We were lucky to catch up with Michelle McCants recently and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, 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?

Well I got laid off from my job during Covid and I was waiting for unemployment to kick in. Made some cookies for some friends that came in town and they loved them so much they ordered more and then they told someone else and then they told someone else and the rest is history.

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

Well let me try to make this short in 2020 when the world was in chaos due to the pandemic I lost my job and did not know what I was going to do for money. I started with making some cookies for a friend that was in town and before she left she asked me to make more to take back home to her family. Within a week i had five more orders so I started posting pictures of the cookies on Facebook and Instagram. After doing that people started asking me how much for a dozen and do i ship. I had not even thought about starting a cookie business even though I always wanted a pastry shop since I was younger. I did not know that first thing about owning and operating a business i did not know how to register your business or anything. So after much consideration I decided to take that leap of faith and trust God and start my cookie business Kookie Kartel. Kookie Kartel is a gourmet cookie company that is committed to serving up delicious goodies and providing quality products to all of our customers . Kookie Kartel goal is to provides a delightful baking experience by inspiring a culture of pride, excellence and satisfaction. We have everything from the classic Chocolate Chip to the decadent Crème Brûlée we have something from the child at heart like Circus Animal Cookie. We strive to put a smile on your face and joy in your heart through our cookies. What sets us apart from all the millions of cookie companies is that we love what we do and we really love of customers it’s not about the money it’s s about making someones day a little brighter. We want people that not only love cookies but we want cookie connoisseur people that know what a delicious cookie is. I am most proud that when I had some medical issue i did not throw in the towel and give up on my business I kept grinding.

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

In the beginning of the start of my business I was diagnosed with heart failure. So when someone that was in their right mind may have said i need to throw in the towel i decided to fight. I have to wear a life vest for 6 months which pretty much is a wearable defibrillator. I told my doctor that I was going to do everything in my power to get out of that vest and to get the discussion of a pace maker off the table. When I went back six months later I was no longer in heart failure my heart had strengthen back to normal and the vest was gone and a pace maker was no longer needed.

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

I think when you can provide excellent customer service and consistent product customers will continue to keep coming back for more. I believing in making each of my customer to feel like I have know them all of my life no one is a stranger you are apart of the Family (The KarteL)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kookiekartel.com
• Instagram: @therealkookiekartel
• Facebook: therealkookiekartel
• Twitter: @kookiekartel