Meet Maggie Miller | Cookie Artist & Digital Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maggie Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maggie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was to have the freedom and flexibility to create my own schedule and prioritize where I wanted my time to be spent. My husband and I have three boys, a three-year-old and two-year-old twins. After our first was born, my priorities really shifted from career-centered to being a present mom. I tried a variety of careers that allowed that freedom, but they were still taking me out of the home and requiring more of me than I could give at that time in my life. My twins were born three months premature and spent their first few months of life in the NICU. This impacted my decision even more to find something that allowed me to have a career, and something that is fulfilling, but also be able to show up fully as a mother. I created Whisked Lemons at a time when life kept handing my family lemons and all I wanted to do was create something resembling lemonade. I chose a home bakery because it was finally a career that allowed me to be at home with my boys and do something that has brought me joy for years. A small business, while taxing at times, has given me freedom to choose where I spend my time, and allowed me to turn my passion into a career that helps support my family. I love having control over my own success, having the ability to lean into creativity and breaking the traditional 9-5 mold that I always struggled to fit into.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a home baker that specializes in custom sugar cookies and I am also an aspiring digital creator. I spent years watching satisfying cookie decorating videos, but it was just in the last year that I decided to give it a go. I started practicing with sugar cookies and royal icing in December of 2023 and have made huge strides in the quality of my decorating. I think what sets my cookies apart from others is my love for color theory. I am fascinated with mixing primary colors in order to create icing that feels custom and unlike other cookie artists. Mixing colors is time consuming, but it is so worth it in order to create a set of cookies that is unique and eye catching. My business is still very much in the growth phase, and the thing I have learned most this year is that with growth comes the need to pivot as you go. Growing a small business is not easy, it takes a lot of growing pains along the way. To overcome challenges, I have leaned on my support system, and trusted my intuition that I know what is best for my business. I have given myself grace when things went wrong and used failure as a catalyst to learn and move forward. Owning a small business is all about having the control to make it what you want it to be. I have learned that my goals for my business will change over time and that it takes consistent action every day, big or small, in order to grow as a business owner.

Whisked Lemons, as I said previously, was created during a very difficult time in my families life. We were facing a lot of significant trauma, and I felt very lost in motherhood. I wanted to help support my family, but I also wanted to have something for me. Whisked Lemons has become that. It is a space where I can use my creativity to create beautiful and delicious cookies that spark joy in other people’s lives, while also building a dream that is fulfilling for me. I want my brand to be more than just cookies, I want it to be a digital space that creates community, inclusivity, and helps other mothers who may be feeling stuck too. I have a lot of plans for Whisked Lemons and look forward to sharing the growth with my supporters along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would have to visit Old Town Fort Collins. It has the cutest shops and every kind of restaurant you could ask for. In the winter, the entirety of Old Town is lit up with lights and it is so magical. I am a chips and salsa and strawberry margs kind of gal so we would definitely have to go to a Mexican restaurant. I personally love Los Tarascos! Fort Collins is also known for its natural areas where you can walk and see the natural beauty it has to offer. I also love City Park, it has everything, playgrounds perfect for kiddos, a water park in the summer, picnic tables, tennis courts, open green space. It is a family favorite destination.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people who have supported me along the way and who have helped shape who I am as a woman, mother and small business owner. First and foremost, my husband has been there through every career shift and has supported me and our family while I pursued my passion. He is my greatest cheerleader, and my emotional support system when I feel like an imposter. I have to thank my family who have always stood behind me. My older sister, who has been my role model from the day I was born. She has been steadfast in encouraging me to follow my dreams and was my first custom sugar cookie order. To my friends and family, who have placed orders, shared Whisked Lemons, and helped this little business of mine grow, I am so thankful! Most of all, I have to thank my boys. They are my why and the reason for pursuing this passion. I want them to see me doing something that makes me happy, while also having the ability to show up for them in every season.

Website: https://www.whiskedlemons.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskedlemons/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566392567437&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Other: Tik Tok: http://www.tiktok.com/@whisked.lemons?_t8kPYaSf2VqM&_r=1