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

Hi Frannie, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

If I could go back in time, I don’t think I would start my business sooner or later. For me, creating decorative cookies was a hobby to start. I had been watching so many videos on Instagram of cookies being decorated. Have you ever watched a sugar cookie get flooded (top covered in icing)? It can be quite soothing. To quote my eight-year-old, “It’s so satisfying”! So, I had been down the rabbit holes of different ways to decorate and wondered if I could do it on my own. My first set was for my daughter’s birthday. People seemed to like them. I got some positive feedback. My interest then went from the Instagram videos to blogs by people I was following. I began looking at different recipes for sugar cookie dough and royal icing. I thought about the texture I like and began trying a couple different recipes. To this day, the recipe I use for my vanilla sugar cookies remains based off a recipe I purchased and tried from Corianne Froese (@_cookie_couture). Corianne’s Instagram and blog are where I learned the most starting out. Feeling the success of a delicious recipe, my confidence began to increase. It was around eight months later when I finally posted my first presale. The presale brought me my first paying customers, some of whom weren’t even friends or family! Custom orders followed from there! I definitely wasn’t ready to start my business any sooner than I did. If I had waited longer, the timing of jobs related to my teaching career would have interfered with my availability to complete orders. When I began, I was teaching online and making my own schedule. I was able to plan cookies around teaching classes (and everything else in life). Having that flexibility was imperative to building my decorating skills and gave me space to take risks in trying new things. Now that I am back teaching in a traditional classroom, I am better able to manage cookies and teaching because of the foundation I was able to lay from the beginning.

Frannie, 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?

It’s no real surprise I’m a sugar cookie artist as I come from a long line of bakers. I grew up in a family where my mom made all of our birthday cakes growing up and my aunt is known for her delicious desserts. My sister has carried on the cake traditions in her own business as well. In June 2019, after countless hours of going down rabbit holes on Instagram and watching decorating videos, I decided to try and make cookies for my oldest daughter’s birthday.

As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, I wanted to keep learning and practicing. I made cookies for friends’ baby showers. I made cookies to send to my kids’ preschool. Many people enjoyed free cookies in that first year! After much encouragement from friends and family, especially my husband, I decided to take a leap and host a presale. It was Valentine’s 2020, and I remember being shocked that people ordered. Like, more than just immediate family and friends. Another presale followed for Easter, along with some special care packages for loved ones due to Covid restrictions. So, basically, it all started because I wanted to see if I could do something.

Holiday presales remain popular, but custom orders are where my baking heart lies. I truly believe any occasion is special and can be made sweeter. Birthdays are probably my number one requested order, with baby shower sets coming in second. But, man, do I love creating something that is being given “just because”.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Getting referrals from customers is the most special advertising I could ask for! I rely heavily on word of mouth and repeat customers. I love looking back on birthday orders and seeing milestone after milestone I have helped a customer celebrate with cookies. A comment I get often, and take a lot of pride in, is the taste of my product. Many customers can be quoted as saying, “Usually cookies like this don’t taste good, but yours do!” And sincerely, I appreciate it so much every time. I am always confident in the flavor of the cookies, from my standard vanilla to strawberry shortcake.
I also pride myself on getting to know new customers the best that I can. Each customer fills out an order request form with space to tell me as much (or as little) about the order as they want. If I have questions, I reach out and ask. I also make a point of being culturally inclusive with my designs. I believe taking this amount of care with an order, even if I’ve been given full creative reign, makes an impact on customers ordering again. Plus, there’s that whole saying about love being an ingredient. :)

I believe I am known for flavor variety (10+) and above and beyond customer service.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I genuinely put love into each and every order, and I believe that shows. Integrity is a guiding factor in my creative process. If I do not feel that I can give a customer’s order my best, I will decline and refer them to another baker. Representation, diversity, and inclusion are extremely important to me. I will ALWAYS account for race and ethnicity in my work, i.e. changing the skin color of an inspiration design or of the presale option I have pictured for your order.

Maintaining integrity, feeling like I’ve conquered a challenge or achieved a goal, and keeping my customers happy – those all combine to be the most rewarding aspect. I have told myself that if I feel one of those components slipping, it may be time to reconsider this whole cookie thing. Before making my first sale, I had a lot of apprehension about turning my creative outlet into a business because I didn’t want to lose my love for it. It is important to me that I enjoy creating each set because I know that’s when my best work comes out.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://thefranimalcookies.weebly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franimalcookies/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/franimalcookies

Image Credits
I took all images myself