea why.
And then the next Friday is notas busy.
So I will say that is verydifficult too, because we can't
just pop cookies in the ovenwhen you walk in and we're sold
out.
It's a long process.
(11:40):
We make all the cookie dough byhand, we weigh it all out by
hand, we bake it fresh.
So what we bake in the morning,we try to guess the number that
works for that day, or we'llbake as much as we have in the
fridge and that's what we havefor the day.
We bake once in the morning andthen we're done.
That's what I figured out hasworked the best team.
But, like I said, they're madeby hand.
So we do what we can with thestaff we have in the space we
(12:01):
have.
But every day is so differentand unpredictable.
If it rains, you might be slow.
If it's sunny, you might bebusy.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
So there's some stiff competition, there's crumble,
there's insomnia.
Obviously you're doing verywell.
So what's the secret sauce?
Speaker 3 (12:14):
I feel like focusing on myself and staying true to
who I am and my creativity, andremembering my why, like I
always like to compare it to.
Well, first of all, I thinkcompetition is a great thing.
I think competition makes youwant to be better, and I like to
think too, if there was onlyCaroline's Cookies, we wouldn't
be able to provide enoughcookies for all Baton Rouge, so
it's great that there's otheroptions out there.
But then also, like I'm cravingdifferent pizza every day, so
(12:35):
sometimes you might be cravingInsomnia Crumble Cook, insomnia
crumble cookies or caroline'scookies.
That's the way that I like tothink of it.
But, like I said, just my fact.
My brand is my personality, soit's easy for me to just stick
to who I am so what has beenyour favorite cookie, and do you
eat your cookies still?
I do eat my cookies more than Iwould like to, because I I
probably shouldn't eat that muchsugar.
(12:55):
My favorite cookie changes bythe day.
Um, right now I probably likeour oreo swirl, because it's a
lot of cream cheese and a lot ofOreos and, like I said, I
really like Oreos.
But some days I'm cravingsomething different, like right
now it's Mardi Gras, so I can'tresist a King K cookie.
But we have something foreverybody.
I try to make our menu have avariety.
That way, if you come in,you'll at least find one flavor
you like.
(13:16):
Right Right now we have ourValentine's menu going on and
there's a lot of flavors thatyou're bound to find one.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
So good.
So I know that there are somecollege students sitting around
listening to this podcast thatmaybe they're baking cookies,
maybe they're baking somethingelse.
What advice would you give them?
What were some of yourchallenges, your struggles and,
if there's, something that youcould do over again.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
if you could ever do over, what might that be?
So I would definitely sayfinding mentors and people that
you can rely on for good advice,because you don't have to have
it all together, you don't haveto have all the answers.
I didn't know everything at 19.
I'm only 23.
I still sure don't knoweverything.
So finding mentors that you canrely on huge deal.
And then also learning how todelegate and knowing you just,
you probably won't be able to doit on your own.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Gotta, let somebody else get those recipes.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
So knowing that a good team is what the people
makes a place.
So investing back into yourteam once you have a team and
then something I would redo overagain, I feel like is slowing
down and enjoying it.
I was so caught up in thehustle and bustle and letting
one bad review get to me likefinding a balance, like a humble
confidence and just knowingthat you're doing this for a
reason and just remember toenjoy the process, even the days
(14:20):
that are hard.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
So Bocas, tell us about Bocas, and even Perkins
Road, just for anybody that maynot be aware of your two
locations here in the city.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, so our Bocas location opened in November.
It's open Tuesday throughSaturday.
This location is unique becauseit's our biggest storefront.
It has plenty of indoor seating, it has merch and it has cookie
cake slices, which our PerkinsRow location doesn't have.
And we're really excited.
Soon we're going to starthaving you can rent out the
space for parties and we'regoing to have events.
Like you can come and decoratecookie cakes.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh, now, that sounds fun.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Really exciting, really nervous.
And then our Perkins Rowlocation is our OG Baton Rouge
location.
It's open Wednesday throughSunday.
You can expect fresh thick andgooey cookies.
