Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brooke Orist, founder of Sasquatch Cookies, located in Colorado Springs, CO.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Sasquatch Cookies is a local cookie shop where we dream up creative new flavors and celebrate Sasquatch. We dress up in a Sasquatch Costume and deliver fresh baked, warm cookies all around our community. It is the marrying of our three greatest passions: food, people and giving. We create delicious, Sasquatch sized cookies in eleven different flavors that you can mix and match. We cause taste buds to sing and people do a little happy dance around their homes from the cookie goodness.
Tell us about yourself
As far back as I can remember, I have had a love for food, and especially baked goods. A few years ago, I moved back to my home state, Colorado, and being surrounded by the support of family and friends decided to make my childhood dream come true and start a bakery. I knew I wanted to own a bakery where we made quality products, but I also wanted it to be more than just good food. I wanted to create something that gives back to our community, brings joy and laughter, and speaks to these lessons and experiences I have learned over the years. From these desires was born Sasquatch Cookies.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with many great people over these last four and half years because of this business. Building and developing these relationships has been the most rewarding accomplishment as a business owner. They have made the journey worth it.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being a business owner can be very stressful. I think knowing the success or failure of the business ultimately is on my shoulders can feel burdensome at times. At the end of the day, it comes down the business owner's commitment to the work and people.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I would say be honest about that your good at and what you're not, find others who will support you, and be willing to change. Owning a business requires many skills and we can't be experts at everything, so you need to know what brings you life and excites you about the business.
Pour your time into those items and find others to delegate and support you in the other tasks. For me, having friends and family who have supported me throughout this whole journey has motivated and humbled me. They have rescued me in times when I desperately needed help and kept my spirits up when I have felt discouraged.
Find your tribe and share with them. Lastly, you have to constantly re-invent and pivot in business. Be willing to go with the curve balls and accept change is inevitable.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.sasquatchcookies.com
https://www.instagram.com/sasquatch.cookies/
https://www.facebook.com/sasquatchco
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.