One Month of Markets: Things I Learned From Finally Putting Myself Out There

When I started Cookie Tabs, I spent a lot of time baking behind the scenes.

Packing orders.
Testing recipes.
Posting on social media.
Wondering if people would actually show up.

For some reason, doing markets felt intimidating.

I kept telling myself I'd do them eventually.

Eventually when I had more inventory.
Eventually when I felt more prepared.
Eventually when the timing was right.

But May became my first month of saying yes.

Over the course of three weekends, I packed up my cookies, set up my booth, and stepped into a completely new experience as a small business owner.

And honestly?

I wish I had started sooner.

There's something special about meeting customers face-to-face that social media can never fully replace.

I got to meet people who had been supporting Cookie Tabs online and see them in person for the first time. Some of them felt familiar because we'd chatted through messages, commented on posts, or exchanged stories online.

Seeing regular customers walk up to my booth felt like seeing old friends.

I also met so many new faces.

People who had never heard of Cookie Tabs before stopping by, asking questions, trying samples, and walking away with a box of cookies.

Those moments reminded me that growth often happens one conversation at a time.

One customer.
One interaction.
One connection.

But one of the biggest surprises wasn't the sales.

It was the community.

I met other small business owners who understand the excitement, uncertainty, long hours, and vulnerability that come with building something from scratch.

People who know what it's like to invest time, money, energy, and heart into a dream and simply hope it resonates with others.

For someone who spent most of this journey working quietly behind a screen, that sense of community meant more than I expected.

Of course, entrepreneurship isn't always easy.

This month also reminded me that not every connection is meant to last.

There were moments that left me confused and hurt, including an unexpected friendship shift that I still don't fully understand.

If I'm honest, friendship breakups and connection losses have always affected me deeply.

I've always valued relationships, so when someone suddenly disappears or pulls away without explanation, it can be difficult not to take it personally.

But entrepreneurship has a way of teaching you that not everyone is meant to walk every season with you.

Sometimes people leave.

Sometimes doors close.

Sometimes you don't get answers.

And sometimes the lesson is simply learning to keep moving forward anyway.

What I'll remember most about May isn't the disappointment.

It's the growth.

The conversations.

The customers.

The laughter.

The fellow vendors.

The opportunities.

The feeling of stepping outside my comfort zone and realizing I belonged there all along.

A month ago, I was nervous about doing my first market.

Now I'm already looking forward to the next one.

And if there's one thing this month taught me, it's that sometimes the thing you're scared to do is the very thing that's waiting to help you grow.

Here's to more markets, more cookies, more connections, and seeing where this little dream continues to take me.

One pop-up at a time. 🤍