episode 0093- diagnosed with celiac so she built a better gluten-free cookie: the mightylicious story with founder carolyn haeler

When Carolyn was diagnosed with celiac disease at age 31, every gluten-free cookie she tried fell apart into chalky dust. So the former Department of Defense consultant turned stockbroker decided to build a better one herself, and Mightylicious was born. In this episode, she walks us through baking tens of thousands of inedible cookies in a tiny New York apartment, engineering her own flour blend when none existed, talking her way into Whole Foods with three sample bags and no commercial kitchen, and raising $5 million in 48 hours off a cold-email campaign to 10,000 strangers. It's a masterclass in grit, scrappiness, and refusing to take "lucky" for an answer. Plus the baking science behind why you should always reach for the salted butter. A must-listen for anyone with a big idea and the stubbornness to chase it.

Show Highlights:
1- Carolyn gives us the background story that led to Mightylicious, including her Celiac diagnosis. (6:30)
2- We talk about the moment Carolyn got serious about gluten-free cookie baking. (21:00)
3- We discuss the process of finding and working with a mill to commercialize everything. (28:15)
4- Carolyn tells us how she got her products into Whole Foods. (30:00)
5- We discuss food science and scaling. (33:15)
6- Carolyn gives us the story of raising $5M in 48 hours. (39:45)
7- We discuss revenues and where we can find more from Carolyn and Mightylicious. (50:00)

Follow us on Instagram: @witnessbusiness
Follow Mightylicious on Instagram: @mightyliciousfoods

Note: Some of the links above may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and make a purchase. This is no additional cost to you; it just helps us be able to run the best show possible. Thank you for your support!