Meet Judy Elswick of Birdiejudy Custom Cookies

Earlier this year, to celebrate my daughter’s birthday, I reached out to my friend Judy to make special sugar cookies as part of a goodie bag gift for my daughter’s best friends. I’ve known Judy for over 20 years. In fact, we worked together many years ago at the same company. What started as a hobby for my friend, turned into a bigger passion, as well as a thriving side gig!

Please meet the latest Real Mom of the SFV – Judy Elswick!

How/why did you begin your business?

Judy: I’ve always enjoyed creating things and am the first to say, “I can make that,” when I see something online or in the stores. I had seen decorated cookies on Pinterest and always thought it would be fun to make. So, for my nephew’s 1st birthday party (which was a sock monkey themed party), I attempted to make sock monkey sugar cookies. I googled “sock monkey cookies,” discovered Sweet Sugarbelle’s blog of cookie tutorials, and I was hooked. I spent countless hours learning and practicing decorating cookies – I absolutely loved it.

From that point on, I would bring decorated cookies to my kids’ school events, soccer parties, etc. and people started to express interest in ordering custom cookies for their events.

As a working mom, what is one tip or piece of advice that you would give to other female entrepreneurs?

Judy: Don’t undervalue yourself or your time. Charge what you are worth. Hand decorated cookies take a lot of time, so they are not going to cost the same as a supermarket cookie. This applies to whatever field of business you are involved in.

What do you like best about having a business in the San Fernando Valley?

Judy: I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and now I’m raising my kids here. I love the area. It has all the amenities of a metropolitan area, while still maintaining the feel of a smaller city. It is very family-oriented and I like that I can be a part of special events in my community.

If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?

Judy: The power of social media for networking and advertising. We live in a digital age where it’s easier to reach a greater spectrum of people. Platforms like Instagram are a great way to get your product across to new customers without spending money to advertise. It’s also a good resource for connecting with other people in the cookie world. There’s a whole cookie community that I wish I knew about when I first began.

I’m so proud of what Judy has done with her cookie business. Her cookies taste great and her icing skills are superb! Additionally, she has such a variety of cookie cutters/designs to choose from. Just one look at her Instagram feed will have you wanting to buy a dozen or so! I’m partial to the Harry Potter cookies she’s made and also her Baby Yoda one. 😉

There truly is something for everyone and Judy also creates special packages around the holidays. If you’d like more information on Birdiejudy Custom Cookies, check out her Instagram page. For questions and pricing info, email Judy at: birdiejudycookies@gmail.com.

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. The images shown in this post are used with permission. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.