There's a lot of foot traffic.
Perkins Road is super busy soit's been a very big blessing.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Yeah, we'll definitely have to bring some
cameras and come over anddecorate some cookies.
So that sounds really exciting.
So what's next?
And where do you see Caroline'sCookies in 10 years?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
What's next is?
I'm really just trying to honedown on quality control and
finding my place in the business.
I just hired a manager for thefirst time for our Baton Rouge
location, so I'm focusing ontraining her and, like I said,
like kind of defining my role inthe business, remembering what
I'm best at and what I'm not sogood at, finding somebody else
to do those things.
I'm just kind of enjoying wherewe're at.
I think three locations is thesweet spot and just gonna keep
(15:34):
working on those locations wehave now.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
All right.
So let's tell everybody again,let's give those addresses how
they can find your cookies.
You know what flavors they canlook forward to.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
So our Perkins Row location is located at 110
Perkins Row.
We're right behind that BarnesNoble, and then our Bocas
location is 7575 JeffersonHighway, right across from Town
Center.
We have over 75 flavors.
We have our whole King Cakelineup coming soon, and then we
got St Patrick's Day and Easter,so expect a lot of good flavors
on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Sounds so exciting.
I can't wait to get over andcheck out some more of those
cookies, thank you.
Thank you so much for comingand sharing your inspiring story
with us.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
It's time for Blueprint Building Blocks Small
changes that lead to bigfinancial wins.
Let's stack up for success.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Start where you are.
Big dreams often start small,Whether it's selling through
social media or working at abooth at a local market.
Take the first step and buildfrom there.
Connect with your community.
The support of a localcommunity can be a game changer.
Build relationships, listen tofeedback and give back to those
(16:45):
who support you, and then focuson quality.
Create a product or servicethat stands out and it's unique
for its excellence.
Customers will keep coming backif they know they're getting
something special.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
That's a wrap on today's Blueprint Building
Blocks.
Stay on track with yourfinancial journey.
Subscribe to the Money Matterspodcast and visit
neighborsfcuorg slash financialwellness for more tools to help
you build a strong financialfuture.
Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that
focuses on how to use the moneyyou have, make the money you
need and save the money you want.
Now here is your host, ms KimChapman.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome back to Money Matters.
I'm Kim Chapman, your host, andwe're just going to go ahead
and jump into it because, guesswhat, Today we have a very
special guest.
Anybody like cookies out there?
I know I do, whether it's forbreakfast, lunch or dinner.
And so today we have CarolynMerriman with us.
She is the owner of Caroline'sCookies.
(00:35):
If you haven't heard about her,then sit back, because you're
going to want to learn all abouther cookies and how she's
become an overnight sensation.
A local entrepreneur Welcome,Caroline.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'm excited.
I mean cookies everybody'sfavorite Right and I mean it's
after the holidays and I knowthat we've got king cake on our
mind, but cookies are just alittle bit better.
I love a good cookie.
So I read a little bit aboutyour story and it told me that
you got this idea back duringCOVID because you were sitting
(01:09):
at the house with nothing to do.
So tell us about your journey.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
So I had just graduated high school in 2020,
which is an interesting year tograduate high school and I had a
lot of free time on my handsduring the pandemic, when we
were shut down, and I had alwaysenjoyed baking.
It was my thing.
I wasn't athletic or anythinglike that, so my hobby was
baking and during that free timeI started baking like crazy and
I was delivering cookiesspecifically to my friends and
(01:35):
putting it in their mailbox,because I knew I couldn't put,
like, a cupcake or a cake in themailbox, especially in
Louisiana heat, and I loved howdiverse the cookies were.
You could do anything withcookies really Well.
I ended up starting anInstagram for fun and that's
where the creation of Caroline'sCookies was, and it was really
just a hobby and a passion.
I had no plans to make it intoa business, especially not the
(01:56):
business that it is today.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
That's really, really cool, and especially when you
talk about during a pandemic,when people were bored they
didn't have anything to do, andI did hear a lot of stories that
people started businesses somany.
