Meet Molly Mulligan | Cottage Baker

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

Hi Molly, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I was a high school Spanish teacher for 12 years, a career I loved (most of the time,) found rewarding, soul-filling, stimulating and humorous. I chose to stay home with my kids when they were born, which took me away from the classroom for four years. I went back to teaching in 2019 and six months later I filed for divorce. As the custodial parent, assimilating to single mom life took place during the first two years of COVID. Working full time in the classroom meant that my kids were in daycare for 9 hours and I was exhausted from teaching all day. I felt like a rob*t, repeating the same routine, almost in survival mode. Going from the stay at home mom mode, where the balance was heavy on the kids and their activities and light on my social life and adult interactions, to working single mom mode, where the balance was heavy on everything and all of the things constantly, was a huge swing for me. Neither felt right. I started my cottage bakery in March of 2023 in an effort to restore some balance to my world. A year later, I feel far less like a zombie and more like a human mom, still tired and busy, but no longer feeling that I’m shortening my life by working two full time jobs. I have the luxury of choosing balance, which is not lost on me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started Life is Shortbread Cookie Co. to find balance in my life. As a single mom of two young kids working full time as a high school Spanish teacher during the first two years of COVID, I needed to figure out how to work from home. I’m a culinary school dropout, but I still love to bake and I like to do my own thing. I donate a tiny portion of my profits to The Second Wind Fund, which is a teen suicide prevention nonprofit in Denver. Their mission is very personal to me and I feel good about the small amount I give to them and talk about them on my instagram. I’ve been in business a little over a year and I still bake from my home, but eventually I would like to move into a commercial kitchen and still remain a made-to-order operation. Baby steps.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d make sure to do all of the greatest hits like Red Rocks, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Art Museum, walk around downtown and see landmarks like the Big Blue Bear. Depending on the weather, some people watching at Wash Park or Cheeseman Park or a Film at the Mayan or the Esquire. I’m a fan of old Denver classic eateries like Cherry Cricket, Gaetano’s, Barolo Grill, Bonnie Brae Ice Cream, etc. I also love some of the younger places like Campfire Lakewood and Ni Tuyo. We’d do hikes and walk the smaller neighborhoods with main streets like 38th & Tennyson or Old South Pearl Street.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout out to my mom for constant encouragement!

Website: https://www.lifeisshortbread.com

Instagram: life.is.shortbread

Facebook: Life is Shortbread Cookie Co. Ltd.

Yelp: Life is Shortbread Cookie

Image Credits
Molly Mulligan