Baking It Down with Sugar Cookie Marketing 🍪

Episode 226: Podcast Guests Heather Brookshire and Kim Sims!

Date: August 26, 2025
Hosts: Heather and Corrie Miracle
Guests: Heather Brookshire & Kim Sims

Brief Overview

In this upbeat, community-focused episode, the Miracle twins (Heather & Corrie) sit down with special guests Heather Brookshire and Kim Sims—beloved members of the Sugar Cookie Marketing and Cookie College communities. Known for running happy hours at CookieCon and being pivotal “emotional support bakers” (ESBs), both bring a wealth of insight: Heather shares her journey as a multi-time Food Network competitor (and winner!), while Kim details the adventure of launching a Beans & Brews coffeehouse franchise in Texas. The conversation covers the realities of “making it” in the baking world, the power of community, TV opportunities, franchise ownership, failures, wins, and tangible strategies for small bakery growth.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Getting to Know the Guests (00:32–06:17)

• Introductions:
  The show features its first-ever four-person interview. Heather and Corrie switch seats to let Kim and Heather take the hot seat.
• Who Are Heather & Kim?
  • Heather – Disney trip planner & owner of The Cake Whisperer (10 years, Houston), TV baking show competitor.
  • Kim – Newly minted Beans & Brews franchise owner, five years in the cottage bakery world, allergy-friendly focus.
• Notable Event: Both manage happy hours at CookieCon and are active contributors to the Cookie College.

2. Behind the Scenes of Food Network (03:01–04:58, 19:07–26:12)

• Getting Cast:
  • Most Food Network contestants are scouted via Instagram DMs or referrals (“Yes, generally that is for real.” – Heather, 03:43).
  • It can also be by invitation if you know past contestants.
• Show Timeline:
  • “On Food Network? Three and a half.” – Heather, 03:01
  • The “half” refers to a time when Heather was designated as an alternate.
• Impact on Business:
  • “Usually the year after it airs is much bigger than the year before.” (19:34)
  • Social proof drives sales and increases reputation.
  • “It almost doesn’t matter if you win… just being on it is a big deal.” (25:19)
• Application/Filming Process:
  • Not for the faint of heart: travel, secrecy, prep, financial logistics, and wait times.
  • Travel and lodging are covered.
  • "It can be weeks between hearing anything... at the point you're about ready to give up is like when you'll finally [hear]." (26:31)
• Advice to Bakers:
  • Go for it if you can swing the time and logistics, but know it’s stressful and not always a “fun show taping” experience.

3. The Journey from Cottage Bakery to Franchise (05:39–12:12, 27:00–38:43)

• Kim’s Franchise Story:
  • Lifelong love for Beans & Brews coffee, which began in Utah.
  • She and her husband decided to open a franchise after relocating to Texas and missing her favorite coffee.
  • The franchise process took over three years of prep, paperwork, SBA loans, and tenacity.
  • “It was actually a joke of a dream since high school…I want to have a bakery and next door have a Beans and Brews…and a therapy office in the back.” – Kim (27:35)
  • Kim details the brick-and-mortar side: holding onto your ‘why,’ choosing a franchise for the right reasons, and working with supportive franchisors.
• Franchise vs. Your Own Shop:
  • Takeaway: A franchise suits some bakers, especially if you want the clout of brand marketing and backing, but requires careful due diligence, legal review, and honest soul-searching about your goals.
  • “Not every franchise is created equal…some are more cutthroat…” (32:11)
  • Kim is able (soon, thanks to Texas law changes) to wholesale her allergy-friendly goods through her Beans & Brews.

