Loren Brill, founder and CEO of Sweet Loren’s, was named Marie Claire’s Top Entrepreneur of 2012.  Since then she has worked to fulfill her dreams and expand her line of all-natural cookies. These break-bake sweet treats are a healthy guiltless pleasure. Enjoy.

1. When did your line originally “blow-up?”  Were you shocked that so many people took an interest in your company?

“Be Sweet to Yourself.” – Loren Brill

I launched in Whole Foods Market in a couple stores in NYC in 2011 with our cookie dough. One month after I launched, I won a contest called The Next BIG Small Brand for Culinary Genius and People’s Choice Award, and was on the cover of the Daily News and USA Today. That’s when we started to “blow up”… and I realized that Sweet Loren’s had hit a “sweet spot” with consumers. I realized how people emotionally connected with our story and had the same need we did – to find treats that were delicious and truly wholesome, plus made from a brand that they wanted to support. In today’s world, it’s important to ensure people can create a healthy, balanced lifestyle where they feel great about what they’re eating and that they never have to compromise on ingredients or taste.

2. Where do you see your brand going?  Will you ever go national or are you trying to stay closer to home?

We are definitely going national – the goal is to improve the lives of as many people as possible, so international one day would be the dream. We are launching refrigerated retail cookie dough packaging come April so we can really compete with the ‘big guys’, as well as food service cookie dough for universities, restaurants, and other wholesale accounts. We want to be your go-to company for all your bakery and snack needs.

3. What is the most difficult situation you have had to face so far in trying to accomplish your goals?

The most difficult situation has been trying to grow this business all alone. I have been the product developer, the marketer, the sales person, the customer service rep, etc… only until now have I found an amazing business partner to bring on to help grow the business side. It’s hard to face what your strengths and weaknesses are, and what kind of a team you need to bring around you to make sure you check off all of the boxes of what needs to get done in growing a business. It took 2 years of interviewing people to find her!

Break and Bake.

4. Who has been the biggest inspiration in living your dreams?

My mother. She passed away 4 years ago from cancer, and was my best friend. She was my role model that showed me it was possible to have a big career and close family at the same time (although Sweet Loren’s is still a start-up and I am still single, this is the goal I know I am striving for!). She showed me how to be a strong, driven, loving, caring leader who fights for what she believes in, and tries to make the world a better place. She showed me how to stand up for what I believe in, and find a way to positively impact people. I am who I am because of my mother, and that’s why mothers will always have a sweet spot in my heart – generally, their maternal force is one of the most beautiful connections we can experience as human beings. It’s that love and dedication to their family that inspire me to create delicious, fun, better-for-you products – so that families can celebrate life, food, and relationships easier and more often.

5. Tell an embarrassing or funny story!

When I was on the Today Show with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee, it was very unplanned. Hoda told me that our cookies were going to be on the show, but I didn’t know if I personally was going to get air time. But, I came decked in hair and make-up, just in case. When I got there, their producer said I was going to go on air. I was so excited, but crazy nervous. I wore high 4” heals that I had never walked in. They put me by the stage and gave me a plate of our baked cookies, telling me I was going on in 1 minute. I leaned over to check out my shoes, and the cookies fell off of the plate onto the ground. I was like, in my head, “Loren….this is live TV – get it together…we are going on in 60 seconds!!!” They added new cookies to the plate, just in time, and then I walked on the stage ever-so-slowly to make sure I didn’t ever drop them again. It was embarrassing at the time, and super funny to watch that clip again now.

6. If you could give young girls one piece of advice what would it be?

It would be to find something you’re incredibly passionate about – something that you can’t wait to jump out of bed in the morning to work on. Something that makes the world better in some way. It would be that being strong, caring, dedicated, and smart is cool and sexy. And, don’t let anyone get in the way of your dreams.

Where can we get them?

Check out our website sweetlorens.com to find where we are sold. We started in the northeast but are expanding nationally soon, so please follow us and support us as grow! Help make us the go-to cookie dough that we want to raise our next generation of families on and indulge in instead of highly processed cookie doughs.

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