So even before that did itstart with an Easy-Bake oven?
I mean, where did you evenlearn to bake?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
That's funny because nobody's ever asked me that and
I did have an Easy-Bake oven.
The stuff didn't taste good butit was fun and I had.
Nobody in my family knows howto bake.
They like to eat it, but theydon't know how to do it, and
everything that I learned wasfrom YouTube.
I was big into YouTube.
I would sit and watch all ofthe people that I knew on
YouTube bake cupcakes, cookies,cakes, and then I would actually
(02:34):
pretend to film myself and makeYouTube videos, but my mom
didn't actually let me post them.
So yeah everything I learned wasfrom online.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Wow, so OK, so you started just baking cookies,
sticking them and deliveringthem to people.
When did it really start togrow?
When did you start to thinkthat maybe I could actually turn
this into a business?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah, so in middle school and high school it was
kind of my thing.
I remember sitting on the busfor 45 minutes with cupcake tray
on my lap.
But then, after high school andI was about to go into college,
I started that Instagram and Ididn't even have the idea to
sell them because at the time Iwas just using my parents
ingredients.
So I didn't care about themoney, I was just using my mom's
money.
And then when a person reachedout to me they said Are you,
(03:16):
would you be interested inselling the cookies to me?
I was like, hmm, this could bea good way, you know, to make
money and have fun.
And that's when my mom was likewell, now you got to start
buying the ingredients.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So what did you start with?
Typical chocolate chip, becausewe'll get to the different
flavors in a minute.
But what did you even startwith?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So I started with.
The four staple flavors.
We have today are the fourflavors I actually started with
back then, so I've been makingthem for four years now.
Every day is different, though,because baking can be tricky.
But we have chocolate chip andcookies and cream.
Those are our two chocolateflavors, and then circus and
vanilla sprinkle, and those aremy two, not chocolate flavors.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Oh, wow, I mean that is really, really cool.
So let's talk about when you,you know, started to expand.
You were doing them for friends.
Somebody asked.
You said, hey, you know, I'llpay you for this.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
How did it expand?
Tell us about that.
So I well, first I had to startbuying ingredients in bulk
because it wasn't working whatwe were doing with my little
bags of flour.
So go to Costco, start gettingingredients.
And I remember seeing the 25pound bag of flour for the first
time.
Oh, my goodness, this is crazy.
This is feeling real.
And my mom's like, well, you gotto start an LLC.
I was like, oh what?
So she introduced me to thatand then I had to.
I was paying taxes for thefirst time, but I'm jumping
(04:31):
ahead.
So I originally just startedselling them from Instagram
private messages and peoplewould come and pick them up at
my house.
And then I had businessesaround town start offering me to
use their space for a pop-up,and that's when things kind of
picked up.
But I remember the first timethat it was real was doing it at
the farmer's market.
That was a huge goal of mine.
I'd always loved the farmer'smarket and I kind of thought to
myself it would be a silly ideayou know like be really cool to
(04:52):
have a booth at the farmer'smarket.
But it felt like just an ideathat would never happen.
And then, after a few months,we ended up.
I ended up getting a booth atthe farmer's market, and that's
when it felt real.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
So tell us about the farmer's market.
What was it like?
I can imagine your first day.
Were you nervous?
What kind of cookies did?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
you bring with you.
So I was extremely nervous.
I had my brother and my momthere and I had to use like a
POS for the first time to ringcustomers up and figure out how
to charge taxes and things likethat.
I want to say, maybe I broughtlike 300 to 500 cookies and it
was really surreal seeing likecookies and the brand on it for
the first time and I was likethis is so much fun.
(05:30):
It was an experience that meand my brother got to have
together because we're nineyears apart, so we don't have a
lot in common.
He's nine years older than meand he enjoys photography and
branding and he's he's done allthat for me, so it was a great
like family experience, I wouldsay so tell me about.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
How did you even look ?
I mean, it's not rocket science, but Caroline's cookies.
