We were lucky to catch up with Tyrell Russell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tyrell, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
The Kookie Box is different because it’s birthed from imagination. We have great kookies, BUT, our impact on the minds of young people is what makes us even greater. We use our main character, Chippy, to impart values and inspiration to everyone who crosses his path.
Tyrell, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Tyrell Russell and I’m a dreamer and an avid food-lover. I started The Kookie Box as a way of honoring many of the cooking traditions that were passed down to me from my grandparents and my mother. In entering the food industry, I was met with endless possibilities. After careful consideration, I choose cookies (I call them “kookies.”) because they were a way for me to make something compact while still exploring different flavor profiles.
The route that I took with “kookies” also speaks to my love of traveling. Through the years, I’ve created kookie concepts that mimicked some of my favorite desserts and dishes across the world. After being blessed with opportunities to travel, and discovering just how transformative and enriching world travel can be, I wanted my audience to experience some of my main takeaways, the foods and robust flavors.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The huge pivot for me was starting my business and deviating from years worth of education. Since the age of 12, I had been studying hard sciences like biology, chemistry, and physics. I even graduated with a degree in Biology. My plan, since youth, was to become a doctor. As I dug deeper into my interests and started becoming a lot more honest with myself, I discovered that entrepreneurship and food were passions I’ve help as far back as I can remember.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn wanting to make everything look polished as if I didn’t start from square one. At a certain point, I became so obsessed with curating perfection and dazzling imagery, that I lost the heart of the company. The fun, for me, was the creative process, fumbling and starting again until I got it right. That, for me, is what I’m realizing is more captivating and honest.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thekookieboxco.com
- Instagram: @thekookieboxco
- Facebook: The Kookie Box
Image Credits
Product Photos: @danielleimagery Illustrations: Samuel Bello