We were lucky to catch up with Anna Panter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Anna, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

In the Summer of 2019, I ordered custom sugar cookies with a logo on them for an event I was planning for work. Not only could I not find any gluten-free option, but the recommendation I had received turned out unimpressive design work. I purchased an extra cookie for my girls to sample and give me input on taste, and well, they threw it away. That was the moment I accepted our next baking challenge at home. You see, I have been gluten-free since 2005 and it has always been my mission to modify recipes of my favorite foods and enjoy a delicious gluten-free version. My family is not gluten-free so the requirement for them, as taste judges, is they have to not be able to taste a difference in my modified recipes from the original.

Skip ahead to December of 2019, the girls and I were baking holiday cookies and I was working on the challenge of gluten-free iced cutout cookies. I did it! My girls and I loved them. When I asked my husband to take a “blind bite”, he said it was the best sugar cookie he’d ever had. A blind bite is me asking him to taste a recipe without telling him if it is gluten-free or gluten-full. He couldn’t believe it was gluten-free.

I posted the family fun and some cookie pictures on social media and right away started getting inquiries if they could place an order. I kindly replied no, this was just my girls and I baking cookies for holiday fun. Skip ahead a few weeks and I was still receiving inquiries about people wanting to order my cookies. Mind you, they were iced, but I had no idea how to decorate a cookie. My husband and I discussed the idea of selling them, and he agreed to take on dinner and dishes every night, and the business began.

I would work remotely during the day and watch one cookie decorating technique off YouTube, practice the technique for the next few days, and then return to YouTube for a new technique to build upon. Over time, my decorating skills improved and my cookie posts were receiving a little following.

I also realized I was the middle person between stories of kindness from the gifter to the recipient. Everyone’s story was unique but equally special and valuable. What an honor to be entrusted with the reasons behind people’s kindness and the gift of cookie joy. From the start of this business, I committed to praying over every cookie order as I make it and for the unique circumstances of the recipient. Every cookie order includes a prayer card detailing my prayers.

As far as I know, I am still the only “cookier” in San Antonio making gluten-free or other allergen-friendly decorated cookies. But I promise you can’t tell by the taste. They are delicious cookies and many of my clients have no dietary restrictions. They love the cookies and they love that everyone in a mixed crowd can enjoy the same treat.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

As I mentioned previously, I have been gluten-free since 2015. When someone realizes they have to cut out some element of food in their diet, it can be overwhelming and slightly traumatic. The change must become a lifestyle change that impacts daily life moments, special life moments, and sometimes the people around you. It is often very discouraging to taste food substitutions and desperately miss the taste of the original deliciousness. It is also inconvenient for hosts or homelife to accommodate guests with separate meals, which is also slightly embarrassing to the person receiving the alternate option.

I used to be a classroom teacher. It would break my heart when a child would bring in birthday treats such as cupcakes, cookies, or ice cream and one or two children would be stuck eating cheerios or some allergen-friendly option instead.

I am passionate about all humans feeling their value and worth. It is my pleasure and honor to offer a product that is delicious, served to everyone in a mixed crowd, and avoids the many uncomfortable social slights of people who can’t have gluten. I also love praying for others and conveying kindness with every order.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I don’t know that this story resonates with my resilience, but it certainly elevates the resilience of others and our need for community. During the Covid quarantine, cookie orders continued to flow in. This creative outlet, partnered with stillness in prayer, was a blessing during what most people considered a season of isolation. Clients would pick up their cookie orders in my driveway and often we would visit with one another from a distance, but still in person. It was a breath of fresh air. I was able to visit with my friends and make new friends during that year. We would give one another encouragement and listen to one another’s stories of celebration, struggle, or loss. Cookies were also a beautiful part of birthday and anniversary drive-by celebrations, as well as memorial services. I had a front porch view of the resilience of others and the gift of community engagement during a time of lock-down.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I have never done much marketing. I know, sounds lazy. But the facts are I work for a nonprofit during the day, and I am a wife and mom. Posting pictures of my cookie orders and respectfully sharing stories between the giver and the recipient has been my only marketing. My clientele grows regularly through word of mouth or through large orders that were shared with others, who then became new clients. I believe my clients have remained with me and my sales continue to flourish because I pray over each person and each order, I sincerely respect and care for each client, and I am happy to go out of my way to accommodate their needs when possible. The product is delicious and sells itself, but the brand is to do happy things for others… dohappieZ.

Contact Info:

• Website: In development
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dohappiez/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dohappiez

Image Credits
I have rights to every photo provided