At what point did you realizethat you even had to come up
with a name?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
That was in the very beginning, before it was even a
brand.
So my brother was getting intophotography and videography and
branding and all that creativestuff and he was like I'll make
you a logo for fun, because hewanted to start doing that.
And while I'm like, well, it'sCaroline's Cookies, I didn't
think anything about it.
The logo was originally blueand I was like I don't really
like blue enough.
So what about purple Did purpleand that was it, no thought into
(06:14):
it.
And I always say, if I knewwhat was coming, I probably
would have put way too muchthought into it.
I'm kind of glad that I didn'tknow what was coming my way,
because I just did it and it wasdone.
It was just for fun, so therewasn't any overthinking.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So what type of challenges, obstacles did you
face?
Like you said that first timeyou had to pick up a 25 pound
bag of flour, you know, did youever think, oh, my goodness,
this is too much?
What type of help did you evenhave in those early days?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Well, in the beginning I started doing like a
hundred cookies the first day.
But it was a challenge tofigure out how to go from a
hundred cookies to 900 cookiesout of my parents kitchen.
Where's the space for that?
How are you going to do that inthe amount of time?
So it was really just me doingit.
But I will say my mom helped mewith the dishes because I don't
like to do the dishes.
So it was a challenge figuringout how to.
(07:02):
How am I going to scale?
Because I would do a pop up andthen I would sell in 30 minutes
and the customers wereobviously pretty frustrated.
They've been waiting in line,they didn't get cookies.
So just figuring out how tomanage my time, but I had it
down to a T.
I would make this batch ofcookies and have these in the
oven and then have thesechilling and then I would wrap
them.
So I got it down to a science.
But eventually my mom was likeI would like my kitchen back and
that's when I had to figure outif I was going to drop
(07:23):
Caroline's cookies and stay incollege or drop college and
pursue Caroline's cookies,because my mom was ready to have
her kitchen clean.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Well, I know that you now have a store in Lafayette,
yes, one in Perkins Road, andyou just opened one in Boca.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
So it looks like you made the right decision.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So talk about opening that first store.
What was that like?
How did you make that decisionHonestly?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
it was kind of like a whirlwind and I feel like it
happened so quickly, but Iremember.
So.
My best friend's name is Faithand I've always been close to
her since I was five years old.
Her dad is a businessman, he'san entrepreneur, and I remember
sitting down with him in theirliving room one night and I was
like I really want to pursuethis.
And he was all for it.
He was like college will alwaysbe there and you got to just
(08:09):
pursue this thing.
I want to drop out of college.
Here's a budget.
We think we can do it.
That was the first step, andthen next was looking for a
space.
But then, after we found thespace, it was all like the legal
stuff that I had no idea.
And that's what.
I'm really glad that I had abusiness partner, because you
had to get a lawyer and then youno idea what was going on.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
But you know, I like, even at 19 and even though
we're talking about cookies,that B word always seems to make
it in every conversation thatyou need a budget.
So thank you for making thatpoint.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Oh yeah, we had a budget.
Now Did we stay within thebudget?
Not as much as we would haveliked, but that's where we
started and I feel like that wasthe beginning stages of the
storefront.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
So when was the first store open?
And that was in Lafayette,correct?
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, so we opened our first location in Lafayette,
not far from my house.
That was August 14th 2021.
So that was about a year afterI had started the Instagram, so
it was a pretty quick process, Ifeel like.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
So I imagine you were on the storefront.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Everything was you were probably the cook, the
greeter, the janitor thebookkeeper.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
So what was it like in those early days and how has
it changed from the first storeto where you are now?
I feel like I was kind of atrain wreck.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I remember being I was very shy at the time.
Well, I was.
I was an anxious person so Ididn't like to be in the front
of house and just everything todo with the customer aspect
really made me nervous.
But I didn't let anybody elsebake cookies for at least a year
, so if I was sick, Caroline'sCookies was closed.
So I tried to have my hands oneverything and that just wasn't
logical, that wasn't realistic.
