PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Tracy Watkins By Mimi Zelman
How did you get started in this business? I started my business in 2004 after I had been laid off from Burlington Industries in 2002 where I worked as a plant engineer for 11 years. I had a daughter with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy in 1997 and she was starting kindergarten in 2002 and I needed a job that would allow me to have a flexible work schedule. I had a friend encourage me to take a few classes to learn how to decorate sugar cookies for cookie bouquets. I had baked growing up and loved art. So it started as a hobby. I was selling my cookies at the farmers market with another friend who makes specialty breads. My farmer’s market friend was delivering bread to the Dean and Deluca at Philip’s Place and called to say they needed some specialty cookies like mine. I brushed it off and did nothing, but she called me again in two weeks. So I dusted off my business attire and went to sample my hand-iced sugar cook- ies. I was able to start selling my cookies wholesale to Dean and Deluca at Philip’s Place at least once a month and more during
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the holidays. I have been doing so since that time. I have sold to other places wholesale also since that time. I have also sold my cook- ies through my website and ship anywhere FedEx can carry them. My husband has always been very supportive and when he lost his job in February 2011, it gave us the opportunity to open our own bake and coffee shop. We now have more than just the hand-iced sugar cookies. We offer a wide variety of baked goods from the “Bouji” cheesecakes in 13 flavors, to the various cakes, brownies and house cookies. The cheesecakes are offered in five local restaurants. Everything we offer makes a nice selection for any event.
What is your background? what were you doing before this business? My background was in engineer- ing. I actually have a degree in electrical engineering from Clem- son University. I worked for 11 years as a project manager and plant engineer. So I supervised crews of electricians, carpenters, mechanics, havoc mechanics, etc for several years as well as handled
Connect and Grow With Women In Our Community million dollar capital projects.
I also worked as a volunteer for several years with now Easter Seals UCP of North Carolina in various capacities. I started out as a parent volunteer, and worked my way up from president of the John and Carol Belk Children’s Center parent Group to member of the state Board of Directors for then UCP of North Carolina. Be- ing involved with other parents of children with special needs really helped me heal and learn to be- come an advocate for my daugh- ter.
What is a good early story about your business? I think the best early story about my business was the one where God gave me the push to start sell- ing wholesale to Dean & Deluca. Laleh Dalili was the bakery manag- er at Dean and Deluca at the time and she was wonderful to give me the opportunity to sell my product to them as a local vendor. I wish that more companies would do the same. Even when their corporate
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