Our Story
Heidi's Story
It has been said that out of desperation comes inspiration. That became true in my own life when our family faced a loss of employment during the economic downturn in 2001.
The inspiration was something I had loved doing for years: making homemade cookies and candy. Friends had always encouraged me to market my edible gift baskets, but until then, there had never been the motivation or urgency to take that step.
With the help of my husband and good friends, my lifelong dream came true when we launched Heidi's Heavenly Cookies in the basement of our home in October of 2002.
In the beginning, we encountered many obstacles. Looking back, I see them as blessings in disguise.
Bakery Blessings
Our first holiday season, news of our gourmet cookie baskets spread like wildfire. We were so busy that we had to stop taking orders the first week in December.
One day, a neighbor stopped me and offered her time. She said she needed a diversion from her problems. The next day, she showed up with three other neighbors, all insisting on volunteering. They knew I wouldn't ask for help, so they just showed up.
One of these neighbors, whom I hardly knew at the time, had lost her dad just the week before. They didn't work for just one day. They came back every day to help fulfill the orders.
I felt like I was living out a Little House on the Prairie episode, with all the neighbors pitching in to help save the Ingalls family farm.
It was three weeks before Christmas. These women had families and worries of their own, yet they chose to give of themselves unconditionally. For this, I will be eternally grateful.
One by one, we overcame our challenges. My husband designed our brochures and website. A good friend stepped in, without being asked, to help us acquire our commercial bakery equipment.
These and countless other acts of kindness happened without a spotlight, out of a pure love and desire to help make another person's dream a reality.
A neighborhood behind every batch
I want to pay homage to the individuals who have made Heidi's Heavenly Cookies what it is today. May we all become involved in helping others, literally right in our own backyard.
It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child. In the beginning, it took an entire neighborhood to bake Heidi's Heavenly Cookies.
Some of those same neighbors and friends have grown with us as we expanded into our current state-of-the-art commercial bakery.
More than cookies
It is my hope that my story will encourage others to follow their dreams in spite of the obstacles they encounter.
Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime in the lifetime of the opportunity.
In school, we study the lesson and then take the test. Real life is often the opposite: we are given the test first, and only then do we learn the lesson.
We are inspired by the goodness of our customers. We have come to realize that we are not just in the business of baking. We are in the business of making people feel good. Some might even call us HEAVENLY.
♥ Heidi