The four Billingslea brothers wearing their baking gear in front of a hundred-dollar bill background

Courtesy of the Yummy Brothers (Yummy Brothers); Shutterstock.com (all other images)

Be Your Own Boss!

These young business owners share their recipe for success.

April 26, 2021

By Karen Kellaher

As You Read, Think About: What steps did the brothers take to start their business?

Flour? Check. Butter? Check. Sugar? Check. The Billingslea brothers of Atlanta, Georgia, are getting ready to do some baking. But they’re not making themselves a snack. They’re whipping up hundreds of cookies for customers across the U.S.

The Billingsleas—Joshua, Isaiah, Caleb, and Micah—are the proud owners of a successful cookie business called Yummy Brothers. The young entrepreneurs have learned a lot since they started their company. And now they’re sharing what they know with other kids.

Flour? Check. Butter? Check. Sugar? Check. The Billingslea brothers of Atlanta, Georgia, are getting ready to bake. But they’re not making themselves a snack. They’re whipping up hundreds of cookies for customers across the U.S.

The Billingslea brothers are Joshua, Isaiah, Caleb, and Micah. They are the proud owners of a successful cookie business called Yummy Brothers. The young entrepreneurs have learned a lot since they started their company. And now they’re sharing what they know with other kids.

Family Recipe

For the Billingsleas, baking began as a hobby using family recipes. When they brought the treats to parties, people loved them and often asked for more.

That gave the brothers an idea. In 2017, they asked their parents to help them start a company. The brothers worked together to create a business plan. Their first decision was agreeing on what to sell. They considered cakes but quickly shifted their focus to cookies.

“In three hours, you can make a lot more cookies than cakes,” explains 13-year-old Joshua.

Another big step was figuring out what to charge for their products. After researching how much other cookies cost, the boys set prices they thought were reasonable. Also, they wanted a memorable company name that would help them stand out in the crowded cookie market. “Yummy Brothers” was an easy choice, says 11-year-old Isaiah.

He and his brothers then brainstormed ways to spread the word about their products. They started by selling cookies door-to-door to neighbors and then moved on to school football games and other events. They also created social media pages and a website where customers could order cookies and have them shipped to their homes. It wasn’t long before business was booming.

“We were getting orders left and right, up and down!” Isaiah says.

For the Billingsleas, baking began as a hobby using family recipes. When they brought the treats to parties, people loved them and often asked for more.

“In three hours, you can make a lot more cookies than cakes,” explains 13-year-old Joshua.

Another big step was figuring out what to charge for their products. The boys researched how much other cookies cost. Then they set prices they thought were reasonable. Also, they wanted a catchy company name that would help them stand out in the crowded cookie market. “Yummy Brothers” was an easy choice, says 11-year-old Isaiah.

“We were getting orders left and right, up and down!” Isaiah says.

Sweet Success

At first, the Billingsleas baked and shipped the cookies from their home. But the family now rents a big kitchen to keep up with the demand (see “Business Basics,” below). The brothers bake there two or three days a week, after their schoolwork is done.

When an order comes in, the cookies are shipped out the same day. To help handle all the orders, the brothers have hired 10 employees. So far, Yummy Brothers has sold more than a million cookies nationwide.

The Billingsleas have used some of their profits to start a program where they teach kids about what it takes to run a successful business.

One of the boys’ biggest tips for becoming an entrepreneur is to choose something you love. They also advise kids to be creative, because you never know where the next great idea will come from. Once, they forgot to add sugar to a batch of their cookies. The taste made them think of dog treats—and that inspired them to create and sell dog biscuits of their own!

“There’s a lot of stuff that goes into a business,” says Isaiah. “It’s important not to give up easily.”

At first, the Billingsleas baked and shipped the cookies from their home. But the family now rents a big kitchen. They need the extra space to keep up with the demand (see “Business Basics,” below). The brothers bake there two or three days a week, after their schoolwork is done.

The Billingsleas have used some of their profits to start a program where they teach kids about what it takes to run a successful business.

One of the boys’ biggest tips for becoming an entrepreneur is to choose something you love. They also advise kids to be creative. You never know where the next great idea will come from. Once, they forgot to add sugar to a batch of their cookies. The taste made them think of dog treats. That inspired them to create and sell dog biscuits of their own!

“There’s a lot of stuff that goes into a business,” says Isaiah. “It’s important not to give up easily.”