We had the good fortune of connecting with Devon Tracy and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Devon, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It was truly situational. The thought had crossed my mind (in fact, I made my Instagram handle about a year before actually starting my business to save it) but it never felt like the right time as I really enjoyed my job at that moment. However, when I moved to Colorado with nothing lined up, I felt very aimless. I couldn’t find another bakery to work at which was something I knew I enjoyed. And I was hesitant to work in a corporate setting again as I’d had some negative experiences previously. I eventually settled on an office job that just didn’t feel right the longer I was there. One day my boyfriend said, “Why don’t you finally start doing cookies?” I waved him off thinking it *again* wasn’t the right time. Although we had discussed my having my own cookie business at some point, I never dreamed I’d be staring it in the face. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this could be my chance to see if I could actually make it work. I figured it was as good a time as any as I hadn’t established a social life yet and didn’t have any family obligations so I had the rare opportunity to dedicate myself fully to this new adventure.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Essentially, I bake and decorate cookies for a living. But it’s so much more than that. I help folks make decisions on things like aesthetic, color scheme, and overall vibe of their events. I take ideas and create tiny works of art. I get to be a part of some of the biggest days in people’s lives. Owning a business where I am fully immersed in this world every day is pretty cool. My business brings me so much joy. It is a rare combination of creativity, fun, collaboration, and discovery. I genuinely relish the process of researching designs and bringing them to life by using skills I’m always improving on. I get to create silly and wild stuff on a whim. I am always making new connections whether it be another local business or new clients who are excited to work with me. All of these qualities are rarely something I had ever experienced before in prior jobs. I have found out since starting Sadie’s a year ago that these are all things I need in order to feel truly fulfilled.
Creating Sadie’s wasn’t easy. For the first six months I had to dip into my savings and was barely making enough money to cover ingredient costs. It was really scary and I remember feeling extremely unsure if it was the right path for me. However, the more folks I met, the more my name slowly made it out there, and the more repeat customers I got, that’s when I knew I was where I needed to be.
I went from a corporate gal turned real estate agent turned baker over the course of three years. I had no idea the skills I had picked up from my various jobs would help me be the business owner I am today. It was all very serendipitous. I feel immensely lucky that I trusted myself enough to make the journey.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Here are a few of my favorite haunts:
Olde Town Arvada and surrounding spots – where I live and love its Stars Hollow vibes
Eat: Hunter Bay for breakfast sandwiches and coffee, Bluegrass for pizza, Namaste India for their samosas, So Radish for their top-tier vegan food
Drink: Cochino Taco for the best margs/happy hour, Arvada Tavern for their amazing cocktails, Marmalade Lounge, School House, Silver Vines
Do/Hangout: Stalk Market Co, Crystal Joys, Denver Beer Co, Flights Wine Cafe
Other spots we frequent:
Golden – New Terrain and Flats Beer Garden
Morrison – Red Rocks hiking trails
Boulder – Dushanbe Tea House and Chautauqua Park trails
Day trips to Lyons, Estes Park, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, and Evergreen are a must!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve gotta shoutout the place that gave me my first opportunity to learn all about cookies: McLain’s Bakery in KCMO. I was fresh out of a terribly stressful job and just needed a change. They took me in with no baking experience and let me test the waters in so many areas. I eventually landed in the Cookie department and the rest is history.
Shoutout to my coworker, Julia, for teaching me alllll the cookie basics and my friend/coworker, Kristy, for being right there with me.’
Shoutout to my boyfriend, Craig, for encouraging this wild idea of mine and even rolling up his own sleeves when I need help.
Shoutout to my Aunt Tracy who is a very talented artist/jack of all trades herself. She was the first person to put a paintbrush and a camera in my hand. For that, I am forever grateful.
Shoutout to my parents, Jill and Randy, for accepting the fact I would never follow in their medical field footsteps and, instead, cultivating a creative world for me to grow in.
Website: www.sadiescookiecompany.com
Instagram: @sadiescookiecompany
Facebook: @sadiescookieco