Molly Bz: These arent the cookies your grammy used to make
For the 273rd feature of our "Together Talks" campaign, we collaborated with Molly Bz and Founder, Molly Blakeley. Molly Bz cookies is a cookie brand that was created when Molly Blakeley was a single mom in her small Alaska town with just $150 in her account. So she had to think fast to feed her son. So she started baking fun, weird gourmet cookies. In just 3 years she went nation wide from QVC, to Forbes and more! Molly Bz is now found in 5 counties across the globe and growing daily!
"Together Talks" feature 273: Molly Bz presented by KLS - Your Trusted Shipping Solutions In The USA
What separates you from your competition? What have been the biggest challenges? Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur? What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
How do you balance the highs and lows? Share a decision that you made that was detrimental? What is your why?
Story of how it was created?
I'm Molly Blakeley with Molly Bz Cookies. I was a single mom living in a tiny town in Alaska with a population of just 3,000 people. I found myself down to my last $150, and I had to figure out quickly how I was going to feed my son.
So, I started making some super weird gourmet cookies, and within just three years, I had turned them into a national brand.
What separates you from your competition?
I'm known for being an innovative cookie company. We have everything from boba cookies to Hot Cheetos cookies and all different sorts of trendy flavors. If something is trending, you'll probably find it in a cookie somewhere in the Molly Bz line. We are always looking for new and creative ways to bring popular trends into the cookie world.
What have been the biggest challenges?
Definitely the growing pains. When it comes to raising capital, I've only done friends-and-family rounds. I've never received VC funding or had any major investors with deep pockets. That's probably been one of the hardest parts of growing the business.
People don't always realize how challenging the cash flow can be in this industry. Some stores will place an order, and you have to pay for the ingredients, baking, packaging, and everything else upfront. Then, that store might not pay you for 90 or even 120 days. During that time, they could reorder two, three, or four more times before you've even received payment for the first order.
Capital is always tricky, so managing those growing pains has been a challenge. It's exciting to grow, but it's also scary because growth brings a whole new set of responsibilities and financial demands. It's a good problem to have, but that doesn't mean it isn't challenging.
Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
First, it's Molly Bz, with a Z, not an S. I didn't want the brand to be Molly B's. It's Molly Bz!
We have a lot happening right now. One of the biggest things is that I just released my memoir, Bake It Till You Make It by Molly Blakely. You can find it wherever books are sold, and it's also available on Audible so you can listen to it. Beyond that, we're working on a television show called On the Spoon, which should be coming out pretty soon. The network is still pending, but it's all very exciting.
As for the cookie company itself, which is what started this whole journey, we've recently launched on Disney Cruises. We're also launching in TJ Maxx this week in all locations. We're currently in 1,000 Kroger locations, with plans to expand into Hy-Vee stores. We're also continuing conversations with other retail partners about getting our products on their shelves.
We've done a lot of LTOs, or limited-time offers, with major retailers, including Costco, Five Below, Walmart, and Target. Our next goal is to get into the regular assortment with all of those retailers. However, that comes with additional costs for the company.
I don't think people always realize how expensive it can be to get a product on a retail shelf. At one retailer, for example, they charge $15,000 to get a single SKU, meaning one flavor, on the shelf. So, if they love all six of your flavors, you're potentially looking at $15,000 multiplied by six just to get your cookies into the store.
Then they'll tell you that you're required to spend another $50,000 on marketing, along with all these other expenses. It adds up quickly. Building a brand is not for the weak, but it sure is fun!
How are you managing burnout?
I think I can attribute a lot of it to my ADHD. I don't take medication because I feel like it would interfere with my ability to run my company. But honestly, I truly believe that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
I compartmentalize everything. I'll tell myself that today is dedicated entirely to the book, and tomorrow will be dedicated to the show. Then we'll focus on the next things that need our attention. We also have weekly meetings with my team to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Having the right people around you makes all the difference. I've got some incredible team members at Molly Bz, and they keep the pin moving. Having people who believe in you and support what you're building is number one. You can't do everything alone, and having a team you trust is essential.
