New Book “Cookie Queen” Inspires Kid Entrepreneurship
These days entrepreneurs are getting younger and younger with kids creating their own businesses. From slime to bracelets, kids have found ways to become entrepreneurs as they learn more about business and make money! One of the original kid entrepreneurs is Kathleen King, founder of Tate’s Bake Shop. Interestingly, Kathleen started Tate’s Bake Shop when she was only 11 years old when she sold batches of her chocolate chip cookies on her parents’ Long Island farmstead.
Kathleen and her co-author Lowey Bundy Sichol recently wrote about her journey to kid entrepreneurship in the new book Cookie Queen: How One Girl Started Tate’s Bake Shop. Throughout the book, kids can read more about Kathleen’s process where she tried over and over again to create the perfect chocolate chip cookies. This eventually led to her starting Tate’s Bake Shop!
To learn more about book, we spoke with Lowey Bundy Sichol. Lowey is an award-winning children’s author, about her process as a co-author as well as her expertise in teaching business and entrepreneurship to kids.
Westchester Family: What was the process like in developing the book with Kathleen?
Lowey Bundy Sichol: Kathleen King was wonderful to work with. I originally reached out to her because I wanted to write a middle grade book about her incredible entrepreneurial journey of starting Kathleen’s Bake Shop and eventually Tate’s Bake Shop. However, the publisher asked that we work together to create a picture book instead, and I thought what a wonderful idea! Kathleen and I were a real team, combining my storyline and word choice with her keen eye for detail. Everything in the book – from the shape of Tate’s hat to the color of Kathleen’s cats – is just as she remembers.
Westchester Family: What do you hope kids will get out of your book?
Lowey Bundy Sichol: My goal with all my books is to inspire kids to dream big and learn how ideas are turned into reality through entrepreneurship. The thing I love most is Kathleen was only 11 years old when she started her business! That’s incredible! And it was with chocolate chip cookies, something most kids have helped bake and can relate to. I hope after reading Cookie Queen, kids think, “If Kathleen could do it, why can’t I?”
Westchester Family: What was your writing process like working with a collaborator vs writing for yourself?
Lowey Bundy Sichol: Writing is a lonely profession and to have someone you can bounce ideas off and work together with was a nice change. And since Cookie Queen is a picture book, it made it even more fun since the process is so visual. It was really interesting to see how the book came together. I hope I get the chance to work with other entrepreneurs on future picture books.
Westchester Family: Why do you think the topic of entrepreneurship is important to kids?
Lowey Bundy Sichol: Entrepreneurs change the world. Look around you, the car you drive, the technology you use, the sneakers you are wearing – all started by an entrepreneur. There are more than 30 million entrepreneurs in the United States and close to 600 million entrepreneurs worldwide. Entrepreneurs make up more than 20% of our workforce. However, we don’t teach entrepreneurship until business school. If we’re lucky we take an elective in high school or college.
However, one in five children are growing up to be an entrepreneur. Shouldn’t we introduce them to the topic early on? My books span from picture books to YA and all touch on the topic and lessons of entrepreneurship. I believe Cookie Queen may be one of the first, if not the first entrepreneurship picture book in the world. How amazing is that? And to have it be about a female entrepreneur is even cooler.
Westchester Family: Do you have anything else to add?
Lowey Bundy Sichol: Parents, teachers, and kids can learn more about me and my books on my website www.LoweyBundySichol.com or follow me @LoweySichol. I speak at elementary schools all over the country, inspiring kids to think and dream big. I also run a Giving Back program where companies can sponsor me to visit low-income schools.
Cookie Queen: How One Girl Started Tate’s Bake Shop is out now. The book is for kids ages 4 to 8 years old.
