Hidden Gems: Meet Karsen Kolnicki of Cookies By Karsen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karsen Kolnicki.

Hi Karsen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi, y’all! My name is Karsen and I have a cookies business called Cookies By Karsen. Growing up in Chicago, my dream job was to be a “singing chef,” a job title I made up at the age of 5 because it was a combination of my two favorite things: music and baking.

I’ve always had the biggest sweet tooth and would use any excuse to bake cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and any delicacy under the sun (as long as it contained sugar). I used every birthday, holiday, graduation, and anniversary as an excuse to bake cookies for the people in my life. I started baking custom cookies for any special moment in the lives of my friends and family because it gives me so much joy to make someone happy when they receive cookies that are personalized just for them.

When I graduated from college at UCLA and moved to Nashville, I used cookies as a way to bring people together, and meet friends in a new city. With the help of some amazing friends, I realized I could make my hobby of baking cookies into a business. Being able to send custom cookies around the world and make others’ days a little sweeter, is the most rewarding feeling.

Since starting my official business, Cookies by Karsen, in January 2022, I have been overcome with happiness from the love and support I’ve received from my friends, family, and community. I truly wouldn’t be able to continue doing what I love without this.

Whether you’re hosting a party, sharing with friends, or giving as a gift, get custom cookies to make your event even more special.

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?
One challenge I have had along the way is time. I work a full-time job in Marketing during the day and dedicate my evenings and weekends to baking, decorating, and delivering cookies. It was hard to adjust to making cookies as a business, not solely for fun. The road was far from easy and the amount of times I stayed up all night in the first month was taking a toll on me.

In any venture, getting started is the hardest part. I am the type of person who wants to make everyone happy and I set some unrealistic standards for myself. I promised the lowest prices and the fastest turnaround times to finish orders which brought great business. But, looking back, I didn’t give myself time to adjust to running a business and all the formalities that came along.

I pushed myself hard in those first few weeks and didn’t show myself the same love that I preached to others. I remember one night when I was overwhelmed about four dozen custom orders and was feeling the pressure of not wanting my cookies to be less than perfect (an expectation I set that wasn’t humanly achievable). My roommate, Claire, was the first to see I was struggling and offered to do anything she could to help.

The next thing I knew, two more of our friends showed up, ready to help in any way, even if it just meant keeping me company while I worked into the night. They showed me it was okay to ask for help and I was overcome with gratitude that my friends would drop everything to help because they believed in my dream as much as I did- and that’s the most incredible feeling, and one I cannot even put into words.

Although I’m still growing and adjusting, I’ve realized that Cookies by Karsen isn’t an individual endeavor. There is so much love and support behind each cookie, thanks to the wonderful people around me.

The pride my friends and family have for my business gives me the confidence that no matter what the next obstacles coming my way are, I have an entire team to help get me through it and I could not ask for more.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My name is Karsen and I started baking cookies as a way to bring people together over my favorite treat! Custom made in Nashville, TN, Cookies By Karsen offers made-to-order cookies, made just for you. With the help of some amazing friends, I’ve been able to grow and make my hobby of making days sweeter, into a business.

Whether you’re hosting a party, sharing with friends, or giving as a gift, get custom cookies to make your event even more special. With all the different shapes, sizes, and designs no task is too hard, so dream big! The aspect of my brand that I’m most proud of is that we make custom cookies at the lowest rates and ship them across the country with a turnaround time of just days.

Whether custom or seasonal cookies, I am so happy to be able to share my favorite food and make the lives of others a bit sweeter, one cookie at a time.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
That growing a business doesn’t happen overnight.

It is a process and just like anything that is worth it in life, it takes hard work to see the reward. It’s easy to be caught up in the work, trying to make everyone happy which makes it even more important that you take time to check in with yourself, and show yourself the same forgiveness, compassion, and empathy that you would anyone else.

It is a learning process and as long as you continue showing up every day and trying your hardest through the little and big victories, you are succeeding.

Pricing:

• 1/2 Dozen Custom Cookies = $20 (GF available)
• 1 Dozen Custom Cookies = $40 (GF available)
• 2 Dozen Custom Cookies = $70 (GF available)
• 3 Dozen Custom Cookies = $120 (GF available)
• 4 Dozen Custom Cookies = $160 (GF available)

Contact Info:

• Email: cookiesbykarsen@gmail.com
• Website: cookiesbykarsen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookiesbykarsen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cookiesbykarsen/