Opening Soon
Opening Soon
Podcast Description
Opening Soon is the podcast where we go behind the scenes with founders of brick-and-mortar businesses — from pilates studios to coffee shops, boutiques, medspas, and more. Hosted by Alan Li, co-founder of FotoLab Studio and Signs and Mirrors, each episode explores how real entrepreneurs found their space, designed their store, hired their team, and built something from nothing.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on entrepreneurship and the journey of establishing physical retail spaces, with topics ranging from the nuances of vintage fashion retail to the intricacies of hair removal salons, fitness studios, and community-focused workspaces. For example, episodes include interviews with founders like Darbe Canady discussing the transition from tech to a vintage store and Cassie Piasecki sharing how she expanded her pilates brand to three locations in just one year.
Opening Soon is the podcast where we go behind the scenes with founders of brick-and-mortar businesses — from pilates studios to coffee shops, boutiques, medspas, and more.
Hosted by Alan Li, co-founder of FotoLab Studio and Signs and Mirrors, each episode explores how real entrepreneurs found their space, designed their store, hired their team, and built something from nothing.
In this episode, Alan talks with Yoseph Raja, co-founder of Thin Cookies, a fast-growing cookie brand with locations in Long Island and Manhattan’s West Village. Trained as a pharmacist, Yoseph never expected to be in the food business, but during COVID he and his wife began baking at home, experimenting with a softer, chewier version of Tate’s. What started as Instagram pickup orders quickly grew into wholesale accounts, and eventually their first retail storefront.
When they opened in Hicksville, the response exceeded expectations, selling thousands of cookies each week and building a loyal local following. But it was their second location, a bold move onto Bleecker Street in the West Village, that put Thin Cookies on the map. With lines out the door, a provocative “Better Than Crumbl” sign, and even Marcus Lemonis stopping by, Yoseph and his wife have proven their thin cookies can compete in the one of the most crowded dessert markets in the country.
We cover:
- How Thin Cookies scaled from a home kitchen to 25+ wholesale accounts
- Why Yoseph walked away from rapid wholesale growth to focus on retail quality
- Bootstrapping a 2,000 sq ft commissary kitchen and a $200k Manhattan buildout
- The bold marketing bet that differentiated Thin Cookies from national chains
- Balancing growth, quality, and family while building a food brand from scratch
- Lessons from working with his wife as co-founder and navigating early challenges
- What’s next for Thin Cookies, from additional NYC locations to potential expansion
Whether you’re thinking about starting a food brand, weighing wholesale vs. retail, or curious how to stand out in a crowded market, this episode is packed with insights on brand building, bootstrapping, and growth strategy.
Resources & Links
Thin Cookies: https://www.instagram.com/thincookies
Follow Yoseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yosephraja/
Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/
Disclaimer
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