Mimi Council
Mimi's Cookie Bar
Photo credit: Vertucci Visual
We know you were a professional snowboarder growing up. Where did your love of cookies come from?
As a young athlete, you don't go to school a lot of the time. In fact, part of the reason I started baking cookies was when I missed school I would bake the teachers cookies. Teachers in my school had the ability to drop you if you missed class. It was a thank you and, sort of, a bribe for not dropping me. That was when I was in my teens, but, as a super young kid, I was the one that had that healthy hippy mom. We always had really healthy food and not many sweets around. In turn, I was always obsessed with anything dessert I could get my hands on. When I moved out on my own, I realized I could finally eat whatever I wanted.
How did that love of sweet turn into the cookie bar?
I was working at Roxy during a time of a lot of lay-offs. During the second round of lay-offs, I, actually, baked cookies that day to lighten the mood. We were all sitting around, eating cookies and someone shared that one of the pattern-makers had been laid off. When he was laid off, he got severance and said he would use it to start his own restaurant that he had been wanting to start forever. Everyone started pondering what they would do if they got laid off and starting a bakery just popped out from me.
As a young athlete, you don't go to school a lot of the time. In fact, part of the reason I started baking cookies was when I missed school I would bake the teachers cookies. Teachers in my school had the ability to drop you if you missed class. It was a thank you and, sort of, a bribe for not dropping me. That was when I was in my teens, but, as a super young kid, I was the one that had that healthy hippy mom. We always had really healthy food and not many sweets around. In turn, I was always obsessed with anything dessert I could get my hands on. When I moved out on my own, I realized I could finally eat whatever I wanted.
How did that love of sweet turn into the cookie bar?
I was working at Roxy during a time of a lot of lay-offs. During the second round of lay-offs, I, actually, baked cookies that day to lighten the mood. We were all sitting around, eating cookies and someone shared that one of the pattern-makers had been laid off. When he was laid off, he got severance and said he would use it to start his own restaurant that he had been wanting to start forever. Everyone started pondering what they would do if they got laid off and starting a bakery just popped out from me.
"Once you make the decision to do it, there are a million other things you are thinking about than the
initial fears. "
What were some of your biggest fears starting the business?
Putting in a ton of money. It's all money related; not being able to pay your rent or your employees. You just have to jump in and go for it. Some people don't have that mindset. I was young; I was 25. I just had the mindset that if it didn't work out, well, I would just get another job. Once you make the decision to do it, there are a million other things you are thinking about than the initial fears.
Baking day in and day out is exhausting. How do you stay passionate?
In the earlier days, it was just fun. For the first year, I worked in the bakery ever day by myself. I didn't have any employees or help. We never closed. We didn't want to be that kind of spot. We wanted people to count on us. At first, the passion came in from seeing the same people come in every week and then, eventually, every couple of days. Now, it's the cookbook. That allows me to express my creativity.
It sounds like you dedicate a lot to the cookie bar. How do you not get burned out?
I work a lot. If I don't get, at least, a little time away from here, it drives me crazy. I take one day off a week. Every other day, I wake up early and get in a workout. If I get my workout in every day, then I'm usually pretty good.
Putting in a ton of money. It's all money related; not being able to pay your rent or your employees. You just have to jump in and go for it. Some people don't have that mindset. I was young; I was 25. I just had the mindset that if it didn't work out, well, I would just get another job. Once you make the decision to do it, there are a million other things you are thinking about than the initial fears.
Baking day in and day out is exhausting. How do you stay passionate?
In the earlier days, it was just fun. For the first year, I worked in the bakery ever day by myself. I didn't have any employees or help. We never closed. We didn't want to be that kind of spot. We wanted people to count on us. At first, the passion came in from seeing the same people come in every week and then, eventually, every couple of days. Now, it's the cookbook. That allows me to express my creativity.
It sounds like you dedicate a lot to the cookie bar. How do you not get burned out?
I work a lot. If I don't get, at least, a little time away from here, it drives me crazy. I take one day off a week. Every other day, I wake up early and get in a workout. If I get my workout in every day, then I'm usually pretty good.
Photo credit: Vertucci Visual
Where does your inspiration come from?
Everything and anything. When I'm running, stuff just pops into my head. I don't know where it comes from. Other times, it's from food we've eaten or overhearing people mentioning things.
What advice would you share with other entrepreneurial-hopefuls?
Think about it. Sometimes people have passions and they're just passions. If you're a super social person, and you love your social life, I suggest not opening your own business. That will go away real fast. That's not me. For me, having my own business is awesome because I can just throw myself into it all the time. I like doing it. Otherwise, just be ready to work. If you don't like work, opening your business is going to be hard.
Everything and anything. When I'm running, stuff just pops into my head. I don't know where it comes from. Other times, it's from food we've eaten or overhearing people mentioning things.
What advice would you share with other entrepreneurial-hopefuls?
Think about it. Sometimes people have passions and they're just passions. If you're a super social person, and you love your social life, I suggest not opening your own business. That will go away real fast. That's not me. For me, having my own business is awesome because I can just throw myself into it all the time. I like doing it. Otherwise, just be ready to work. If you don't like work, opening your business is going to be hard.