Was their a moment where you felt traction with your decision to start this company?
Being in a little town in Alaska, I started out doing a cookie-of-the-month club. At one point, we received a shoutout on BuzzFeed. For them to recognize me as a tiny home baker working out of my house in Alaska made me feel like I was onto something.
That recognition really prepared and propelled me to take the business to a bigger level. It gave me the confidence to think, "You know what? I'm going to make this a national brand." And I did!
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
I grew up with entrepreneurial parents, and a lot of that story is in my book, Bake It Till You Make It by Molly Blakely. My parents nearly went bankrupt in Idaho and moved to Alaska when I was one year old. Once they got to Alaska, they eventually built 23 different brick-and-mortar businesses. I definitely caught the entrepreneurial bug from them.
I started opening brick-and-mortar businesses myself and eventually had 13 different locations, all involving different ventures. I was the first person to bring roller derby to Alaska. I also owned a bar and a lodge. The guys from The Deadliest Catch would even come and party at my bar in Alaska. I've had a lot of really fun experiences along the way, so entrepreneurship isn't something that's new to me. I grew up watching my parents build businesses and then went on to do it myself.
However, building Molly Bz into a national brand has definitely been my maiden voyage. Running a national consumer brand is very different from operating a brick-and-mortar business. They're almost apples and oranges. In fact, it might be more like apples and carrots or tomatoes. They're not even remotely the same in many ways.
People sometimes assume that because you've run one business, you can simply take those same skills and apply them to another. There are certainly similarities, but the businesses operate very differently.
One thing I've learned is that some of the fundamentals of selling never change. When you're at an expo, whether it's the Pizza and Snacks Show, the Fancy Food Show, or another major industry event, it's similar to setting up at a bazaar or farmers market. You have a booth, people walk up to it, and your goal is to make a connection and ultimately make a sale.
If you keep that mindset, you don't become intimidated when someone walks up who works for Target or Disney Cruises. You talk to them just like they're your neighbor. You keep it real, stay transparent, and make yourself relatable. Building that relationship is what makes the biggest difference.
I've always tried to keep that same approach, regardless of how big the opportunity or the person standing in front of me might be.
What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
Sales! I love when you create something and people respond by saying, "You know what? I like that, too. That's a cool idea."
Sales are proof that people appreciate what you've come up with. For me, it's not necessarily about the money, although the revenue certainly helps keep the pin moving. More than anything, it's proof of concept. It shows that what you're doing is interesting, that people relate to it, and that they genuinely think it's something special.
I love when people buy our products because it tells me that I'm onto something. Their purchases are some of the best support and validation I can receive.
How do you decide on what flavor to release?
In the beginning, I did a tremendous amount of research to figure out what was popular and trending. I found myself constantly Googling things like "Top 10 food trends of the year." I would look at the trends for that particular year, take two or three of them, and figure out how to turn them into cookies.
That approach really helped put my brand on the map. People started recognizing Molly Bz as an innovative cookie company, and I became known for taking trends and turning them into something unexpected.
I remember when we went to the Sweets & Snacks Expo. There are thousands and thousands of booths there, and if you've ever attended, you know it's quite an experience. At the time, we had a little 10-by-10 booth. We were growing pretty quickly, and people were responding well to our innovation, but I was incredibly intimidated.
I called my VP, Frank, who has been with me from the very beginning, and told him, "I don't think we're supposed to be here." I looked around and saw companies like Oreo and Little Debbie. Khloé Kardashian had her popcorn there, along with all these other major brands. Meanwhile, we were standing there with our little 10-by-10 booth. I genuinely felt like we were this tiny, insignificant company competing against all these giants, and I couldn't see how we were going to stand out.
Frank asked me what I was talking about, and I told him I was looking around and felt like we had made a huge mistake. He said, "Molly, go set up the booth. I'll be there. My flight comes in two hours, and I'll see you then. You're going to be fine."
