Meet Mik Nuzzi

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mik Nuzzi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mik, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
When I was younger and would be asked which traits I enjoyed about myself, my confidence was a standard answer. I have my parents to thank for instilling that confidence in me at a young age. They always encouraged me to try new things, share my interests with others, and engage in group settings. So at a young age, I enjoyed speaking to a group, presenting a topic, or sharing something special or important to me. I really knew I had strong confidence within me when I eagerly signed up for my 2nd-grade talent show with singing as my talent. In fact, I am not a very good singer, but little Mik did not care about that. No, she was happy to put on a show and sing her favorite song then. Complicated by Avril Lavigne. I even got my ears pierced for the occasion. I would knock their socks off with my vocals and brand-new earrings!! That performance is my core memory, and I remember having so much fun too. I think back on it in my moments of self-doubt or nervousness. I channel that 2nd-grade Mik energy and put that into anything I am working on, whether it’s a presentation or creating digital content. Having confidence, AND having fun, is vital. As long as you’re having fun with your objective, you will exude confidence and strong self-esteem, quickly engaging your audience! Thank you to my parents for all that encouragement because, without it, I am not sure I would have gained the confidence I have now as an adult! It’s been a critical trait as an entrepreneur!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
For those unfamiliar with the cookie world and Mik & Cookies, let me share more about my journey and what’s next for my adventure! In 2017, curiosity and confidence led me to casually pick up a piping bag when I hosted a Halloween party. After that, thoughtfulness to detail and the joy of creating cookies for others sparked further interest in starting a cookie business. In 2018, just 6 months after my very first decorated cookie, my confidence and adventurous attitude led to the start of Mik & Cookies®. That led me to the magical world of sugar art.
Since beginning my cookie business, I have found myself as an artist and developed my style and purpose. I love whimsical designs and finding creative ways to have fun with cookies. I started my business with custom cookie offerings, but my business model has evolved over the last 5 years. Today, I offer private cookie classes and digital courses. I also create content to inspire people, regardless of age, to have fun and do what they love. Most days, I can be found in the kitchen, spreading joy and making magic with cookies!

But when I am out of the kitchen, you’ll find me on the road enjoying another passion — vintage neon signs. I celebrate vintage neon signs by creating cookie replicas as a form of appreciation and preservation.
With the belief that if you’re not in awe, you’re not paying attention, I bake with a purpose: to inspire people to be thoughtful, curious, confident, and adventurous.

This year I am focused on continuing my adventure across the country, making cookie signs and landmarks to share with my audience. I love sharing the history and art of vintage and neon signage. There is so much art out there that we are losing to remodels and LED replacements. My cookie signs preserve these lost forms of art! I aim to reach 100 cookie signs and then find a way to display the collection in a gallery or book format. It’s been a 2-year long passion project that has led me to many familiar and new places; I don’t see it ending anytime soon! But I am looking into ways to make the cookie signs a profitable project. That is a big priority and focus for future plans!

I am also remodeling our detached garage to be a kitchen/studio for cookie production! Very exciting! This will open the doors for cookie sign commissions and retaking cookie orders, something I have missed. I am excited to return to my cookie roots, bake for my community again, and continue focusing on my cookie sign passion project!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Confidence, curiosity, and an adventurous attitude have been most impactful in my cookie journey. You only know how much you can accomplish, big or small, if you get out there and see for yourself. I was curious about all the techniques and was entirely self-taught when it came to cookie decorating. If somebody requested a style/technique I had yet to try, I would never let my fear of failure allow me to reject a request. I took new requests as an opportunity to be adventurous and try and learn! Doing that also helped me improve as an artist, confidently develop my cookie style, and determine my preferred techniques and style. Nowadays, there are techniques and styles that I don’t necessarily choose, but I at least know how to execute them because I have tried them before. Showing up for yourself and doing your best is how you will develop the skills to further your artistic or entrepreneurial journey.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I get overwhelmed, which happens often, I will take a step back, look at the overall situation, and break it down into bite-sized tasks. My favorite strategy is utilizing post-it notes. I will write a single task/objective on a post-it note. A long to-do list can feel daunting, whereas a post-it task reminder feels more approachable! For example, when I have a digital content project, the steps are recording content, organizing content, researching the topic and writing a script, editing video content, recording voice-over, and posting. I write each task on a post-it note, and as I go through the process, I will crumple each post-it and toss it as a form of celebratory completion! I feel more organized and less overwhelmed when I break down my tasks this way. It may just be me, but I always recommend this method to people with mile-long to-do lists. Another way I calm myself down in overwhelming moments is to step away from the task. Most times, taking 5 minutes or a whole day to focus on something else will snap me out of my overwhelmed state of mind and leave me clear-minded to jump back into my tasks. Sometimes all we need is a pause and mental reset!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
all photos owned by mik nuzzi, mik & cookies

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Confidence
Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and

Resilience
Ignoring the Naysayers

Almost everything that’s changed the world in a positive way has been an unreasonable idea.

Leadership Development
What were the conditions that allowed you to develop your empathy?

“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” – Mohsin Hamid We believe