Image Credit: K Photography
Today we’d like to introduce you to Sadaf Saiyed.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sadaf. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a 100% accidental baker. I don’t have that story, which you most often hear from bakers that they grew up watching their mom or grandma baking and fell in love with it. They only thing I loved to bake in my adult life was chocolate chip cookies and some very occasional baking of coffee cakes etc. The very first time I made sugar cookies was for my niece’s 2nd birthday (she is now seven). Though I loved making those, I was a new mom myself at the time & life was happening. Fast forward to about a year ago (and three kids later) when I made another set of sugar cookies for my sis-in-laws Baby Shower, I received a lot of compliments from family and friends. Some of them even encouraged me to take it a step further and start taking orders.
I didn’t know much about the business aspect, but over the years, I had watched a ton of YouTube videos, followed blogs and some cookiers on Instagram, which helped me in gaining a lot of knowledge and create muscle memory. I was not scared of learning new things or working hard because that is something I grew up with and seeing my father work hard all his life and still is, watching my mom work tirelessly to keep all 4 of her kids on track with everything in life. And then my husband of 10 years, who continues to amaze me with his work ethic. With a lot of help from my husband, we came up with a business name and a logo. I took my first official order on May 1st, 2019. And I’ve busy since then.
I am so thankful for all those who put their trust in me at the very beginning of it all and continue to do so. There isn’t one cookie that I don’t give my 100% to and always try my very best to put forth something that my customers will be pleased with.
Great, 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?
Even though I knew the basics, I still had a ton to learn and continue to do so. I am so glad that there is a cookier community out there. We learn from each other, ask questions and help each other in any way possible, which has made this journey so much better. I have changed my cookie recipe a few times along the way and feel like what I have now is working best for me.
My main struggle at the moment has three kids that are six & under and getting my orders done around them. Luckily my husband is self-employed and works from home. He jumps in when I feel like I am swamped and have to finish the orders in time. I also have to plan every single thing I do by dedicating a day for baking, a day for preparing icing and then finally getting to decorate the cookies, which is my favorite part of it all. A lot of times I work late at night when it’s just me and my cookies. Doing this from home is a great thing but also a struggle in a way because I am constantly in the kitchen either for personal chores or orders & constantly cleaning to make sure everything is sanitary.
Please tell us about Cookie Inspired.
When my husband and I were trying to come up with a name, he suggested “Cookie Inspired” and I felt like it was a perfect name. Perfect because, unknowingly, I was getting inspired watching all those YouTube videos of cookiers baking and decorating for quite some time. True to the name, I continue to be inspired by other cookiers and always try to give credit whenever I create something inspired by another cookier.
I make custom decorated sugar cookies for any and all occasions, birthday, baby shower, bridal shower, wedding, corporate logo cookies, adoption celebration, sports, seasonal etc and the list goes on.
I also make “Hunk of a Chunk” chocolate chip cookies. These decadent cookies are made with three different chocolates and a few secret ingredients. Customers love to order them “just because” most of the time but I’ve made them for events and gifts as well.
On certain holidays I offer to Decorate Your Own Cookie boxes. They come with plain cookies and a variety of colored icing and sprinkles. Customers love those as they can take them home and have fun creating their own masterpiece & memories with their loved ones.
Along with all this, I also enjoy creating “cookie inspired” apparel. I am in the process of hiring someone local to make them for me, so I also get to support another local business as well.
In the future, I hope to be able to teach others, who either want to learn to decorate cookies to start up their own business or just for fun with family/friends.
I want everyone to know when they order from me. They will receive something that is unique and I will always give my 100% to every order. I want them to know when they order from me; they are not only supporting a local small business but also a mom who is searching for self identity in the midst of giving her all to 3 happy & healthy kids. Baking is a way for me to elope from the craziness of day to day life. Last but not least, every time I bake I get to make a small prayer and cherish memories of a dear friend who recently passed away. She was a great baker and it wouldn’t be untrue if I say she did her part influencing the desire of baking in me. She would have been proud of me taking this to the next level. We all need to constantly remind ourselves that life is short, enjoy it to the fullest and take a plunge into whatever it is that makes you happy.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I was born and raised in Pakistan. We moved to the US when I was 15. My favorite memory was to travel around the country during our summer vacation, making stops for food and enjoying those precious days with our cousins, aunts and uncles.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cookieinspired.com
- Email: contact@cookieinspired.com
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