We recently connected with Jessika Luyster and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessika, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?

My hero is my Mom. She is easily the strongest and smartest woman I know. She has worked hard for everything she has made for herself in life with zero complaints. Growing up she taught me to always believe in myself and that I can do whatever I put my mind to. She instilled in me to be strong, smart, and independant. Even at 36 years old I still value and look to her advice no matter how big or small my challenges may be. When starting Emma K Cookies, I was unsure and worried if others would see the value in my work. Since day one my mom has been my cheerleader. Ordering cookies even, when she didn’t ask for a family discount. Even going as far as to buying me more equipment when my business started to grow quicker than we expected. She has always been my supporter and because of that I have faith in my business and myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

First the name… I get called Emma all the time in emails, but I don’t correct customers because naturally people would assume the company is named after me. My name is actually Jessika and Emma Kaye is my grandmother whom I shared an amazing bond with. Being that my name is spelled with a K I thought it would be a nice way to add both of us in the name of the business. I like to call Emma K Cookies my “accidental” business. Before starting I was a Licensed Massage Therapist working in a spa, which I loved. I worked part time since I have 3 small boys at home and a husband who travels alot for work therefor making his schedule unpredictable. With having 3 small boys I found myself having to find someone to make fun and cute treats for birthday parties constantly! We have a birthday every other month in my house. So when my niece turned one my sister approached me and asked if I could try to make royal icing cookies for Abigails’ birthday instead of ordering from someone else. I have a small art back ground so figured why not try? My business really was a solution for a problem my sister and I were having. When I made my nieces cookies they were a hit. Next thing I knew I was being approached by friends and family asking if I could make cookies for their events and parties. I started researching and watching ALL of the Instagram videos I could having to do with baking and royal icing. I was completely unaware that there is a very large and supportive cookie community out there! Even more so the extent of what you can do with royal icing cookies. There are some incredible cookie artists out there such as Andi from KirkieKookies (check her instragram shes insanely talented) who make realistic portraits and you would have never know it was a cookie! From that point on I was hooked.
Within months of starting I began to purchase the big essentials in needing to run an At Home cookie business. My husband converted our finished basement into my own cookie room where I am able to have my own creative space to decorate & bake!
I think my whole journey from start to now (3 years), is really what sets me apart from alot of other people in this business and industry. It was a solution to my everyday life. I am able to be home full time with my kids. “Work” from home on my own time. If my kiddos have something come up I can be apart of that with them and still get my job done at the end of the day. I am in a creative element that I love and never knew was out there waiting for me.

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

My best source of new clients seems to be either word of mouth or when a future client has seen or had my cookies at an event they’ve been at . I couldn’t tell you how many times I am contacted and a prospective client says “you made so and so’s cookies” or ” you made my nephews cookies”. I would have to say 90 percent of the time when people contact me they mention 1. how they found me via. friends or family 2. which cookies I made for their friends and family or event.
I’ve built a great clientele and have customers who have been with me since day 1. There is a family I have worked with that I did their bridal shower cookies, wedding cookies, birthdays, baby shower cookies and now I am booked for their daughters first birthday. So I beleive my work shows itself by aquiring new clientele. And its great knowing that I am a small part of these BIG moments in peoples lives. Not only that I have developed friendships with some amazing people, because of it!

Have you ever had to pivot?

At the beginning when it was all new I was finding myself saying Yes to every order that came my way no matter how busy I already was that. I was on my computer constantly answering emails and messages. I felt if I wasn’t prompt I would lose that potential client. It took a real toll on things and caused added stress at home . I was working on orders day and night, constantly on my phone answering people back. And even though I was a work from home mom I hadn’t figured out that balance, which is truly important in running your own business and being a wife and mother. Once I acknowledge that it was Okay to say no, everything else seemed to fall into place. I had to pivot from always being “on the clock” to allowing business for only certain times of the days and weeks. That way nothing is missed or left neglected.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: EmmaKCookies
• Facebook: Emma K Cookies
• Other: email : EmmaKCookies @gmail.com

Image Credits
Alison Altrui : Christella Photography (image of the boys with me)

and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessika, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?

