We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marcie Garza. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marcie below.

Alright, Marcie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Sweet Occasions Cookie Co started after a new baby, a move, a career change, and a global pandemic. After diving into cookie decorating for my own gender reveal party in 2018, the opportunity to create cookies as a way to connect with my community presented itself a couple of years later.

I love making delicious cookies, and it brings me endless joy to turn these tasty bites into gorgeous art. But more than anything, I have loved creating a business that has become part of family traditions, meaningful gestures of kindness, and thoughtful surprises. When people turn their cookie treat around and see the Sweet Occasions label, I hope they feel the love and light that went into every bite.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, Sweet Friend! My name is Marcie, and I am the cookie artist and owner behind Sweet Occasions Cookie Co. In 2019, my husband, our son, and I were re-transplanted to the Houston area. After 3 moves in 5 years, it has been so fun to make Katy/Fulshear our home, set down some roots, and finally start hanging things on our walls.

Before Sweet Occasions, I worked in the nutrition field for over a decade, inspired by my life-long passion for cooking and baking. Going from a dietitian to a cookie artist may seem like a huge departure, but dietetics taught me so much about food science and recipe development. In many ways, our cookies, whether you’re enjoying our standard recipes and our vegan/allergy-friendly options, are even better because of it.

When I’m not in the kitchen listening to a true crime podcast, you are most likely to find me at a local coffee shop, in the gym, or on an evening scooter walk with my family. But if you saw me at the grocery store in flour-covered athleisure – no, you didn’t.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

My top source for generating leads is 100% my existing clientele. Word of mouth referrals – or recommendations on social media pages – is the gold standard referral for business owners, especially if the business is one that creates consumable products. When someone we trust recommends a business for goods or services, we are far more likely to trust them, too.

At Sweet Occasions, we strive to make everyone’s experience so great that they do not hesitate to refer us to their friends and family. A great experience looks like a stream-lined booking process, clear communication, overdelivering on quality, and making pickup/delivery day a breeze. By providing the highest quality experience, we know that we can continue to earn business through word-of-mouth referrals.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting is the nature of entrepreneurship. Most recently, I identified the need to shift the focus of my business to include an increased focus on products with a higher profit margin (not necessarily a higher cost) in order to create more margin in my personal time to enjoy my family, spend time with friends, and explore more of my community.

There is a short-form video audio going around that jokes that entrepreneurs left their 9-5 jobs to work 24/7. It’s funny because it’s true. Most of us decide to go into business for ourselves for the flexibility and, hopefully, financial benefit. However, sometimes we end up letting our businesses take over our lives. That definitely happened to me. I have pulled countless more all-nighters as a business owner than I ever did as a college student, and I am finding that I can’t be my best self for my business, my family, or my friends when I’m not getting enough rest, nourishment, or exercise.

So, I am pivoting! I still want to provide highly detailed, stunning, and delicious cookies, but in order to do that in a way that supports my growing business and my personal life, I’ll have to take on fewer sets like this in order to take on more corporate orders, cookie classes, and holiday pre-sales.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.SweetOccasionsCookieCo.com
• Instagram: @SweetOccasionsCookieCo
• Facebook: @SweetOccasionsCookieCo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-occasions-cookie-co

Image Credits
Mary Ann Vanicek, MJ’s Photography