We were lucky to catch up with AUDREY PATSIGA recently and have shared our conversation below.

AUDREY, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I once owned an antique shop named Conversation Pieces and made these cookies for the shop’s refreshment bar to make shopping a little more sweet. I named them One Delightful Cookie for the expression it brought on faces. People go silent and raise brows. Sometimes, they say politely, ‘Oh, this is such a large cookie, I’ll share it.” 2 mins later, they’ll be laughing at themselves for finishing the whole cookie ALONE! These cookies bring so much joy and they make friends everywhere they go. Who doesn’t love a cookie? More importantly, a good cookie that brings a smile, and make my clients the hero of their event.

One Delightful Cookie is locally owned and made in small batches. I have a passion for cooking and community and have partnered with Habitat For Humanity, spcaLA, Cal State Long Beach, Long Beach Convention and Visitor Bureau, school sporting events and more. You can also have them delivered through GrubHub, Postmates, UberEats and Doordash in Los Angeles.

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

When the antique shop’s lease expired, I began a career in real estate and assumed everyone had forgotten about the cookies. Fast forward to Covid-19, the teachers in our community called “Audrey, I am so stressed up with learning to teach on zoom. I need those cookies from the store.” It started with the stressed teachers…. then food gifts to frontline workers…. at the height of it, it was get-well boxes, condolences boxes. I thought “People are going through so much and if the cookies can bring them joy, who am I to complain about baking?” More importantly, I wanted to show up for those in my community who had supported me.

That year, I shipped cookies for families celebrating faraway Thanksgivings, Christmases and birthdays. December 2020, it cycled back to condolence boxes. July 2021, when social distancing guidelines were relaxed, I catered to graduation, backyard birthdays, outdoor weddings and even lifeguard appreciation treats!

It was then, I realized I had something special going on.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

One Delightful Cookie started as an accidental bakery in 2016 and had been an on-off hobby-business until 2020. I was a reluctant foodpreneur. It is not an industry for the faint hearted.

However, when clients kept returning with happy stories, how the cookies made their hearts so full seeing their friends and families smile, how the cookies made them the hero of the party or turned a challenging meeting at work suddenly agreeable, I knew it was time to sit up and listen to the customers. Last Christmas, a group of LAX staff received a cookie from a passenger boarding a flight, shared it, tossed the wrapper, and then started to hunt me down for a box. It was the best Christmas story!

I deliberately paused social media to see how far word of mouth would take this and it convinced me to keep baking!

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

There are 4 key things that kept us in the hearts and minds of our customers.

1) Lean on your personal values. What values are most important to you? Knowing your values can help you identify the direction of your business that best aligns with your personal beliefs. I am not the speediest entrepreneur. I enjoy the journey, the interactions with my clients, continuously seeking feedback and making improvements to our product and service.

2) Know your strengths. What are your natural strengths and abilities? The kitchen is my happy place. I love feeding everyone in my path and I know how to make a good cookie that will make you smile. Let your natural abilities guide you and get help for the rest.

3) Have a purposeful business. We love the simple things in life and we love smiling faces! Finding purpose in your business is an ongoing journey that requires self-reflection, goal setting and a willingness to be open to new opportunities. By staying true to your values and strengths, you can create a business that brings both financial stability and personal fulfillment.

4) Old school priorities. Product quality and customer service are the critical aspects of my business. Treat customers with the utmost respect and go above and beyond to make sure they are satisfied with your service. Honesty and transparency go a long way in building trust with your customers.

By focusing on a good foundation of personal values, a quality product, transparency and exceptional customer service, you can build a loyal customer base and set yourself up for long term success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.onedelightfulcookie.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/onedelightfulcookie
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/one-delightful-cookie-long-beach

Image Credits
Image credit: One Delightful Cookie