Reviewed by: Michael Seale
Cookie business and college life: About Maddie’s Cookie Company founder Maddie Cimino, Huntsville native + senior at Auburn University
Maybe you remember her Clinton Row storefront, had her cookies at a work meeting, or saw her yummy cookie booth at Greene Street Market.
I know her as a kind peer at Auburn and a War Eagle Girl—I’m talking about Maddie Cimino, founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company in Huntsville.
Keep reading to learn more about Maddie and her sweet business!
The origin of Maddie’s Cookie Company
Maddie didn’t seek out the cookie life—this successful business came from a baking hobby she shared on social media 3 years ago as a high school senior.
What started as a pandemic porch pick-up side hustle quickly developed into a thriving cookie business with a commercial kitchen and a pop-up storefront at Clinton Row. The storefront has since closed so Maddie’s Cookie Company can focus on wholesale, corporate giving and catering.
Maddie used the pandemic to perfect her thick, gooey cookies and signature flavors that her followers were going crazy for.
“I never had to say like, ‘I’m gonna start a business,’ I just kind of started doing it. And then the orders kept growing—really the turning point at that time was a giveaway I did on Instagram, and I gained over 1000 followers overnight, which was crazy.
And so then I just had orders like crazy and I made Maddie’s Cookie Company a legit business in April 2020.”
Maddie Cimino, Founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company
Since then, Maddie’s Cookie Company has been steadily growing and is now FDA-approved.
A star in the kitchen and on Auburn University campus
If starting a business in high school wasn’t enough, Maddie is excelling in her role as a leader and student on campus.
With a major in Accounting, Maddie is fully dedicated to her academics. Like me, you may be wondering how she does it all, but Maddie says when she is at Auburn, she’s “just a college student.”
“It’s hard at times feeling like I’m not a normal college student because I’ve already tasted the real world a little bit, and it’s hard to balance all of it, but I really am just a regular college kid, you know.
I feel like it’s an interesting dynamic and people think that I have all these spinning plates when I’m in Auburn but I really do try to just focus on school when I’m in Auburn, which my mom allows me to do because she runs the business when I’m gone.”
Maddie Cimino, Founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company
Maddie also serves as a War Eagle Girl, one of the highest honors on campus. Maddie says running her cookie business equipped her for her role as a War Eagle Girl.
“I do not think that I would have been able to be a War Eagle Girl if I hadn’t had my business experience.
It is just the biggest honor ever getting to serve in that capacity, and my business experience helped me know how to be professional in all situations and how to represent yourself but also something so much bigger than yourself.”
Maddie Cimino, Founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company
How owning a business is preparing Maddie in her professional life
As an Accounting major in the College of Business, Maddie finds that her business background has further prepared her for a career in business.
Maddie still brainstorms marketing ideas while at school, but her savvy business skills and dedicated Huntsville team allow her to let the business run itself while she’s away.
“I’ve been learning how to better manage the business from afar. When I’m in Huntsville, I’m preparing my team to be as efficient when I’m gone as we are when I am there. Then they can implement the same processes on their own, which is how any business grows.
While I’m at college, it’s really just generating the demand while I’m away and figuring out how to not confuse my customers that know that I’m in Auburn, but we still have a business in Huntsville.”
Maddie Cimino, Founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company
Giving back to the community
Maddie says one of the most rewarding parts of growing her business has been her employees.
One employee was connected to the business through a local training program, Hatch, that empowers and equips opportunity youth to enter the hospitality/culinary workforce.
“She is the best employee ever, like she is trained so well. It has been a game changer for our business.”
Maddie Cimino, Founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company
Her other star employee, Sophie, will be entering the Eagles Program at Auburn next year and has been an asset to Maddie’s Cookie Company.
“It’s been fun getting to see the impact that the business is making, which has made such a huge impact in my life.
Being able to engage with them both has been really special. So we’re definitely hoping to be able to provide more opportunities like that in the future.”
Maddie Cimino, Founder of Maddie’s Cookie Company
Where to find Maddie’s cookies
Maddie’s favorite cookie flavor is the double chocolate chip or seasonal double chocolate peppermint. (Maddie Cimino)
Browse Maddie’s signature cookies and place orders through their website for all your cooking craving needs. You can select boxes ranging from six to 48 cookies.
You can also find Maddie at Greene Street Market or supporting local swim meets (Maddie was a swimmer in high school and loves poolside pop-ups).
What locally-owned small business should we feature next? Let us know on social media, and tag us at @hvilleblast and #hvilleblast.
