Life & Work with Haley Beth Organ

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Beth Organ.

Hi Haley Beth, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always loved to bake. I have fond memories of being in the kitchen with my dad as a kid, helping him bake an apple pie or some other holiday treat. In college and grad school, I used baking as a form of stress relief and procrastination. Why write a paper when you can bake cookies? But then some digestive issues forced me to switch to a gluten free diet and I stopped baking. It was too difficult. The gluten free diet wasn’t as prevalent then. There weren’t readily available flour blends or boxed mixes. Everything was specialty ingredients and trial and error and I was so overwhelmed that I stopped baking entirely.

As the years carried on, and gluten free ingredients became more commonplace, I started experimenting again in the kitchen and my love for baking returned. I baked for every occasion. I baked for every friend. I baked all the time. And every time that I did, people would ask me when I was finally going to open that bakery. And every time someone asked, I would laugh and say, ha, maybe someday. As much as I wanted that, the thought of opening my own baking company was truly terrifying.

Fast forward to March 2020 and my corporate job was first furloughed, then eliminated entirely, due to the pandemic. Losing my income, and health insurance, during a global pandemic was terrifying. Navigating the unemployment system was terrifying. Applying for, and interviewing for jobs along with thousands of other people, was terrifying. And yet, I did the hard work and made it out relatively unscathed. I found a job with a great team. I faced that terrifying task and I succeeded. Which, when you’re not allowed to leave the house for months on end due to lockdown, can really get you thinking. If I can stare down that really terrifying thing of losing my job during a pandemic and eventually land a perfect-for-me position, what other terrifying things can I do? And that’s when I finally decided it was time to open my bakery.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Fortunately, there are laws in place that allow bakers like myself to open home-based bakeries in the state of Missouri. Unfortunately, though, there isn’t a clear step-by-step process in place to help you get there. For me, it was – and continues to be – a lot of phone calls to various state departments, getting mixed messages from those offices, and tears of frustration. What permits do I need? What items am I allowed to sell? How much do I charge in sales tax? Do I even need to charge sales tax at all? In the end, though, those headaches are worth it. The cottage food laws allow me to live my dream of baking and selling my cookies, all while working a full time job.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In my real life, I’m a data analyst. I like visually telling a story with data. And I like that there is always truth to be found in data. It’s scientific. And I think that’s the same way I approach my baking. It’s scientific in that you have to measure and weigh things, but you can also use your creativity to tell a story.

My love of baking wasn’t the only reason I decided to open the bakery. I also saw a need. Food allergies are becoming more commonplace these days. And as someone who really loves dessert, having a food allergy can be extremely isolating. Imagine being at a family barbeque, for example, and everyone enjoying pie without you. Or, even worse, imagine being some place that has an allergy-friendly dessert on the menu, only to find out it’s a bowl of fruit. No more sad, lonely dessert experiences! Everyone deserves to eat fun and exciting treats! So hopefully I’m known for providing that experience – that no matter your food allergy requirements or dietary preferences, you can still eat something that is fun, exciting, and most of all – safe!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of every single person I’ve ever known and loved. They’ve encouraged me along the way, been my very best cookie taste testers, and have believed in me even when I haven’t. Every single time they share a social media post, recommend me to a friend, or buy a yummy treat is beyond appreciated. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

Contact Info:

• Email: mochimonstercookies@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mochimonstercookies/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mochimonstercookies

Image Credits
Kym Birkenkamp
Jackson McLemore