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Small business owner from Brooklyn Carmen Ladipo, her passion for baking took root at an early age. "I've had a sweet tooth since I recall," Carmen tells . "In my middle-school years, I was in an class that was that was similar to Home Economics, where we were taught how to make cookies. After I realized how I could feed my cravings for sweet treats in my own way and then it was over."

But it wasn't until several years later that Carmen was able to earn money from that enthusiasm by starting a small batch cookies ecommerce business in the background. "I'd been moving from the city of my birth to New York City, and I was trying to figure out how to make friends as mature," Carmen says. "I was able to join the local climbing club and would bring cookies for climbing members and staff--indeed an effective way to make friends." After receiving "fervently incentivised" repeatedly to market her cakes, Carmen took advantage of some extra time in between jobs to officially register her own business for food in Brooklyn.

"It honestly started out as an excuse to be paid to bake cookies for friends in the area at times," Carmen jokes. "But over the last 5 years Carmen's Cookies has grown into an ecommerce site that allows me to ship cookies throughout the United States for strangers as well as friends."

We spoke with Carmen about the ways she prioritizes the ecological and social impact of her business, how she manages this single-woman business with other tasks and responsibilities, and the tools she uses to help her make Cookies run smoothly.

Local community development and impacts on society

Customers who go to the Carmen's Cookie website as well as social media channels are immediately welcomed by the warm and welcoming nature of the brand. The tagline reads: "Providing happiness for your togetherness." Carmen's offerings include new seasonal flavors such as the ras el-hanout and matcha lemon. They also have beloved classics like the brown butter chocolate chip as well as orange clove. It takes only a quick glance through the reviews of her cookies to see how much joy these cookies are bringing to people all over.

Since the very beginning, Carmen's Cookies has been about more than simply selling cookies. "I feel like food business owners are responsible towards the planet and to the communities they serve to be mindful of the impact they have on their communities," Carmen says.

"There are a myriad of resources that go into creating and selling foods that bear recognition and scrutiny so that they do the least environmental harm. To this end, I am always aware of the source of my ingredients from and also how the manufacturers have a view of their own ecological and social impacts." Carmen is transparent on her site regarding how she sources her ingredients. The site even offers a interactive way to trace the source of her baking chocolate from.

And her commitment doesn't stop here. "It's also been important to me to find ways of supporting the efforts to ensure food justice within the larger Brooklyn community," Carmen says.

"Every every year I choose an organization that works directly with its local community for economic development as well as food sustainability. I give a small portion of my revenue from the year's sales to these charities because I want Carmen's Cookies to make an effect on the place it calls home." Customers can always visit the website's About Page to find out where Carmen has been donating part of the profits.

"As to our Carmen's Cookies community," Carmen adds, "it's an inspiring experience to watch customers come together in the support of various causes throughout time. Helping facilitate the donation in the hundreds of dollars that we have donated to various local and national organizations to support marginalized and food justice communities with the help of cookies is a major high point."