So I've definitely learned howto delegate and rely on my team
and trust in my team over theyears.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
So let's talk about the fun stuff, the flavors.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
So you mentioned that you have four of your staple
flavors, which are chocolate,chip cookies and so originally I
had chocolate chip, becauseobviously you have to have OG,
and then I like Oreos, socookies and cream is a no
brainer.
Right.
And then I want to say I sawsomeone do like a blondie
(10:05):
brownie, a blondie bar.
That was like the circusinspired.
So I was like let me see how Ican turn this into a cookie.
And then the vanilla sprinkleis just a sugar cookie.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
So I kind of tried to hit all the staples, but then
you've gone beyond that becauseyou do so many different flavors
.
So let's talk about some of thedifferent flavors and what is
your inspiration to keep it.
You know, keep a variety.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So we have over 75 flavors and we've well, I've
created those recipes over theyears.
I try to create about tworecipes a month, and everybody
always asks where I gaininspiration.
My brain never stops Like I ambursting with creativity, but
when I'm running out of ideas Ilook at any cookbook I can.
So, whether that be a cookie, acupcake, a brownie, you can
turn anything to a cookie, in myopinion.
And then sometimes I'm walkingdown the aisles of Walmart
(10:49):
seeing what's new, looking atthe little Debbie's.
Can we turn any of that to acookie?
So Walmart has a lot ofcreativity and really just
gaining inspiration from mycustomers too.
People are commenting ideas allthe time, and that's a great
way to find ideas as well.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I've got to ask.
I've been to your storefront,the Perkins Row, and they were
sold out.
If I think about everything,what is that like to have a
product and to know that you canstart in the morning with tons
of product and before maybe noonyou're sold out?
What is that like?
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yeah, keeping up with demand and figuring out how
many cookies to bake so that wayyou don't bake too many and you
have waste or you don't bakeenough and you have frustrated
customers.
That's probably been thehardest thing.
So, for example, today's FridaySome Fridays will be crazy busy
and you have no idea why.
And then the next Friday is notas busy.
So I will say that is verydifficult too, because we can't
just pop cookies in the ovenwhen you walk in and we're sold
out.
It's a long process.
(11:40):
We make all the cookie dough byhand, we weigh it all out by
hand, we bake it fresh.
So what we bake in the morning,we try to guess the number that
works for that day, or we'llbake as much as we have in the
fridge and that's what we havefor the day.
We bake once in the morning andthen we're done.
That's what I figured out hasworked the best team.
But, like I said, they're madeby hand.
So we do what we can with thestaff we have in the space we
(12:01):
have.
But every day is so differentand unpredictable.
If it rains, you might be slow.
If it's sunny, you might bebusy.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
So there's some stiff competition, there's crumble,
there's insomnia.
Obviously you're doing verywell.
So what's the secret sauce?
Speaker 3 (12:14):
I feel like focusing on myself and staying true to
who I am and my creativity, andremembering my why, like I
always like to compare it to.
Well, first of all, I thinkcompetition is a great thing.
I think competition makes youwant to be better, and I like to
think too, if there was onlyCaroline's Cookies, we wouldn't
be able to provide enoughcookies for all Baton Rouge, so
it's great that there's otheroptions out there.
But then also, like I'm cravingdifferent pizza every day, so
(12:35):
sometimes you might be cravingInsomnia Crumble Cook, insomnia
crumble cookies or caroline'scookies.
That's the way that I like tothink of it.
But, like I said, just my fact.
My brand is my personality, soit's easy for me to just stick
to who I am so what has beenyour favorite cookie, and do you
eat your cookies still?
I do eat my cookies more than Iwould like to, because I I
probably shouldn't eat that muchsugar.
(12:55):
My favorite cookie changes bythe day.
Um, right now I probably likeour oreo swirl, because it's a
lot of cream cheese and a lot ofOreos and, like I said, I
really like Oreos.
But some days I'm cravingsomething different, like right
now it's Mardi Gras, so I can'tresist a King K cookie.
But we have something foreverybody.
I try to make our menu have avariety.
