How I Built This with Guy Raz Tate's Bake Shop: Kathleen King (2019)
Dec 27, 2021
In this episode, Kathleen King, the founder of Tate's Bake Shop, shares her inspiring journey from selling cookies at her family's farm stand to building a $500 million cookie empire. She opens up about the challenges of a failed partnership and the emotional toll of starting over. Kathleen emphasizes resilience, community support, and the importance of family as she navigated the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. With a focus on her famous chocolate chip cookies, she reflects on the lessons learned and the joy of honoring her father's legacy.
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Farm Life
- Kathleen King grew up on a 30-acre farm with cows and chickens, sharing responsibilities with her siblings.
- Her upbringing emphasized independence and hard work, with both boys and girls doing chores inside and outside.
The Cookie Stand
- At 11, Kathleen started baking cookies using the Nestle Toll House recipe to sell at the family farm stand.
- Initially, her dad covered ingredient costs, letting Kathleen keep all profits, but this changed as sales grew.
Opening Day
- Kathleen's Bake Shop opened in May 1980 when she was 21.
- Her sister-in-law helped, her niece was present, her father did PR, and community support was strong.