We were lucky to catch up with Bailey Cooper recently and have shared our conversation below.
Bailey, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
When I was still in college I was pursuing a career in psychology, in my mind it was to help other people but what ended up happening was I finally started to understand my own mental health. Being raised by two small business owners taught me it was always better to work towards your own dreams rather than someone else’s, and I had many dreams, but no foundation on which to build those dreams. Why did I want to do those things? What was my driving factor? It wasn’t until I got into the mental health field and struggled with it, that it finally became clearer to me as well as my family members around me. I realized I only wanted to make people happy. I loved being the reason someone was able to smiler a little brighter or have a weight lifted from their shoulders. And while I was stressed at my job in mental health, I began to do what I called “stress baking”, where loaves of bread and dozens of cookies would magically end up all over my home. Making food brought me my own joy, so I decided to pursue that instead (with a little encouragement from my family). When the pandemic hit, I had no idea where my next paycheck was coming from. Within the first seven days of lock down I had gone through every emotion before finally settling on determination, I was no longer going to depend on someone else to let me pursue my purpose. That was when T&C was born, delivering cookies out of my apartment in order to make rent. From there everything took on a life of its own, and because of the foundation I built, it was able to flourish into what it is today. A family run, farm to table bakery. Where ingredients are clean, natural, and organic, and every dessert is made with joy in mind.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Treats & Chill is a brand I created that has evolved as I have evolved. What started as a little allergy friendly bakery out of my tiny apartment, is on its way to becoming something truly farm to table. The dream behind this business is to create a well rounded experience, from clean organic food, naturally dairy and gluten free products, fresh produce and flowers to one day experiencing the farm lifestyle at every stage. Currently, the bakery is growing and excited to experience its best season yet. I create limited edition boxes that can be shipped anywhere in the USA, everything is dairy and gluten free with seasonal vegan options as well so there is something for everyone. For example, if you are hosting an upcoming event and you have guests with allergy concerns, that’s where I come in. This little bakery has my heart and soul in it. Every dessert I make for a customer means one more day of doing what I love and supporting the goals for my family. Whenever I get the opportunity, I love to be out in my local communities meeting my customers face to face and building lasting relationships with them, because without them there is no T&C. If you would like to meet me in person, you can find me doing pop ups all over the city of Knoxville and surrounding areas. You can find any upcoming events or new menu items on my website.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
When starting a small business, I think the three areas I needed the most growth in were Marketing, Resiliency, and Public Speaking. I’m a bit of an introvert, so I needed to get very comfortable talking to lots of different people about my dreams, and sometimes that was in front of larger crowds. Being able to properly convey my goals is great in building a community and customer base. Marketing is one of those skills that’s extremely helpful, and one I’m always learning about. From photography to email marketing, it all holds a key to success for growth as a business. Lastly, resiliency is the biggest quality any small business owner needs. When I started my brand, I had no idea how many times I would have to pivot and bounce back in order to achieve my goals. Learning that just because something isn’t working doesn’t mean that my goal is not working, I just need to figure out what does work in order to succeed. That is an extremely important quality to have.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
That would be my mom. My entire family has been my rock and support system, but my mom is a shining star all on her own. She used to sell candles when I was young, and ran the family business alongside my dad, so she was full of knowledge to share when I decided to pursue entrepreneurship as well. When there are times I get no orders for weeks and wonder if I should take a step back, she’s the one that always gives me the tough love I need to remember why I am doing all this. She refuses to let me give up on my dreams, and there were times I could only move forward because of her faith in me. Treats & Chill is developing into a family run business, and while I’m still building it up from its baby stages, someday I am hoping to support any future goals my family has because they all did so much to help support my own goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.treatsandchill.online/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treats.and.chill/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treatsandchill2020
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@treatsandchillhomestead