4. “Emotional Support Bakers”: The Power of Community & Collaboration (10:13–18:12, 41:22–44:51)

• Origin Story:
  • Kim & Heather met through local baker networking and quickly became “emotional support bakers”—relying on each other for backup, emergencies, and encouragement.
  • “It could be a very lonely road ahead…You risk it for the biscuit—‘hey, I could partner with this person’…” (13:59)
• Examples:
  • Tales of last-minute delivery messes, Uber mishaps, baking rescue missions, and mutual support during family emergencies.
• Advice:
  • “Invite to coffee. That’s all you gotta do. It’s a numbers game.” – Heather (16:13)
  • Start your own local network if one doesn’t exist.
• Why It Matters:
  • Emotional and business support helps sustain bakers through tough times, burnout, and the mental load of entrepreneurship.

5. Navigating Failure, Growth, and Balance (38:49–58:30)

• Mindset:
  • “Just because it’s a joke of a dream doesn’t mean it can’t come true.” – Kim (38:55)
  • "If something doesn’t work this time, tweak something, do it again…If you just keep going, it just does not work for you…for me, pre-sales haven’t taken off, but that’s okay—customs are my thing.” – Heather (39:01)
• Learning to Fail Forward:
  • Normalize refunding clients as a healthy business response.
  • “Failure isn’t you’re horrible at what you’re doing...failing is: I’m learning from something” (47:22)
• Support Structure:
  • Kim discusses leveraging her team: staff, husband, financial advisors, and business coaches.
  • “Those you surround yourself with is going to be the pivotal part for your success.” – Corrie (44:00)
  • Both the right network and the right mindset are key for longevity.

6. Community Groups, Legal Changes, and the Bigger Picture (15:37–38:43)

• Local Groups:
  • “We’re lucky…we have one where we live too. It’s called the Cypress Bakers Network.” – Heather (15:53)
• Advocacy:
  • Highlight of how Texas bakers (“organized…might be one lady leading it”—Kelly) have driven significant positive legal changes, like raising cottage bakery caps, removing home addresses from labels, allowing wholesale.
  • “It’s always for Texas, and it’s always in kind of favor of the baker.” (36:43)
• Shipping Laws:
  • Remain restrictive in Texas—can’t ship generally, only to families.

7. Tangible Tips: Efficiency, Hiring, & Classes (62:01–64:53; 58:51–60:40)

• Efficiency Tips: (62:01–64:53)
  • Corrie: “Grow another twin in the womb.” (62:32)
  • Heather: Use SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) to systematize recurring tasks.
  • Heather B: Stay organized—weekly review of orders, checklists/tickets on the cabinet.
  • Kim: Write and refine to-do lists, and be flexible if something isn’t working—optimize and adapt.
• Hiring:
  • Kim looks for kindness, confidence, and especially candidates with healthy direct communication (“How do you handle workplace conflict?”).
  • “Any answer besides ‘I’d go talk to them first,’ I’m not going to hire them.” (59:51)
• Marketing Cookie Classes:
  • Fun, low-pressure “gingerbread parties” instead of workshops.
  • Sell the experience: “Bring your family, we’ll do all the mess here.” (41:01)

8. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Building Community:

• “Emotional support bakers…whenever there’s a problem, you two are like, hey girl, talk me through this.” (11:36)
• “It’s not like I’m halving my dollar, it’s like I’m able to earn $2 instead of $1.” (12:40)

On Food Network:

• “Usually the year after it airs is much bigger than the year before.” – Heather (19:34)
• “Just being on, it doesn’t almost matter if you win… It’s a brag both in our industry and to clients.” (25:19)

On Risk-Taking:

• “Just because it’s a joke of a dream doesn’t mean it can’t come true.” – Kim (38:55)
• “Failure isn’t you’re horrible at what you’re doing. Failing is I’m learning from something.” (47:22)

On Support Networks:

• “If you did this with no support…you would have failed. You can’t do it alone.” – Kim (44:06)

About Trying, Failing & Trying Again:

• “It almost doesn’t matter if you win… just being on [Food Network] is a big deal.” – Heather (25:19)
• “Trying. If you didn't make it through round one: discouraging, but you made it more rounds than I did, you know.”

