When she was 16, a simple craving turned into a life-changing idea for Joleen Ulrich. She had been baking cookies at home just for fun, until one day she asked her mom, Katie, to make her a batch. Her mom was too busy rummaging through a bucket of items to sell, so Ulrich half-jokingly suggested, “What if we sell the cookies?” That offhand comment—driven by both creativity and a sweet tooth—became the start of The Cookie Mess.

Ulrich and her mom listed their cookies on Etsy and waited for that first hopeful order. Then came the surprise: a request for 20 dozen cookies. Ulrich recalled how she used money from the order to bake while her mom picked up delivery runs to buy more supplies. It was chaotic, exhausting and unforgettable—the moment she realized she wanted to build something bigger.

The business name came later. Their original pick didn’t stick, and customers kept mispronouncing it. “The Cookie Mess” emerged only after Ulrich noticed her family always teased her about the messy aftermath of her baking sessions. The name, she said, “felt genuine and perfect.”

We asked Ulrich what she wanted to share with our readers. She said, Gratitude. “Every order really helps me keep chasing my dream,” she said. “I’m so grateful to this community for making it possible.”

Today, The Cookie Mess is still run by Ulrich and her mom from their home kitchen. Although they don’t have a storefront yet, they take orders daily and pop up at local markets whenever they can. And despite the name, Ulrich bakes far more than cookies: pies, cinnamon rolls, turnovers and “all different types of desserts,” she said. Everything is made fresh to order. The only treat she won’t attempt? Sourdough. (“I could never figure out the starter,” she joked.)

The support she has received from the community keeps her going—the messages from customers saying her desserts “were a hit,” the families who bring her treats to celebrations, the locals eager to try new flavors. “Everyone here is so supportive of small businesses,” Ulrich said. “I love making new connections.”

Running a business has been a learning experience, from marketing and packaging to customer service. But Ulrich says the community’s encouragement fuels her motivation. She hopes to continue growing by doing more pop-ups, partnering with other local businesses and becoming a reliable go-to for celebrations, holidays and spontaneous sweet cravings. Eventually, she dreams of opening a storefront where customers can walk in and smell cookies warm from the oven.

She changes her cookie menu weekly and is always experimenting. Her goal is simple: to “bake your day.”

You can order directly through Instagram at @thecookiemess, via email at thecookiemess@gmail.com, or by calling/texting (626)426-2351. Payment is accepted through Venmo, Cash App and Zelle.