Inspiring Conversations with Jackie Wood of The Sweet Shack

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Wood.

Hi Jackie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a mom to my 12 year old son, Liam, and a wife to my husband, Chase. I love all things leopard print, and I’m a Starbucks and True Crime addict. I originally started The Sweet Shack with dipped pretzels and peanut clusters (which I still offer), but I got started baking cookies by accident! I did not grow up baking, and it was not something I had ever enjoyed. However, I had the strange desire to bake cookies before Christmas a few years ago and made several different cookie flavors. Since there are only three of us in my house, I packed up some of the cookies for my family and sent some to work with my husband and my dad. The next day, my dad texted me that his coworkers were asking how they could buy the cookies for the holidays. I was shocked and confused! Buy them?! I called my sister, Jessica, who is a hobby baker, and asked her what to do. She told me to “quote them a price!” and that’s where I made my very first sale. My excitement was surprising to even myself. At that point, I began teaching myself to bake and found a passion for it. Since then, I have learned how to make bakery-style cookies, buttercream-decorated custom cookies, cookie cakes, brownies, and bars. I especially enjoy trying new recipes and coming up with new cookie flavors.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think being a business owner always has challenges. Sometimes, it feels almost like you are on an island by yourself. There isn’t someone to teach you how to be a business owner, and there isn’t a step-by-step written guide to teach you everything you need to know or do. Sometimes, you end up learning by accident or by making mistakes. On the other hand, many resources are available if you look for them. So far, my challenges have been overcome by seeking information from books, online resources, and other business owners. I’ve found that building relationships with different business owners has not only helped me to overcome feeling very isolated, but those relationships have also come with an incredible amount of knowledge and experience to help me when I have bumps in the road or encounter insecurities in my business.

Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us a bit more about your business.
I am a Home Baker specializing in buttercream-decorated custom cookies, bakery-style cookies, cookie cakes, brownies, and bars. I am best known for my buttercream-decorated custom cookies that look great and taste amazing. Few bakers make custom cookies in buttercream frosting, so it is important to me that I continue to hone my decorating skills, grow, and learn through online resources and courses. I love that my business allows me to work with customers through custom orders, Pop-Up events, and year-round holiday/seasonal cookie order forms. Having the opportunity to be a small part of someone’s special occasion through my cookies is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do as a baker.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The best lesson I’ve learned is that anyone else who does the same thing or something similar to what I do should NOT be viewed as competition or a “threat” to my business. Simply put, I cannot serve every single person in Kansas City, nor can they. I feel my energy is best spent doing what I do to the best of my ability and being a great cheerleader for other bakers. Getting caught up in the “comparison trap” is easy to fall into, but I’ve found that it can keep you from doing your best work and doesn’t serve a business owner very well. Keep your head down, work hard, and do your best!

Pricing:

• Custom Cookies Starting at $52/dozen
• Cookie Cakes Starting at $25

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesweetshackcookies
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesweetshackcookies