Meet Susan Brooks of Cookies from Home

I love it when women set their minds to achieving their goals and actually do it!  Susan is an inspiration and I’m thrilled to introduce her to you!

Q: What is your name, the name of your company and when did you start it?

A: Susan Brooks, founder and president of Cookies from Home, which opened its doors with the sweet aroma of freshly baking cookies on Halloween day, 1981.

Q: What was the motivation behind your company?

A: More than a cookie store, my vision was to provide a unique and delicious gift-giving experience, offering the best homemade cookies on the planet with knock-your-socks-off presentations.

Q: How long did it take you to earn a profit from your business?

A: It took three years to be profitable. The lesson here is to know every cost, every margin, every tax, every single penny that is part of producing a product or service.

Q: What significant obstacles (if any) have you faced & how did you overcome them?

A: The greatest challenge was learning how to balance my time and energy. I still haven’t figured out how to be in two places at one time, but I work on this every day! For years, I felt like ‘stretch monster’, growing my business and my family all at the same time. The stress became unforgiving. I realized, in the nick of time, that first, I needed to take care of ME. Otherwise, I would have nothing left to give to others.

Q: Did you ever feel like just giving up at times? If so, what keeps you going?

A: Giving up simply was never an option. I had responsibilities, obligations, and, more importantly, I was committed to the intention and integrity of Cookies from

Home. After 30 years, I still see myself as a learner, knowing that every day,

I still discover new and better ways to serve my team, my customers, and the marketplace.

Q: What qualities (i.e., family support, discipline, time management) do you think are necessary for a women entrepreneur?

A: A female entrepreneur must be brave and confident in her mission to serve. Boundaries are also very critical: knowing when to say yes, and, more importantly, when to say no. A positive presence is a must at all times.

Q: What is the one thing (book, website, coach, tool, blog, service, etc) that you value and can say has contributed to your success?

A: My Grandmother contributed to my success, both when I was a little girl and as a grown woman. Sometimes she believed in me more than I believed in myself. She was considered ‘the matriarch’ in her field of interior design, and was a pioneer as a working woman. Her lessons on business and, more importantly, on service, inspire me every day … still.

Q: What is your favorite quote, saying, Proverb, or scripture?

A: “Many demolitions are actually renovations.” – Rumi, a 5th century Persian poet, who obviously knew the timeless relevance of these words.

Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in business or thinking about taking the leap into entrepreneurship?

A: I receive calls from entrepreneurs almost every day. I hear their passion, their optimism, their dreams. Yes, these are necessary ingredients for success, but being grounded in the reality of what it takes to open and grow a business is critically important.

Knowing what you are ‘really selling’, being clear on the vision of how you can serve better than anyone else in the current marketplace, and having deep enough pockets to carry you through the growth spurts and economic challenges will often stretch your talents and skills to the limit. Being brave and resourceful wins this game!

Q: What are a few goals for you or your business this year?

A:  My goal is to continue to create Cookies from Home as the cookie and gift of choice! We rest on no laurels. Even though we have received national recognition for our product and service, we are always pressing the boundaries in an effort to bring more joy to more people.

Just four months ago, we introduced our Gluten-free, Gratefully! cookie lineup to tearful Celiac disease sufferers who couldn’t thank us enough for providing a sweet treat that tasted oh, so good! My goal is that a year from now, we can introduce a sugar-free cookie to serve diabetics.

After all, shouldn’t everyone have the privilege of savoring a delicious Cookie from Home???

BIO:  Realizing that my high school English students were my first customers, I created curriculum for them that would serve their specific needs. This was the first insight that ignited my entrepreneurial spirit. It wasn’t more than a year later that I followed my dream to make the world a better place with the best chocolate chip cookie on the planet … and this was back in 1977.

Wally Amos was just cranking up his ovens on the west coast, just like I was on the east coast. Many have come and gone since then, unfortunately. But, here I am … still.

I now live in Scottsdale, Arizona with my husband and business partner, Barry. We are the parents of two grown children and are the more-than-proud grandparents of five. At the moment, I have the privilege of attending birthday parties, going to piano and dance recitals … and ice skating. Being a grandparent is the best job ever!

I consider myself a champion of women’s causes and an advocate for women in business. Cookies From Home’s (www.cookiesfromhome.com) charity of choice is Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), providing emergency shelter and services for homeless men, women and children. And, as a way of honoring my Grandmother and others like her, we always look first to fill our employment opportunities with those who may be isolated and living on limited means … offering extra “dough” and new-found friendships to more than 100 Grandmas (and Grandpas too!) over the last holiday season.

I’ve also traveled down a parallel path of my own via “Serves You Right!” (www.servesyouright.net) as an author, speaker, coach and columnist, writing a monthly business column for the Phoenix Business Journal for 10 years and publishing Serves You Right! The Ins … the Outs … Great Customer Service in 2004. A portion of the book’s proceeds benefit the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Scholarship Fund.

Susan is absolutely incredible!! She’s a woman who truly cares about her community and her customers.  Thank you Susan for giving us an insight into your world…we are truly blessed!

That’s it for now.  Until next time…wear your heels well!

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