Twenty-two year old small business owner, Caroline Merryman, is one smart cookie.
The Lafayette native cultivated a long lasting and reputable market for the thick and gooey treats from Caroline’s Cookies. What began as a childhood infatuation, soon took off as a successful business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Merryman began baking in her parents’ kitchen as a way to kill time. She would distribute her baked goods to family and friends in their mailboxes; however, she soon realized that cupcakes and other baked goods would not uphold the same level of freshness during her distribution. Cookies soon became her only option.
It became evident through the community’s demand that this love for her product was beyond the comforts of those she delivered to. While her order demand increased, so did her passion to pursue her hobby. The resumption of college courses was the ultimate indicator of Merryman’s success.
“College was going to be around forever, but this business was happening now,” Merryman said.
Through her parents and community’s support, Merryman was able to open her first storefront in her hometown of Lafayette. Her attention to detail and yearn for perfected quality in each of her cookies has sustained since opening. Customers claim to love her unique flavor profiles, with a tribute to her original cookies that started in her kitchen. Four years later, she opened up her third location, two of which are located in Baton Rouge.
Merryman enhances her cookie market by updating popular flavor profiles to provide a fresh and exciting product for customers, members in the community and her employees. For each employee’s birthday, she allows them to pick out their own flavors.
“Creating a team and creating a safe space for all of my team members is crucial,” the small business owner said. “It was hard at first, but eventually I learned the importance of efficiency and quality control, and how to delegate work to other members of my team.”
It is evident through employee relations alone, that Caroline strives to embody the highest quality throughout the entirety of her brand. Mackenzie Robin, an employee, attributes Caroline’s Cookies success to the owner’s work ethic as a business owner.
“Caroline is not above any aspect of her business,” Robin says. “From baking the cookies, to business workshops, you can truly tell she cares for what she does.”
One inspiration to Merryman is Todd Graves. She believes the motto, “One Love” is seen by the quality in his products, his involvement with the greater Louisiana community and the effort he puts into his sole focus: chicken. Caroline aspires to uphold the same level of integrity, success and quality in her cookie company, much how Graves has.
“Having mutual respect for peers, having hands-on involvement in your product at all phases of the process and ensuring everyone is on the same playing field are what I have learned to incorporate into the business aspect of the cookie market,” Merryman said.
Merryman enhances her cookie market by updating popular flavor profiles to provide a fresh and exciting product for customers of members in the community. She says the incorporation of the community’s interests is one of her largest focal points in owning the business. Her flavor inspiration comes from walking down aisles in the grocery store to cook books to social media.
The local business owner is an inspiration to young individuals who are striving to pursue their hobbies as a career. Now that she has achieved this status, she has advice for young individuals who plan to do the same.
“Find your people, find your safe space and do not shy away from asking for help,” Merryman says. “Finding confidence in your brand or product is key and remember why you started.”
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