We recently connected with Brooke Kelbaugh and have shared our conversation below.

Brooke , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

In the beginning of 2020, like the majority of people, I found myself furloughed from my job. I was working at the Four Seasons in downtown Baltimore as a pastry intern for about 6 months. I’ve always found myself working in the hospitality and food industry, whether it be bartending, waitressing, or even cooking on the line at a private country club. When COVID hit, it really took a toll on my mental health.

The first few weeks were actually relaxing, but after a while, my mental and emotional health started to decline. Being in the kitchen is (and was) my happy place. It gave me a sense of purpose and I could shut off anything that was happening in the world when I stepped in the kitchen. Being taken out of my element was a very hard adjustment, and not being able to physically work was the hardest aspect for me to deal with. After a few weeks of being quarantined, I just started baking things out of my home kitchen. i would test recipes, try my hand at baking sourdough (like everyone else did ha!) and learned new skills.

The feeling of being productive helped immensely with my mental health. I would bake to keep myself sane and happy during such an unprecedented time. With all the baked goods I had whipped up, I would deliver them to friends and family in the surrounding areas hoping to bring a little sweetness to their day, especially during such a crazy time in the world. It not only made me happy, but it made other people happy, and that brings me so much joy. A couple months went by of being furloughed and I continued to bake and deliver treats to people. I was toying back and forth with the decision about going back to my job at the Four Seasons. In July of 2020, I got called back to work and did so for about 3 months, but this time I was working on the savory side of the kitchen, which I honestly did not en joy as much. I wasnt as happy as I previously was, and the job became monotonous and unfulfilling.

My boyfriend at the time, actually came up with the idea of starting the business. He said “well, you already have the custom base, and people know the quality of goods you make, so why dont you start charging people for them”. At first, I was VERY hesitant and shrugged off the idea abruptly. But then after sitting down and thinking about it, I decided to go for it. Covid was the perfect time to start a business- I had all the time in the world to think about every detail of the business- from the logo, website design, menu items, marketing strategy etc. Covid was a blessing in disguise and I was able to utilize all the time I was given and turn it into a positive experience.

I was absolutely terrified of starting a business because I had no idea where to begin- but for me, the best way for me to learn is to do it. I was never going to get a more perfect opportunity to launch this business.

Brooke , 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?

My name is Brooke and I’m a baker by day and cookie decorator by night. I’ve always found myself being drawn to the kitchen. One of my fondest memories is when I was about 4 years old, my mom would sit me on the counter as she would cook dinner and I would “help” her. From that day on, the kitchen has been a place of solice and cooking/baking is my therapy. My first kitchen job was a line cook at Caves Valley Golf Club back in 2012. I was working on the line during dinner services and feeding the members and guests of the club. I quickly transitioned into the pastry world at Caves Valley when a coworker broke his leg and was unable to come back to work. My head chef asked me to help in the pastry department and the rest is history.

I create custom decorated cookies for all occasions- from birthday parties, engagements, weddings, to baby and bridal showers, and every party in between. I also offer cupcakes and 2 signature cookies in addition to the decorated cookies. I think what sets me apart is that I’m a “one stop shop” for my customers. They can get cookies that not only look good but taste good as well AND other desserts to complete all of their party needs. When it comes to my clients, I try and really take the time to get to know them, what they want, and create an ongoing conversation throughout the entire design process. By being so transparent and open with my clients, I feel like I build a relationship of trust with them so that I can put them at ease and take the stress off of the party planning aspect.

I’m most proud of the book of business that I’ve built and the clientele that I have. I have multiple repeat customers that will come for me for baby showers and then the next year reach out for their baby’s first birthday. I really do take pride in the relationships that I build with my clients. That is what I enjoy the most about this business. Getting to see them face to face and them being able to see the person who makes their cookies. I think that is a very important aspect of this business because people only buy from who they like and who they trust.

I want potential clients to know that I really do truly care about the relationship I have with them. That is more important to me than the actual money. I always feel so honored and blessed to be a part of such special occasions in their lives and it really does bring me so much joy to be able to do so.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been packaging. When a customer orders cookies they have the option if they would like the cookies individually wrapped or not. If so, each wrapped cookie has a sticker of my logo on it. It also ensures that people will be talking about you at other parties and recommending you to friends and family. This is instant marketing and the easiest way for new people to find my page on instagram or reach out via email. If the clients dont want the cookies wrapped, I include business cards in the box so that people can take them home. Word of mouth has been a huge help in not only growing my clientele but ensuring repeat customers as well.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Honestly, I think my clients helped me build my reputation in this market. They are really the ones that are going out and promoting my business to their friends and family whenever someone has the need for cookies. This also goes back to the aspect of building trusting and long lasting relationships with my customers. Being super communicative with them via email is an important detail in the process in order to build a strong reputation

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brookiescookiesmd.com
• Instagram: brookies_cookies.co

Image Credits
Maria Linz Photography