My hero is my Mom. She is easily the strongest and smartest woman I know. She has worked hard for everything she has made for herself in life with zero complaints. Growing up she taught me to always believe in myself and that I can do whatever I put my mind to. She instilled in me to be strong, smart, and independant. Even at 36 years old I still value and look to her advice no matter how big or small my challenges may be. When starting Emma K Cookies, I was unsure and worried if others would see the value in my work. Since day one my mom has been my cheerleader. Ordering cookies even, when she didn’t ask for a family discount. Even going as far as to buying me more equipment when my business started to grow quicker than we expected. She has always been my supporter and because of that I have faith in my business and myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

First the name… I get called Emma all the time in emails, but I don’t correct customers because naturally people would assume the company is named after me. My name is actually Jessika and Emma Kaye is my grandmother whom I shared an amazing bond with. Being that my name is spelled with a K I thought it would be a nice way to add both of us in the name of the business. I like to call Emma K Cookies my “accidental” business. Before starting I was a Licensed Massage Therapist working in a spa, which I loved. I worked part time since I have 3 small boys at home and a husband who travels alot for work therefor making his schedule unpredictable. With having 3 small boys I found myself having to find someone to make fun and cute treats for birthday parties constantly! We have a birthday every other month in my house. So when my niece turned one my sister approached me and asked if I could try to make royal icing cookies for Abigails’ birthday instead of ordering from someone else. I have a small art back ground so figured why not try? My business really was a solution for a problem my sister and I were having. When I made my nieces cookies they were a hit. Next thing I knew I was being approached by friends and family asking if I could make cookies for their events and parties. I started researching and watching ALL of the Instagram videos I could having to do with baking and royal icing. I was completely unaware that there is a very large and supportive cookie community out there! Even more so the extent of what you can do with royal icing cookies. There are some incredible cookie artists out there such as Andi from KirkieKookies (check her instragram shes insanely talented) who make realistic portraits and you would have never know it was a cookie! From that point on I was hooked.
Within months of starting I began to purchase the big essentials in needing to run an At Home cookie business. My husband converted our finished basement into my own cookie room where I am able to have my own creative space to decorate & bake!
I think my whole journey from start to now (3 years), is really what sets me apart from alot of other people in this business and industry. It was a solution to my everyday life. I am able to be home full time with my kids. “Work” from home on my own time. If my kiddos have something come up I can be apart of that with them and still get my job done at the end of the day. I am in a creative element that I love and never knew was out there waiting for me.

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

My best source of new clients seems to be either word of mouth or when a future client has seen or had my cookies at an event they’ve been at . I couldn’t tell you how many times I am contacted and a prospective client says “you made so and so’s cookies” or ” you made my nephews cookies”. I would have to say 90 percent of the time when people contact me they mention 1. how they found me via. friends or family 2. which cookies I made for their friends and family or event.
I’ve built a great clientele and have customers who have been with me since day 1. There is a family I have worked with that I did their bridal shower cookies, wedding cookies, birthdays, baby shower cookies and now I am booked for their daughters first birthday. So I beleive my work shows itself by aquiring new clientele. And its great knowing that I am a small part of these BIG moments in peoples lives. Not only that I have developed friendships with some amazing people, because of it!

Have you ever had to pivot?

At the beginning when it was all new I was finding myself saying Yes to every order that came my way no matter how busy I already was that. I was on my computer constantly answering emails and messages. I felt if I wasn’t prompt I would lose that potential client. It took a real toll on things and caused added stress at home . I was working on orders day and night, constantly on my phone answering people back. And even though I was a work from home mom I hadn’t figured out that balance, which is truly important in running your own business and being a wife and mother. Once I acknowledge that it was Okay to say no, everything else seemed to fall into place. I had to pivot from always being “on the clock” to allowing business for only certain times of the days and weeks. That way nothing is missed or left neglected.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: EmmaKCookies
• Facebook: Emma K Cookies
• Other: email : EmmaKCookies @gmail.com

Image Credits
Alison Altrui : Christella Photography (image of the boys with me)