Young local entrepreneur aims to be ‘Oprah of Cookies’

FLORISSANT, Mo. (KMOV) – Most teenagers are begging their parents to teach them how to drive or finding the perfect dress back home.

But 15-year-old Tamia Hawkins-Coleman has accomplished most of her business goals – and she plans to continue to hold her ground in the industry.

Standing with your grandma or parents while they cook seems to be the stepping stone for all talented food connoisseurs, and so does Tamia’s journey. She recalls helping her grandmother make lasagna. Although she is often in the kitchen, her journey begins a few years later.

During her childhood, Tamia’s mother Tamishio Hawkins took her to downtown St. Louis to help the homeless by providing them with essential needs such as food, toiletries, and clothing.

“Get out there and witness how people live without a place they can call home,” added Tamia. “I knew I wanted to do something to help them.”

And rightly so – Mia’s Treats Delight was created in 2015.

Combining a passion for baking and the curriculum Tamia learned in her gifted economics class, the mother-daughter duo set out to build their empire while working toward their goal of combating homelessness and homelessness. give back to the community.

“I told my mother that I didn’t want to wait until adulthood to start a business. She always told me to be her own boss,” says Tamia, recalling how she started her baking career at the age of eight.

With help from mentors, the couple curated their menu to include cookies, macaroons, and cookies.

“A lot of the flavors of my cookies were requested by the customer but were really good so they were added to the menu,” said the 15-year-old. “When asked what her bestsellers are, Tamia says she constantly whips up her Cookies ‘n’ Cream, Turtle and Chocolate & Pecan cakes.

She joked, “I can’t forget the chocolate chips.”

Tamishio has tears in her eyes thinking about what her business-savvy daughter has accomplished in 7 years.

“I always encourage her to be her own boss and start her own business as an adult,” says mom Florissant. “I didn’t know she would come to me as an adult and say ‘Hey mom, I’m ready to start a business’.”

And her mother has a lot to be proud of.

In 2020, the young CEO made the list of The Root’s Top 25 Futurists. From art to corporate innovation, the list recognizes 25 pioneers who provided the blueprint for leadership. Tamia has joined notable young people such as the children of NBA legends Dwayne Wade, Zaya Wade and Grammy Award-winning artist Lil Nas X.

With several accomplishments, she calls herself the Oprah of Cookies.

“I get a lot of cookie orders. We’re based on Oprah’s saying ‘You have a car’ but ‘it’s you get a cookie.’ All in all, Oprah’s journey is inspirational,” explains Tamia.

She added that she would love to have the philanthropist enjoy her sweet creations. While she waited to give Oprah a delicious roast, Tamia had other notable customers like the Mayor of St. Louis Tishuara Jones and Representative Cori Bush of Missouri. This young woman even landed her first international client on a vacation in Paris.

Their products on the shelves at Target have always been a dream come true for these women. So when a Target representative contacted Tamia recently. They were very excited.

“She was looking for black businesses and found mine. She said it was the perfect business to start Black History Month,” said Tamia. “We gave them to [St. Peters] hosted and greeted by a welcome committee. ”

Now that she’s checked another target off her list, Tamia is hoping to get a food truck or secure her first physical location to make her business more accessible. Although she doesn’t have a specific schedule yet, this little girl has her eyes on the award.

If you’re looking to try one of her signature desserts, click here.

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