Cookies and More by Tyren now ships across all 50 states

By Grace Kim

Cookies and More by Tyren now ships cookies to customers in all 50 states, according to founder Tyren Brooks, who runs the business while attending The University of Alabama.

Brooks is a junior studying criminal justice and philosophy. She founded Cookies and More by Tyren during her senior year of high school, turning a pastime into a growing business.

Her family tradition provided the foundation. Growing up, Brooks helped her mother and grandmother prepare sweet potato pies each Thanksgiving.

At her grandmother’s 67th birthday party, Brooks made cookies for the celebration. Guests enjoyed them so much that several offered to pay. By the end of the party, Brooks had received multiple orders.

How did one birthday party create the business?

Positive reviews from those early customers spread online, and interest in Brooks’s baking grew. Because she was initially too shy to advertise herself, her family helped promote the business.

Brooks started with strawberry cookies. She later added decorated cakes, dessert cups, cupcakes and brownies, although cookies remain her specialty.

“I decided on the name ‘Cookies and More by Tyren’ because it allowed me to be able to add whatever to my menu,” Brooks said.

In Brooks’s account, the birthday party supplied the first proof of demand for her cookies.

What sets the business apart?

Brooks said customer service and a willingness to learn distinguish Cookies and More by Tyren from competitors. She uses customer feedback to refine both her products and her approach.

“I happily accept constructive feedback and use it to make my products and business better,” Brooks said.

Seeing customers enjoy her products has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of owning the business, Brooks said.

“The most rewarding part of running my business has been forming connections with my customers,” Brooks said. “Each order is proof that my hard work has paid off.”

Brooks treats customer relationships, including repeat orders, as the clearest sign that the business is progressing.

How did online attention lead to national shipping?

Brooks uses social media and her website to promote Cookies and More by Tyren and connect with customers beyond Tuscaloosa. Customers can view her baked goods and place orders through Instagram and Facebook.

An online review by influencer Tijuana Brooks on TikTok helped Tyren Brooks reach a wider audience. The exposure generated orders from customers interested in having cookies shipped to them.

To offer nationwide shipping, Brooks completed a cottage food course, received her certification and obtained approval for her business license through the health department.

“It feels so amazing to reach customers across all 50 states,” Brooks said. “I love when customers receive their orders and rave about the cookies’ taste. I also love when customers order again because of their first experience.”

The TikTok review broadened her audience, while the certification and license approval turned that interest into a nationwide shipping operation.

How does Brooks manage orders while attending college?

Alongside Cookies and More by Tyren, Brooks manages her coursework at The University of Alabama. Every Sunday, she plans the following week’s menu and schedules preparation times for incoming orders.

“A schedule has been very beneficial because it prevents me from becoming burned out and ensures I know which days I will prep orders, ship orders and meet with customers,” Brooks said.

Running the business has also taught Brooks to recognize her limits. She said one challenge is knowing when she has reached her order capacity and can no longer accept additional orders.

Her Sunday planning routine now sets the operating limits for preparation, shipping and customer meetings each week.

What comes next for Cookies and More by Tyren?

Brooks wants to expand beyond online orders. Her goals include purchasing a food truck and eventually opening a storefront. She also encourages other students to pursue entrepreneurial goals while balancing college.

“Do not be afraid of being a walking billboard for your business,” Brooks said.

Her next targets—a food truck and a storefront—would move Cookies and More by Tyren from a college-run online business into physical selling spaces.