I was crying because I really thought we had made a terrible decision. These expos are expensive, too. One expo can cost us around $20,000, which is a lot of cookies to sell just to cover the expense of attending.
Then, that same night, I received a phone call telling me that we had been selected as one of the finalists for Most Innovative Product of the Year. I couldn't believe it. I remember thinking, "What? How did that happen?"
We went to this big ballroom filled with people, and some of the biggest brands in the industry were there. Tate's, Nabisco, Legendary, and all these companies everyone knows were represented. When they announced the finalists in the baked goods category, the names included Nabisco, Keebler, Legendary, and then Molly Bz.
And I freaking won!
I couldn't believe it. I won Most Innovative Product of the Year. I cried, went up on stage, and screamed, "Thank you!" I was so excited. Afterward, Frank looked at me and said, "See? I told you that you were supposed to be here."
I remember thinking, "Oh my gosh, we're building something." That was such an important moment for us as a company and for me personally. It reminded me that we belonged in that room and that our creativity and innovation could stand alongside some of the biggest names in the industry.
How do you balance the highs and lows?
That happens every day! There's a term for it called imposter syndrome, and I am the poster girl for imposter syndrome. Sometimes it's hard to believe that everything happening is actually real. I don't necessarily have a perfect answer for how I balance the highs and lows. I just keep moving forward and stay grounded in prayer.
I'm a woman of faith, and I love me some Jesus! There's Scripture on all of my packaging because He's the reason all of this is happening for me. When things get messy or I feel scared, I turn to God and pray. I'll simply say, "God, I need You. This is messy, and I'm scared."
Then I receive the peace that surpasses all understanding, just as He promises, and I'm able to keep going. My faith is what helps me navigate the uncertainty and reminds me that I'm not doing this journey alone.
Share a decision that you made that was detrimental?
I believe some of the best lessons come from failure. When you fail, it means you're learning something. You take that lesson, get back up, and try again. I've probably experienced 789 million lessons along the way, but one particular situation comes to mind.
When we got into Costco, we were also launching in several other stores around the same time. I told Frank, my VP, and Emily, our CMO, that I thought we needed someone who was extremely experienced in CPG. I knew we needed that level of expertise, but I couldn't afford to pay someone a full-time salary because those executives can make $189,000 a year or more.
I suggested hiring a really talented CFO and bringing them on in a fractional capacity. We eventually found someone who came highly recommended. Unfortunately, he ended up embezzling $50,000 from me. He also had me hire his bookkeeper, arranged to have the money transferred into another account, and told me he was paying my bills.
Meanwhile, I kept receiving notices asking why certain bills hadn't been paid. I didn't want to micromanage because I had been accused of micromanaging when I owned my bar. I was trying to give people room to do their jobs and trust the team I had hired.
Eventually, though, something didn't feel right. I was actually in prayer when I felt God telling me that I needed to look at my bank accounts. So I did, and I remember thinking, "What in the cornbread muffins is going on?" I immediately fired him.
At that point, we were broke as a joke. I owed a tremendous amount of money and had no idea how I was going to get out of the situation. It was just a few years ago, and it was incredibly scary.
But I knew I had to figure something out. I went on LinkedIn and started connecting with everyone I could think of. Once you connect with one person from Target, for example, you start seeing hundreds of other buyers and industry contacts. So I just kept connecting, connecting, and connecting. That's something I do with every brand and retail opportunity.
Through those connections, someone eventually reached out to us about an opportunity. I looked at my Delta miles and used every mile I had. I also had Hilton hotel points, so I used those, too. I made sure the hotel included breakfast because I knew that would give me something to eat for the day. We were going to make this opportunity happen with whatever resources we had available.
When we got there, the buyers and our team really connected. We set up our booth just like we would for a major expo, even though there were only 10 brands participating. I treated it like it was the biggest expo we had ever attended. We put everything into it, and that year, we ended up doing $1.3 million in Target alone.
