Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Peyton Cocco.
Katie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
At the end of 2019, I was laid off from my job in marketing and was trying to decide my next steps. Shortly after, the pandemic hit, and no one was hiring. Once the world started returning to normal and job opportunities were open again, I was pregnant with my daughter, and my priorities were shifting. I wanted the opportunity to be present in her life and have the flexibility to spend as much time with her as I wanted but wasn’t satisfied with not having any sort of career outside the home. Over time, I had received a lot of compliments on my baking, especially my cookies, and decided to try my hand at selling them. It started small with orders from mostly family and friends. But with the support of my family, I was able to dedicate time to farmers’ markets and other vendor events, where I started to gain a following and network with other small business owners. Over the past year, my footprint has gotten progressively bigger and I’m starting to make a name for myself.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business from the ground up is hard, and it takes time. There were plenty of weeks, especially in the beginning, that I didn’t have any orders. I definitely struggled with feelings of self-doubt and worrying this wasn’t the right path for me. I would go to events and watch vendors in the same category with long lines, and I was still fully stocked. Unfortunately, baking isn’t exactly a unique category to fall under and there is constant competition out there. Over time though, I obtained a following, and sometimes I would be the person with the lines. One of the key things that made a difference was offering samples. The free samples allowed me to showcase my talent without any obligation from the customer but, luckily, almost always coverted to a sale of one cookie or more.
It’s also hard sometimes because it’s not a steady paycheck. I could stop baking tomorrow, return to the office and have a 9-5 job to fall back on. But after losing my job, I felt like I was given a unique opportunity to start over, and I was able to decide what to focus on. My previous roles were in Customer Service, Workforce Management, and Marketing. I graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Retail Merchandising but never really had the opportunity to work in that field. And I missed it. By starting my own company, I’ve had the luxury of doing things my way and making the best decisions for me. It is definitely a goal for me to someday have my own storefront, and I think what I have learned in the past and what I’m learning along the way will be helpful when I’m ready to take the leap.
Working for myself has also given me a sense of freedom I hadn’t had before. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a young adult, and looking back; I realize now how that created larger obstacles for me growing up, throughout school, and starting my career. I struggled sitting at a desk all day without much variety in my day-to-day assignments. I was able to truly excel at tasks and projects that captured my interest but was easily discouraged when things didn’t make sense. I was frequently distracted and at times, felt like I wasn’t absorbing all of the information. I got good grades in school and positive reviews at work, so on the surface, it didn’t appear to be causing me any issues. But I felt like I had to push myself twice as hard to succeed and that resulted in a total burnout for me. The amount of effort it took for me to get through the workweek left me completely exhausted by the time the weekend came around, and I didn’t feel like doing much. Now that I work for myself, my efforts directly affect me. I still have deadlines to meet to fulfill orders or go to events, but I can work when I feel I’m in my strongest mind frame and able to concentrate. I can plan my tasks around what else needs to be done that day and when I’ll be able to focus. It’s easy to say you’re going to start your own business, but it takes a lot of hard to work to succeed. Some days are harder than others, and there are some roadblocks that might make me want to quit. But I am determined to take this opportunity to have the career that best fits me and my abilities.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Cocco’s Cookies?
My business specializes in large, quarter-pound cookies (I measure each one!) that are soft, chewy, and full of flavor. I have never been a fan of a crispy cookie; I think soft ones have a much better taste. I also always struggled to understand why people would make cookies, but they’d leave out a lot of the good stuff. Why make a chocolate chip cookie with only a few chocolate chips? There should be chocolate in every bite! I promise that when eating one of my cookies, every bite will be full of flavor. I also individually package every cookie. It allows the cookies to stay fresh longer, and if you bought more than you can eat, the cookies can be frozen in the packaging I provide for up to a couple of months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply take them out of the freezer and let them defrost for a few hours. The cookies will taste just as good as if you ate them on the day you bought them! I currently have a rotation of about ten different flavors available for purchase, but I’m always working on new ideas, so I expect my menu to continue to grow over time.
I am a home bakery, so I don’t have any storefronts at this time. But my cookies can be purchased on my website for pick up or shipment within Ohio. I also am at the Gahanna Farmers market monthly in the winter and weekly in the summer. I participate in other events throughout the year such as craft shows and makers’ markets. I also partner with several local businesses who stock my cookies on a regular basis. Leonard’s Coffee Roasting Co in Johnstown, Keller Market in Lancaster, Rittberger Market in Buckeye Lake & Zanesville, McGinnis Grill Food truck, and inside the Boutique in Bubbly Hall in New Albany are all places you can find them.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Starting over in a completely new field definitely came with feelings of being lost. My first event, I had no idea how to estimate how many people would come and made way too many cookies. I didn’t feel like I had someone who could completely help prepare me for what was to come because there are so many factors that contribute to how your day is going to go. Some days might be slower than others, there might be bad weather, or maybe there are a ton of other vendor events taking place across the city that you’re competing with. Marketing is crucial and you need to try different techniques to get your name out there. A previous manager of mine helped me understand the importance of patience. I have struggled with being patient my entire life, and I have had to remind myself that not everyone is on my timetable. It’s easy to want all of the good things to happen right away, and that will certainly boost your confidence. But what works best for you won’t necessarily work best for someone else, and it takes time and patience if you truly want to see results.
Participating in farmers’ markets and other vendor events has been key in my networking efforts. Nearly everyone I partner with is someone I met at an event or through someone, I met at an event. I may have a day of slow sales, but if I walk away with a wholesale contact or someone to collaborate with, that’s worth so much more in the long run. Small business owners like to support other small business owners because we’ve all had to start somewhere. I personally am a very introverted person, and I struggle with being the salesperson I need to be at times. I recognize that there will be people out there who aren’t interested in what I’m selling, and I’m told “no thanks” or more commonly, don’t hear back from them at all. It’s hard not to take things personally, but it’s part of the job. So, while those instances can be frustrating, every new opportunity that does arise is all the more exciting and appreciated.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.coccoscookies.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coccoscookies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coccoscookies
