We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dominique Keel-Sanders a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dominique, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I’m a creative at heart—I love creating, designing, and hosting. When my husband was deployed for 7 months last year, I needed a creative outlet since I wasn’t able to take many event jobs while solo parenting.

One day, while scrolling online, I came across cookie decorating videos and it looked interesting so I decided to give it a try. What started as a hobby quickly became something I fell in love with. Cookie decorating allows me to express my creativity while also being fully present and focused. It’s become a form of mindfulness for me while also getting to be part of people’s events.

When flamingos have their babies they lose their pink. But as time goes on and they start feeling like themselves again, they get their pink back. The name Blissfully Pink is a nod to that. As a mom, it’s easy to pour so much of yourself into everyone else, and cookie decorating has given me a way to reconnect with my creativity and pursue something that’s just for me. It’s been a joy watching this grow into a business I’m passionate about, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

At my core, I have a heart for people. By profession, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker but where my passion truly lies is in all things event planning. I love to host and put together events where others are able to build connections and feel at home.

Blissfully Pink Cookies offers decorated sugar cookies and I also have an event/wedding planning + balloon decor business called Greater In Gathering Co. Due to being a military family and the uncertainly of schedules, it can be challenging to book out event and wedding gigs so I’m thankful that making and decorating cookies has become another mode in which I can still stay connected to others and events.

I am most proud of the way I am able to create environments where others feel welcomed and can foster connections. I’m thankful for the way my brain can take an idea and bring it to life without hesitation — in both cookies and in-person events.

I think what sets me a part from others is my ability to connect. Even if you’re just ordering cookies, I deeply care about you and your event. I want the details of the cookies to match the vibe of the event and I want them to be everything you imagined. I take great pride in providing a product that both the customer and I can be proud of.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker. It inspired the name of my event planing business actually. It talks about the meaning behind gathering and connection and how we gather with people. While Blissfully Pink is about cookies, these cookies are for events and spaces where people gather. When taking orders, I not only want to know about specifics of the cookies but about the gathering itself. At the heart of my business, it’s all about connection. It’s about the heart of gathering and all the elements that work together to create a sense of togetherness at an event. Cookies may be a small part of that but they are a part nonetheless.

I saw this question as an option from the drop down at the beginning. It was one that deeply resonated with me so I hope it was ok to share instead of a question from the dropdown above.

Are you happy as a business owner? Do you wonder what it’d be like to have a full time job?

I am. I’m thankful to have the freedom to do this and create my own schedule. Shoutout to my husband DeBrandon for the opportunity to even be a stay at home mom in the first place while also pursing my dreams of running my own business. Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like going back to my 9-5 I had before becoming a mom. But at this time in my life, I am replaceable everywhere but at home with my son. So I’m embracing this season of being home with him while doing my business on the side. I know this won’t be forever so I’m working on enjoying it now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/blisspinkcookies/home
• Instagram: Blissfullypink.cookies
• Facebook: Blissfully Pink Cookies

Image Credits

Picture of me teaching class taking by Erin Wilson (Craft Pass, LLC)