Image credit: Hannah Andersen Photo
Many of our loyal customers know Nicole Pomije, the creator of The Cookie Cups. As the public face of the company, Nicole makes TV appearances and attends events to spread the word about our growing business. Behind the scenes, her husband David -- a.k.a. “Mr. Cookie Cup” -- is busy crunching the numbers and analyzing sales trends to figure out which direction we should go next.
While he isn’t always in the spotlight, David Pomije plays a huge role in our growth and success. As The Cookie Cups co-owner and bakery analyst, he’s involved in many important business decisions and ensures that we’re giving our customers and staff the best experience possible.
We asked David a few questions about his role, his professional background, and what he loves most about being a part of a family business. Here’s what the other half of the Pomije power couple had to say.
Q: What does a Bakery Analyst do?
A: As an Analyst, it is my job to use company data to find trends in sales and operations in order to help The Cookie Cups make better business decisions. This includes hours of operation, amount and type of employees, menu decisions, types of options based on top sellers, and more.
Q: What did you do before The Cookie Cups?
A: I am a Certified Gemologist by trade. For about a decade, I worked at the headquarters for a company where I was in charge of grading millions of carats of diamonds for distribution across 50 storefront locations. Along the way, I utilized spreadsheets to track diamond data in the stores. That was the beginning of my Analyst experience.
Q: What do you love most about co-owning and running a family business?
A: I love being able to spend my time doing something I am really good at with the people I love the most.
Q: What have been some of the most memorable and/or challenging moments for you during The Cookie Cups journey so far?
A: I think the most memorable so far was opening day at our first location. We didn’t know what to expect, but we had a line out the door most of the day. On my end, watching the numbers come in with all of the data was really exciting.
The biggest challenge in general is knowing the problems or things we need to change but not knowing exactly what is going to work better. That’s what is great about having a partner by my side. Nicole always seems to come up with creative ideas to try, like our Cooking Classes, which have been a hit!
Q: The Cookie Cups has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a farmers market business. You just celebrated your flagship store’s first anniversary, and you’re opening a second storefront this summer. Where do you see The Cookie Cups in five years?
A: Hopefully in five years we will have 10 to 30 locations. We have a model that is working and we’re improving every year.
Q: What is YOUR favorite cookie cup flavor?
A: It’s a tough call between the White Chocolate Caramel, Cookies & Cream, and Chocolate Chip. Every time there’s a new flavor, it seems to become my new favorite.
Stop by The Cookie Cups and meet the Pomije family! Join us for a cooking class or just come for the sweet and savory treats.