That's how God shows up for me. You don't give up just because you don't have money in your bank account. You figure out a way. You'll never see me start a GoFundMe because that's simply not my style. If you want to invest in Molly Bz, we have common stock shares available, and you can make an investment that way. I believe it's good soil, and I'm telling you, it's good money.
But more importantly, I think you have to be willing to figure things out. You go through the trenches, dig yourself out, learn the lesson, and keep moving forward.
What a blessing it was to be selected for that opportunity. There were only 10 brands participating, and the actual buyers were there. We had the chance to sit down with them, have long conversations, let them try all our flavors, and discuss creating exclusive products specifically for their stores. We ended up doing several of those exclusive offerings.
Eventually, we also went viral. Last year, we created a Dubai cookie and brownie with Target, and the products sold out after going viral on TikTok. I didn't even know what was happening at first. My daughters came up to me and said, "You know you're viral right now?" I had no idea what they were talking about because I don't have TikTok. I'm 53. I don't need TikTok! That's why I have a staff and kids to keep me informed about those things.
But that whole experience was such a cool moment. It reminded me that even when things look impossible, you can find a way forward if you keep going.
What is your why?
As of today, my why comes down to two things. Number one is to exit the company. My goal is to exit within the next 18 months or less by being acquired by one of the big players in the industry. I guess I should say the big girls, too!
The other reason is to build a legacy for my family. I want everyone to be a part of what we're creating. My daughter is actually in charge of me. She was always bossy growing up, so I figured we might as well put that personality to good use because it's clearly something she thrives in. I told her she could be my assistant, and she's the best assistant I could ask for. Her name is Emerald, and she's amazing. She also made me a grandma, which really puts things into perspective. Now I'm thinking about how we're building a legacy for the next generation.
That's something I absolutely love. I started this company because I needed to feed my son, and now I have the opportunity to show him, as he's going into business while in college, that you really can overcome anything.
He and I went through a period when we were living in a house where I had to sell his bed, so he slept with me. We sold the couch and sat on the floor. We did whatever we had to do out of necessity to get by. Now, those difficult experiences have turned into what we're building today.
I love that life lesson, and it's something I want to continue sharing. That's part of why the book is out and why we're making the television show. I want to keep growing and reaching more people. Hopefully, if things go the way I pray they will, Molly Bz will become a household name, and Molly Blakely will become a household name, too. You'll be able to go out and buy a hoodie that says Molly Bz!
Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
When I was first getting started, I was still putting stickers on cellophane bags by hand and packing and shipping every order myself. I remember sending a box to my daughter, Emerald, and she texted me afterward and said, "This is going to be a thing. I'm going to be able to say that Molly Bz is my mom."
I remember thinking, "Hell yeah, you will!"
That was probably seven years ago, but it's a moment that has always stayed with me. To have my daughter believe in what I was building when it was still so small meant so much. Looking back now at how far we've come makes that moment even more special.
Surprise Offering
We're currently in Kroger, and we're launching in TJ Maxx and HomeGoods. We'll also be expanding into Hy-Vee next year, in 2027, with several other opportunities still pending that we can't talk about just yet.
So, keep an eye out for Molly Bz, visit mollybz.com, or order some cookies for Christmas!
We also have a special offer right now. If you purchase my book, Bake It Till You Make It, and send us a screenshot of your receipt through our Instagram, we'll give you a 50% off coupon.
Piece of Advice
The business advice I would give you is simple: Never give up, no matter what things look like. As long as you put God first, you'll find a way to get around the corner and keep moving forward.
That's it!
Community Callout
Frank Alfieri - Molly Bz
Frank believed in me when no one else even knew my name. He's now the vice president of my company, but he started out making zero dollars and simply believing in me. His faith in what I was building from the very beginning has meant everything.
Emily DeSosa - Joyful Ventures
Emily has also believed in me and has been instrumental in the growth of my company. Her support and contributions have been crucial to helping Molly Bz get to where it is today.
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Molly Bz and Founder, Molly Blakeley, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!
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