BrandStory: Bud's Best Cookies

Bud Cason of Bud’s Best Cookies of Birmingham, AL spoke at the American Marketing Association – Birmingham chapter luncheon at The Harbert Center with humor and passion about his rise to success in the cookie business. Since the age of 12 while working in a local cookie business, Bud realized the “fire in his belly” to learn the business and one day be able to sell cookies across the nation. Bud owned and ran Greg’s Cookies in Birmingham in 1970 and realized sales of one million per year. In 1983 he acquired Bishop Baking Company in Cleveland, TN and sold both companies in 1986 when revenues were 23 million. As a condition of the sale Bud had to agree to a 5 year non-compete agreement, yet his heart still longed for the business! After his 5 years were up, Bud started Bud’s Best Cookies with a new concept “bite-sized” cookies. Bud has successfully held contracts with Keebler, Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree and Dollar General, among others and has seen sales catapult to over $33 million (2011).

The best takeaway from Bud’s talk today was his words, “have the fire in your belly to do what you really enjoy!” Bud works side by side with his son, Al, whom he just handed over the reigns of President to in 2012. Passion for what you love to do pushes you out the bed in the morning, it consumes you and it motivates you to be successful. Even if there are moments of failure, that passion will make you get up, dust yourself off and press on to do what you love to do. Bud put it this way, “Some times the worst thing that can happen in your business, is the best thing that can happen.” Listening to Bud it is hard to believe that he could have ever failed at anything, but his story of success is inspiring and encouraging. May we all be prompted by the fire in our bellies to do what we love to do – success will follow. To learn more about the American Marketing Association – Birmingham chapter and the benefits of membership and/or attending these insightful monthly meetings, go to http://www.bhamama.org .