We were lucky to catch up with Monica Baczko Pearl recently and have shared our conversation below.
Monica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
22Leela Cookies is named after the home I grew up in. Leela Lane, a tiny neighborhood in a small town in Massachusetts, where my parents owned their home for nearly 30 years and where I spent 20 years (plus one or two after college when I was trying to find my place in the world). Our neighborhood was like no other I have experienced, filled with neighbors who acted like family, the best holiday parties, pets that roamed the street like children playing after school, and some of my favorite memories. It’s where I found my love of cooking and baking and when I relocated to Charleston, SC and started a cookie business, it seemed fitting to name my business after my childhood home.
Monica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have always loved to bake and really loved to be creative in any way that I could. While I received an undergraduate degree in business management and a masters in healthcare administration, I have always loved to create things and minored in studio art while in college. I began making and selling cake pops when I lived in Massachusetts to allow myself to be creative while working in the healthcare field. When I moved to Charleston, I continued my love of baking and started 22Leela Cookies in 2018. I specialize in custom sugar cookies for all occasions including weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, baby showers, and holidays. I work with clients to develop cookie designs that match their events and love to take inspiration from their specific invites and décor.
I have tested many sugar cookie recipes and finally landed on one that I am really proud of. My vanilla sugar cookie recipe holds its shape and stays soft while the royal icing gives a slight crunch to the cookie. I have adapted this recipe to create other flavors such as chocolate, lemon, pumpkin spice, and even a gluten free vanilla. Some of the most common reviews I receive from clients is that the cookies look great, but taste even better compared to store-bought decorated cookies which can be hard or not have much flavor.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Most of my business comes from social media. I definitely get clients from word of mouth or google searches, but the majority comes from posting on Instagram. I take photos of every order I make and try to post daily to keep my presence on social media relevant. Due to the recent changes on Instagram, I have had to pivot more towards taking videos, rather than posting photos, but I still try to post an equal amount of both. I try to focus on building a local following who will actually place orders, rather than simply gaining followers who will not benefit my business. I tend to mostly follow local businesses and people and I always tag my posts with local hashtags and my location. Due to South Carolina state laws, I am only permitted to sell baked goods within state lines, so it is very important for me to reach local clients, and I am able to do that by focusing my social media presence within the Charleston area.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
When I first started selling cookies, one of the best ways to get my name out to local clients was through markets. There is always some type of market going on in Charleston and I participated in whatever I was able to, from vendor markets at local boutique shops to holiday markets at breweries. Customers were able to buy a few cookies without having to place a larger order and I also offered small samples so people could try the different flavors. Another great aspect of these markets was meeting other local vendors and forming relationships with them. Many of the orders I receive are for wedding related events and these markets put me in contact with florists, photographers, and event planners who refer me to their clients when they are interested in having custom cookies made for a their events.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.22leelacookies.com
- Instagram: 22leelacookies
- Facebook: facebook.com/22leelacookies
- Other: TikTok: 22leelacookies