This was (& still is) a nerve-wracking journey, but I started my own cookie side business :))) It took me a lot of coaxing and encouragement from my friends, and I'm really glad I've started it :) 
It's always been something that I've always enjoyed. During my uni days, baking was my number 1 stress buster. I'd often go on a jog and somehow ended up in the TESCO nearby, and going home with lots of butter.
(Butter was cheap in the UK, and my electricity was covered in my rental so I went all out with baking)
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| Another reason why I baked often - I kept getting extra lemons when I order online |
I went on a long baking hiatus after I started my first job. Thanks to MCO, I started picking up baking again. Baking kept me sanity in check during MCO, as it gave me a strong drive & sense of purpose - I wanted to improve my baking. To find out why certain baked goods of mine failed miserably. To learn how to troubleshoot my cookies that are overly flattish.
I bought a brand new Kenwood stand mixer and it was one of my best purchases for the year 2020. I wrote a blog post on how to choose a stand mixer, as well as created an unboxing video if you're interested!
I enjoy sharing my baked goods with my friends and family, simply because food is best when shared. Besides, I can't finish one whole cake/a whole batch of cookies on my own :p It always brings me joy to see friends and family enjoying my baked good :) Whenever my friends are down, I'd love to send some baked goods to cheer them up.
However, I was consumed by insecurities. I've always felt that my baked good isn't "good enough". And I was always doubting if feedback from my friends are true feedback or just compliments they pay because, well they're my friends.
Starting a side business is one of my goals for 2021, and starting a business to sell my baked goods is TOP on the list. Obviously, it was Insecurities 1 and Side Business 0 at the start of the year. I couldn't get myself to overcome my insecurities.
So what happened? Did my insecurities just go, poof! into thin air? Nah. Trust me it's still there, looming large, all over my head.
It all started on a random Saturday morning back in March 2021, when I went for a jog with my dear friend, Nadiah. We were talking about life in general, and I shared my goals for the year. I shared a Biscoff NY cookie I made with her and she asked me, "Jia, why aren't you selling this? You should be selling it!".
This is something that many of my friends told me, but I've never taken any actions, simply because of the insecurities I mentioned above. She proceeded to give me a deadline to start my business, became my very first customer just to boost my confidence, dropped me reminders to start working on it (because I kept procrastinating, out of fear & insecurity!)
And after lots of prompting, and support from my friends -- I finally posted my first cookie sale post on my personal Instagram account. (A friend had to be next to me --- making sure I press "post" and not procrastinate, because I was THIS close to not posting it)
I've gotten a lot of support and love from friends, families and acquaintances during that nerve-wracking first few days :'). After two weeks of selling on my personal account, I've gained the confidence to register for a business and started my online bakery, Batter Together.
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| NY-style cookies, anyone? :D |
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I've been running Batter Together for 2 weeks at the time of writing (and selling my cookies through my personal account for 2 weeks), and I've been getting a lot of support, compliments, repeat orders from friends, families and even strangers (achievement unlocked!!)
My insecurities are still there - definitely it is not something you'd overcome overnight. And I believe it'll stick with me for a long long time. Everyone has their own favourites & preference - this is something I've always believed in strongly, but yet it is very hard for me to accept. Whenever a customer gives me feedback (eg: cookie too sweet, they want more chocolate here, etc. etc.), I'd have this strong urge of modifying my recipe. (so far, I think I'm doing pretty well in resisting this urge though!) We all have our preferences and favourite, and there wouldn't be one perfect food item that'd please everyone. I need to learn to let go of trying to bake that perfect cookie that would please every single one.
(but also make sure that my cookies please MOST people, ofc, else...my cookies must be really bad)
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I'm very excited to be working on Batter Together and am definitely planning to further expand my offering :) (R&D more cookie flavour, and potentially selling other baked goods too!)
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| My latest cookie flavour R&D - orange & chocolate! |
Taking things one step at a time :) And now it's time for some shameless side plug :p
If you love chonky NY-style cookie (or if you wonder how they taste like!), do check out my little side business, @Battertogether_my hehe :D Currently accepting orders on pre-order basis, and accepting orders around the Klang Valley only for now. But stay tuned as I work on my expansion plan :)))
Exciting times ahead :)))
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