Name:
Betsy Cohen
Where did you grow up:
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Town you live in now:
Palm Beach Gardens
Why you love living there:
WEATHER! Growing up in Cleveland where it is winter for what feels like most of the year, I only applied to schools in Florida. I got into the University of Miami and after graduation, I moved two counties north and have lived here since.
Tell me about your kids:
I have four kids; three bigs (29, 28, 25) and one little (14) – boy, boy, girl, boy. I love being their mom and I am so proud of the adults the bigs have grown to be as they are all following their own passions. One is an ob/gyn resident, one is a Captain in the Marines flying F-35’s and one is a barista who is starting her own bakery business. As for my youngest, his kindness and humor keep me smiling on a regular basis and I look forward to seeing where his journey takes him, although I would really love to slow time down on that one!
Favorite things to do with the kids locally:
When the kids were younger, we loved going to the zoo, Lion Country Safari, the Science Museum and spend time around the pool. I think because I am so food oriented, many of our activities have ended up one way or another revolving around food, especially as they get older. As an example, when we were not in a pandemic, we loved taking Brightline down to Miami, hopping on City Bikes and riding to Wynwood for lunch/desserts and then heading back.
What’s your ‘day job’? How did you get started with it?
I make people happy one bite at a time with Happylicious by Betsy’s edible cookie dough. I had been a stay at home mom for 21 years and when I got divorced, I started working outside the home in a custom pastry shop. I ate a frozen chocolate chip cookie dough ball for lunch everyday. Once I was introduced to edible cookie dough, I starting working on my first batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and was fortunate to take the dough to a food bloggers conference where I handed out samples. I knew I was onto something fabulous when 150 food bloggers raved about my dough. Five years later, I am very proud of each and every batch created. Happylicious uses all natural/non-gmo ingredients and our gluten flavors use a heat treated wheat flour which makes them safe to eat as a raw product and we offer a gluten free oatmeal raisin cookie dough that uses Bob’s Red Mill gf oats and gf oat flour. Our grab-and-go packages can be found locally in Whole Foods and Oceana Coffee, and The Board Babes offers them on their gorgeous charcuterie boards. A pivot during the pandemic was to focus on our gifts (hostess/guests/kids/corporate) and launching our Bucket of Bites as well as our online sales and shipping nationally. It is fun to make people happy on a daily basis!
What is your best parenting advice. Lay it on us.
Without a doubt, the best parenting advice I can offer is This Too Shall Pass. Decades ago, a rabbi gave a sermon about This Too Shall Pass that prompted me to put it in my calendar so I see it every single day. To paraphrase, if things are amazing and everything in life is soaring high, this too shall pass so remember to value it.. Likewise, if everything feels overwhelming and out of control, this too shall pass and good days will be back. The other parenting advice I can offer is to be kind to yourself as a mom. I joke a lot that I am sure my amazing ob/gyn forgot to give me instructions when he delivered my four babies because I know God would not create these magnificent children without letting me know how to handle every situation. The reality is that we do the best we can with the information we have at the time, including our own personal history that brings us to a situation. Know you are trying your best and that some of the times you will make mistakes. Apologize, learn from those moments and move forward with grace. You deserve nothing less.
What do you do for self care?
I do two things for me on a regular basis. I walk which gives me time to just clear my mind of everything and anything or do the opposite of allowing me time to focus on an issue without interruption. The other thing I do for me is find perfect desserts. I am always searching for delicious desserts that are made from scratch and I drive quite the distance to get them, even if it’s just for one cookie!
Anything else you want to share?
One of the things that I love about Palm Beach Moms is that there is a push to support each other. I am a huge believer that we rise higher when we support each other. This also holds true when we talk about supporting local businesses.We all shop on a regular basis so why not support local businesses owned by amazing moms? And, if you are looking for some fun gifts for the holidays and/or are having a party and want to add happyness with our bucket of bites or individual 4 bite grab-and-go packages, please reach out and let Happylicious be part of your season of joy!