That way, if you come in,you'll at least find one flavor
you like.
(13:16):
Right Right now we have ourValentine's menu going on and
there's a lot of flavors thatyou're bound to find one.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
So good.
So I know that there are somecollege students sitting around
listening to this podcast thatmaybe they're baking cookies,
maybe they're baking somethingelse.
What advice would you give them?
What were some of yourchallenges, your struggles and,
if there's, something that youcould do over again.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
if you could ever do over, what might that be?
So I would definitely sayfinding mentors and people that
you can rely on for good advice,because you don't have to have
it all together, you don't haveto have all the answers.
I didn't know everything at 19.
I'm only 23.
I still sure don't knoweverything.
So finding mentors that you canrely on huge deal.
And then also learning how todelegate and knowing you just,
you probably won't be able to doit on your own.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Gotta, let somebody else get those recipes.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
So knowing that a good team is what the people
makes a place.
So investing back into yourteam once you have a team and
then something I would redo overagain, I feel like is slowing
down and enjoying it.
I was so caught up in thehustle and bustle and letting
one bad review get to me likefinding a balance, like a humble
confidence and just knowingthat you're doing this for a
reason and just remember toenjoy the process, even the days
(14:20):
that are hard.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
So Bocas, tell us about Bocas, and even Perkins
Road, just for anybody that maynot be aware of your two
locations here in the city.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, so our Bocas location opened in November.
It's open Tuesday throughSaturday.
This location is unique becauseit's our biggest storefront.
It has plenty of indoor seating, it has merch and it has cookie
cake slices, which our PerkinsRow location doesn't have.
And we're really excited.
Soon we're going to starthaving you can rent out the
space for parties and we'regoing to have events.
Like you can come and decoratecookie cakes.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh, now, that sounds fun.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Really exciting, really nervous.
And then our Perkins Rowlocation is our OG Baton Rouge
location.
It's open Wednesday throughSunday.
You can expect fresh thick andgooey cookies.
There's a lot of foot traffic.
Perkins Road is super busy soit's been a very big blessing.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Yeah, we'll definitely have to bring some
cameras and come over anddecorate some cookies.
So that sounds really exciting.
So what's next?
And where do you see Caroline'sCookies in 10 years?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
What's next is?
I'm really just trying to honedown on quality control and
finding my place in the business.
I just hired a manager for thefirst time for our Baton Rouge
location, so I'm focusing ontraining her and, like I said,
like kind of defining my role inthe business, remembering what
I'm best at and what I'm not sogood at, finding somebody else
to do those things.
I'm just kind of enjoying wherewe're at.
I think three locations is thesweet spot and just gonna keep
(15:34):
working on those locations wehave now.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
All right.
So let's tell everybody again,let's give those addresses how
they can find your cookies.
You know what flavors they canlook forward to.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
So our Perkins Row location is located at 110
Perkins Row.
We're right behind that BarnesNoble, and then our Bocas
location is 7575 JeffersonHighway, right across from Town
Center.
We have over 75 flavors.
We have our whole King Cakelineup coming soon, and then we
got St Patrick's Day and Easter,so expect a lot of good flavors
on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Sounds so exciting.
I can't wait to get over andcheck out some more of those
cookies, thank you.
Thank you so much for comingand sharing your inspiring story
with us.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
It's time for Blueprint Building Blocks Small
changes that lead to bigfinancial wins.
Let's stack up for success.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Start where you are.
Big dreams often start small,Whether it's selling through
social media or working at abooth at a local market.
Take the first step and buildfrom there.
Connect with your community.
The support of a localcommunity can be a game changer.
Build relationships, listen tofeedback and give back to those
(16:45):
who support you, and then focuson quality.
Create a product or servicethat stands out and it's unique
for its excellence.
Customers will keep coming backif they know they're getting
something special.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
That's a wrap on today's Blueprint Building
Blocks.
Stay on track with yourfinancial journey.
Subscribe to the Money Matterspodcast and visit
neighborsfcuorg slash financialwellness for more tools to help
you build a strong financialfuture.
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