9. Practical Q&A, Group Engagement, and Cookie Collab (61:19–69:04)

• Questions from listeners about efficiency, cookie collabs, vendor events (“Vendy Blendy”), and class participation.
• Breaking down group and collaboration strategy for Facebook group members and “Main Street Cookie Club” (how to maximize post engagement, etc.).
• Examples of how online communities directly drive sales and exposure for local businesses: “They listened to it on the podcast. They went…Influenced to go to Occoquan.” (65:41)

10. Final Reflections: Encouragement for the Baking Community

• Both guests stress that success in baking—and business—is built on perseverance, flexibility, and finding (or building) a strong support system.
• The hosts encourage listeners to reach out—to them, to the guests, to their own local groups.
• “You’re not that person. So to separate yourself from ‘this wasn’t a good business decision’ but I’m not a bad business owner and I’m going to continue and I’ve learned from the situation and I’m going to apply it…” – Kim (58:07)

Highlights & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic/Moment | |--------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:32 | “First time we’ve had four people on the podcast”—Heather sets up the show format | | 03:43 | “Instagram DMs are the scouting process?” “Yes, generally that is for real.” – Food Network Backstage | | 06:17–06:55 | Kim explains the origin of Beans & Brews and how high-altitude roasting shaped their coffee | | 10:13 | Emotional Support Bakers origin story: “The extrovert found the introvert…” | | 13:30 | Uber driver “steals” a cookie order—a story about having backup bakers | | 14:44 | Heather details the relief of having backup; importance of baker networks | | 16:13 | “Start your own local group. Invite to coffee. It’s a numbers game.” – Networking advice | | 19:34 | “The year after it airs [Food Network] is much bigger than the year before.” – TV impact | | 25:19 | “It almost doesn’t matter if you win… just being on it is a big deal.” – Why TV is valuable marketing | | 32:11 | “Some franchises are more cutthroat…” – Kim’s franchise advice | | 36:43 | “It’s always for Texas, it’s always in favor of the baker.” – Importance of state advocacy | | 38:55 | “Just because it’s a joke of a dream doesn’t mean it can’t come true.” – Kim | | 41:01 | “Bring your family…we’ll do all the mess here.” – How to sell baking parties | | 44:00 | “Those you surround yourself with is going to be the pivotal part for your success.” – Corrie | | 47:22 | "Failure isn't...you're horrible...failing is: I'm learning from something." | | 58:07 | “To separate yourself from [failure]...this wasn’t a good business decision. But I’m not a bad business owner…” | | 62:01 | Listener Q&A on efficiency tips (SOPs, to-do lists, organizing orders, refining processes) | | 65:00 | Cookie Collab and boosting local business—“repeat until it works…wash, rinse, repeat…” | | 75:02 | “What is the Cookie College?” – Guests’ perspective on membership & community |

Tone and Language

• Friendly, upbeat, humorous: True to the Sugar Cookie Marketing podcast’s reputation.
• Community-focused: Emphasis on teamwork, authenticity, and support.
• Transparent and encouraging: Willingness to admit vulnerability and share both victories and mistakes.

For Listeners New to the Show

This episode offers both high-level inspiration and tangible action items for bakers—whether you’re dreaming of brick-and-mortar, want to be on TV, or just need a business “bestie” who truly gets your baker’s journey.

Connect with the guests:

• Heather Brookshire (Food Network insights, technical baking, custom orders): [In Sugar Cookie Marketing Group]
• Kim Sims (Franchise, allergy-friendly baking, brick & mortar business): [In Sugar Cookie Marketing Group]

Key Takeaway:
Community, perseverance, and being open to risk (and a little failure) are as essential in baking as butter and flour. Surround yourself with support, learn from every flop, and never be afraid to reach for the next “joke of a dream.”

For more resources, events, and friendly business advice, join Sugar Cookie Marketing on Facebook, check out “The Cookie College,” and connect with today’s guests in the group.