Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Douglas.
Maggie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am 54 years old, married when I was 21. I graduated from Georgia Southern with a bachelor’s in nursing. I had always wanted to be a nurse. We began our family and I began nursing after the birth of our 3rd child. I worked as a nurse for the next 25 years and our family grew to 9 children. I never planned on having my own business. I have always enjoyed baking and cooking. Our family received cookies for years at Christmas from my husband’s first cousin from Savannah GA, who owned Two Smart Cookies. I decided with a good friend to venture out and begin our own cookie store. We worked with the previous owners from Two Smart Cookies and began our business in a different area of Central Ave. An 800 Square foot building that we rented.
We were fortunate to do OK. We had and still have a great family and community support here in Augusta. We have great customers, many who have been with us for 6 years. My family purchased an old firehouse in 2016 and renovated it (keeping the firehouse look), and moved our business. It is triple the size. My partner left 2 years after we started, so it has been solely under my ownership for the past 4.5 years. I have learned more than I bargained for but enjoy the challenge. It has been a leap of faith and could not have maintained without my husband and children’s support and encouragement. It has taken a lot of prayer and sacrifice– but what doesn’t that’s worthwhile? I have great, loyal employees too!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing doing worthwhile in life is smooth all the time. I have learned that over the years with everything. I would have to say, the biggest struggle I have had is the juggling of family and work. I tell all my employees when I hire them that Faith and Family always come first. That goes for them and for me as well. When Two Moms Cookies first opened in 2011, our first two daughters we just married a few months earlier. We had 5 children at home and 2 in college. The past 4 years our 6th child played SEC football for the University of Georgia. We traveled to every game for 4 years. Presently we only have 2 homes, one of which is hoping to play college ball somewhere. We have added 5 grandchildren to present. As I said previously, if it weren’t for family love, support and encouragement, I never would have continued this.
The next biggest struggle has been employees. The “work mentality ” of many of our young people today is like the NIKE saying—“If it feels good, Do It”. If not quit. So many young adults these days have little work ethic.I’mm afraid to say, that even many adults fall into that category. I have had a big turnover of employees. I began to wonder if it was me! My husband says Im not tough enough and too nice.
The positive struggles have been to stretch my mind. As a nurse, I was never expected to learn any business strategies. Also , my husband has always taken care of family financial stuff. I have enjoyed the struggles to be a bigger part of community, school and church endeavors. I have also learned a lot related to owning and renovating an old building and working with other business neighbors.
Two Moms Cookies—( Soon to be Two Moms Kitchen) – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Two Moms Cookies began 6 years ago as a cookie retail store. We mixed and baked apx. 10 flavors of traditional cookies. Our specialty cookie is what we are recognized for mostly. We create decorated cookies with a unique flavor for many different special occasions. Occasions like weddings, bridal and baby showers, gender reveal parties, birthdays of all ages, all holiday events such as Christmas, Thanksgiving , Halloween, 4th of July, and many other holiday celebrations. We also provide sporting event cookies, with cookies decorated for your favorite high school, SEC and NFL sports teams. We also include Theatre, and musical celebrations. We enjoy helping corporations and other businesses celebrate by creating customized logo cookies. Our local university has been a loyal customer and we are grateful for them. Augusta is also a big medical community. We do many cookies for both dental and medical businesses. Augusta is known for the golf tournament here, The Masters. We are very busy the month of April providing baked goods and specialty Masters decorated cookies for all those visiting from around the world.
Presently, we have added a variety of cakes, lemon squares, cinnamon rolls, brownies and cheese wafers. We are soon launching the beginning of casseroles. That is why our name will soon be Two Moms Kitchen.
What sets us apart from others is our customizing to the event and our customer service. We never want to get so big that we loose that” small town feel”
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me personally is persistence and enjoying what one does 75% of the time in business. Of course , I am forced to be business smart and see a margin of profit. I have been fortunate to always have been able to pay all the bills , wages, taxes, etc. and never thus far been in the “red”. It’s not to say we make a” killing” in profit, but the margin ranges between 14-20%. But, all in all, success to me is for our home and business to be challenged and content with life and not to let this business get in the way of my faith and family.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2830 Central Ave
- Website: www.twomomscookies.com
- Phone: 706-755-2664
- Email: info@twomomscookies.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twomomscookies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twomomscookies/
Image Credit:
Drake White
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