Meet Brooklyn Ganga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooklyn Ganga.

Brooklyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
Brookies Cookies all started years ago in my Mamaw’s kitchen! I am 17 years old now, but I was once just 3 years old in my Mamaw’s kitchen baking the same sugar cookies I am now! I have always had a love and mind for owning and operating businesses. I have had many little businesses in the past, but just about 4 years ago, during Covid, I thought I would take a shot at a lifelong passion I have had! It was frustrating at first when me and my mamaw made cookies; they were tasty but they didn’t look the best decoration-wise!😂 I cried and cried on my first few practice batches of sugar cookies because I wanted this business so bad, but It was one thing after another I could never get the icing to go on right, the decorations looked terrible, I burnt the cookies, there were so many nights where it would take me 8+ hours just to do 12 because I wanted them to look absolutely perfect. Even though I knew something like this takes years of practice, I still didn’t totally grasp that because I was 13/14 at the time, and I wanted to start my business instantly. I took months of practice, and I got to the point where I knew I was good enough to start selling to family and friends. Prior to this, I loved to make tons of cookies for neighbors, friends, and family to pass out during holidays or just for fun! A couple of months later, I got my first real order from my aunt. It was a baby shower order, and since this was my first order, I was, of course, scared and wanted everything to be absolutely perfect! I worked on those cookies forever and took my time on them until I got every single one just how I wanted it to look! They looked amazing for my first order, and everybody absolutely loved them at the baby shower! This is when my business really started all through word of mouth! I knew that this was it, and I got so so excited! I got my logo professionally done by a graphic designer and, of course, got all the cute stickers and packaging made up! The word spread like crazy, and my business took off! I knew that I wanted to really make this a business, so I started up my LLC and got my license! This was a huge accomplishment for me to truly see how far I had come and know that I had really started my own business at just 15 years old! I got about 2 orders or so a week when I first started, and I was just amazed by how crazy people were going over my cookies! Know it is the talk of the town and everybody knows the name “Brookies Cookies”. I now bake hundreds and hundreds of cookies every single month, and I am beyond grateful for every single order I get and make! Something that sets me apart from other bakers is the fact that my cookies look amazing, but they also taste amazing! The recipe is a very old family recipe that has been passed down and has to be over 100 years old. It is the best sugar cookie you will ever try! Looking back, it is crazy to think that it all started in my Mamaw’s little kitchen 14 years ago! It took me years to get where I am now. I have grown so much, and I have learned so many new things every single day, even through the challenging days when I feel like giving up! I am so blessed and thankful to be where I am now, and I am so so grateful for all of my customers and everyone who has supported me along the way! 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was not hard getting to where I am, but it also wasn’t easy! I had to learn and grow throughout the process! There are so many new skills you have to learn when owning a business that you haven’t had to do before! Since I was only 15 or so I didn’t have a lot of background knowledge on having a bank account and operating a business. In the first few years and even now, you are still building up the business, which means you are going to have expenses upon expenses before you can make a profit. I had to learn how to navigate that and tell myself that it was ok that I was spending so much money on supplies because I was still starting up! Besides getting in the groove of owning a business and trying to figure out how to operate everything, another struggle would probably be trying to get better and practicing throughout the years! Like I mentioned before, it took years to get where I am now, and I am just amazed every day on how far I have come and to look back on pictures and videos on some of my first cookies ever it really encourages me to just keep going and reach more goals! Something else I have learned throughout the years Is “practice makes progress” and that couldn’t be more true in the cookie world! 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do decorate vanilla sugar cookies! They are the best sugar cookies you will ever try because they are so soft and have the most delicious vanilla taste!🤤 I am known for having beautifully decorated cookies that also taste amazing! I think that is hard to come by these days because sometimes cookies look absolutely amazing, but they do not taste the best. I deliver the best of both worlds to my customers! Something else that sets me apart from other bakeries is my pricing and the connection I have with my customers. Compared to others around my prices are very low! Those are 2 of the most things I get feedback on. I never want to price people out and make people pay an outrageous amount for baked goods! I am always making sure my prices are fair because I want everyone to have the chance to buy my cookies! I am always getting compliments on the connection I have with my customers, too! Yes, I own a business, but I do not want it to feel like that. Most businesses, for example, you get invoiced for a cake, you pay for the cake, pick it up, and it’s over. Brookies Cookies is not like that! The connections that I have made with my customer base is amazing! I am always going above and beyond in any way I can even if it means losing money from that order! I am not in it for the money, but rather, I just love what I do, and I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they get their cookies! It’s the best ever! I am also always checking in on customers, telling them Happy Easter, Happy Birthday, whatever it might be! I believe a connection like that really builds a very strong foundation to a business and I will continue to pursue that! I am so grateful for every single one of my customers! 

What makes you happy?
My business truly makes me happy! I get home from school every day, and I cannot wait to get in the kitchen and make every single order to receive! Even if I am on a break or don’t have any orders that day, I am still in the kitchen baking something else! I can and will never get away from the kitchen! It is truly my happy place!�� 

Pricing:

• Sugar Cookies ($42/dozen)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookiescookies_llc?igsh=MXFmOG5kcHloeWExbg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089794082157&mibextid=LQQJ4d