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Maya Madsen, founder and CEO of Maya’s Cookies. Courtesy photo
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Maya’s Cookies adds to North City flavor in San Marcos

Maya’s Cookies is America’s #1 black-owned Vegan cookie company. Recently they brought their iconic brand to San Marcos, locating in the North City Development at 250 North City Drive #8. Founder and CEO Maya Madsen shares some details about her business and offers great insights as an entrepreneur.

What services and/or specialty products do you provide? 

We provide fresh-baked, gourmet vegan cookies in a variety of flavors, ranging from the classics to unique and out of the box creations.

What sets you apart from others in your industry? 

As a vegan with a sweet tooth, I had not been able to find that perfectly delicious, soft-baked gourmet vegan cookie, so I took matters into my own hands and spent years crafting my perfect plant-based cookie recipe.

What question are you asked most frequently by customers? 

People always ask what our most popular flavors are or what my personal favorite is – I refuse to pick a favorite (it’s like picking a favorite child!) but our Chocolate Chip S’mores has been a best-seller for years.

What is your favorite business success story?

Our business really transformed in June of 2020. Our progression as a business was halted by the pandemic but thanks to a viral tweet from actress Kerry Washington naming Maya’s Cookies as a Black-owned business to support, we were inundated with thousands of orders overnight. I did not have the ingredients, equipment or space to handle the high volume of sales and it took several weeks to catch up. We overcame that crazy boom and it helped us build Maya’s Cookies into what you see today and allowed us to expand into new communities, like San Marcos!

What motivated you to join The San Marcos Chamber?  

Community engagement is a main motivator behind the Maya’s Cookies mission and I joined the San Marcos Chamber as a way to continue to build community and make connections as a business owner new to the city. I hope to evolve and grow along with the city and the Chamber, while giving back to the local organizations and groups that make San Marcos so special.

What’s your best piece of business advice?

Find a mentor! There are so many details that go into owning/operating a business and it’s okay to admit that we don’t know everything. Having a mentor to provide guidance, support or even just lend an understanding ear is incredibly helpful and reassuring as an entrepreneur.

To learn more about Maya and Maya’s Cookies listen to the latest episode of the San Marcos Business & Community Podcast. https://san-marcos-chamber-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/mayas-cookies.

Business website: www.mayascookies.com

Business Instagram handle: @mayascookiessandiego

Business Facebook page: www.facebook.com/mayascookiessandiego