Today we’d like to introduce you to Taishi Ligon.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I spent 22 years in healthcare as a dental practice administrator as well as the director of a dental assisting program at a technical college, and I did enjoy my job. My husband took a job in another city so we moved, and there wasn’t really a market for what I was doing previously in our new town. I took a ‘starter’ job so that I could decide what I wanted to do next, and was incredibly unhappy with this position. I took maternity leave from this job and, as my leave came close to ending, I decided to quit and bake as a side hustle until I found something I didn’t hate so much! I had always enjoyed baking and had previously made cakes occasionally for friends or family. Well the side hustle really exploded and I decided to do it as a full time job. I pivoted from cakes and decided to focus on custom cookies and I have now been making them for almost seven years. While it can be hard sometimes, I am very fulfilled and absolutely love what I do now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Business ownership is tough! Time is at a premium and there is never enough. Inflation is killer right now; my costs are absolutely soaring. Keeping up with the ever-increasing demands of social media is also difficult.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a custom cookie artist. I make decorated sugar cookies for events and holidays, and I also offer cookie decorating classes, as well as live ‘cookie photo’ events. Decorated cookies have become incredibly popular in the last five to ten years, and I wanted to take advantage of this phenomenon as I have always enjoyed creating things in the kitchen. The thing I am the most proud of is that I have created employment for myself; I have created a thriving business on my own! I also won a baking competition on Food Network and I’m pretty proud of that, too!
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Engaging with me on socials is always helpful! Social media has become the number one way to interact with a business and that is certainly true for me. @cookiejoysanangelo on FB and IG.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecookiejoy.com
- Instagram: @cookiejoysanangelo
- Facebook: @cookiejoysanangelo
