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Small business owner from Brooklyn Carmen Ladipo, her passion for baking developed in the beginning. "I've been a fan of sweets for as long as I recall," Carmen tells . "In my middle-school years, I took classes that was similar to Home Economics, where we learnt how to bake cookies. After I realized I could sustain my cravings for sweet treats in my own way and then it was over."

However, it wasn't until many years after that Carmen was able to earn money from that passion by launching a small-batch cookie ecommerce shop as a side hustle. "I'd just moved to New York City, and was trying to remember how to make friends as an adult" Carmen says. "I was able to join the local climbing club and used to bring snacks for the staff and other climbers--indeed an effective strategy for making friends." After receiving "fervently motivated" numerous times to sell her cakes, Carmen took advantage of the time between jobs to sign up her own food business in Brooklyn.

"It was originally just an excuse for me to earn money to bake cakes for my local customers on occasion," Carmen jokes. "But during the past five years, Carmen's Cookies has blossomed into an online shop that allows me to ship cookies all across the country for strangers as well as friends."

We spoke to Carmen about the ways she prioritizes environmental and social impacts of her enterprise, how she manages this single-woman operation alongside other work and duties, and about the equipment that helps Carmen's Cookies to run efficiently.

The importance of local communities and the Social impact

Visitors to the Carmen's Cookies website as well as social media channels are immediately greeted with the warm welcome of Carmen's brand, including the tagline: "Providing happiness for your connection." Carmen's offerings include experimental seasonal flavors like ras el hanout or matcha lemon, alongside her traditional favorites like brown butter chocolate chip and orange clove. Just a brief look at the reviews of her cookies to appreciate the joy her cookies are bringing to people everywhere.

From the beginning the company, Carmen's Cookies was about much more than selling cookies. "I think that food company owners are responsible towards the planet and to their communities in general to be mindful of their impact," Carmen says.

"There are a myriad of resources that go into creating and selling foods that require attention and consideration so that they do the least harm unto the planet. To this end, I pay attention to where my ingredients are coming from and how their manufacturers have a view of their own ecological and social impacts." Carmen is transparent on her website about how she sources the ingredients she uses. There is even an interactive method to track the source of her baking chocolate from.

But her dedication doesn't stop at that point. "It's essential for me to discover ways to help support the efforts to ensure food justice in the greater Brooklyn area," Carmen says.

"Every every year I pick an organization that works directly with its local community for economic development as well as food sustainability. I contribute a percentage of annual proceeds to these organizations because I want Carmen's Cookies to make a positive impact in the area it has chosen to call home." Customers are always able to go to the company's About page to find out where Carmen is donating part of the revenues.

"As to"the Carmen's Cookies community," Carmen adds, "it's been moving to see customers come together in supporting different causes over time. Facilitating the donations of hundreds of dollars to various local and national organizations for food justice and marginalized communities with the help of cookies is a major high point."