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Baker

Culinary: One Girl Cookies, Brooklyn, NY
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Are you ready to turn up the heat in the kitchen and put your culinary creativity to the test?  Do you think you have the business sense and marketing skills to turn the “dough” in your mixing bowl into “dough” in your wallet?  Are you looking for a recipe for a career change?  Then pack your apron and head to Brooklyn, New York, for a VocationVacations® dream job holiday with  Dawn Casale and David Crofton, owners of One Girl Cookies.

A native New Yorker, Dawn Casale grew up with a love of food.  Her earliest memories are of the wonderful aromas and flavors found in the kitchens of her large Italian family.  “As a child, I learned about the ritual and significance of food, the sense of happiness and comfort it brought, and the essential elements of quality and care that went into its preparation,” remembers Dawn.  These childhood memories would be the foundation upon which she would ultimately build a successful business.

After receiving a degree in marketing, Dawn went to work in retail management, first for Neiman Marcus and then for Barneys in New York. “I loved what I did, but realized it was not a career path I wanted to follow.  I knew the next step up would distance me from the customer, the product and the staff,” she explains.  That wasn’t what Dawn wanted. It was time for a change. She decided to pursue her passion for cooking and good food and see where it might lead her. Entrepreneurship ran in her family, and it was her turn to continue the tradition.

“I knew I needed to find a niche,” says Dawn. “New York didn’t need just another caterer.”  Dawn decided what the city really needed was some place they could buy beautiful, handmade, delicious cookies.  With this goal in mind, Dawn mixed two important ingredients – her marketing expertise and love of cooking – and launched One Girl Cookies, taking orders and filling them out of her tiny West Village apartment. 

As the business grew, she moved her operations into a professional kitchen space and hired a professional baker.  A great guy named David Crofton, who ultimately became both her partner in business and in life.  The company name remained One Girl Cookies, but now there was a “guy” behind the ovens. “Dawn and I have baked a lot of cookies together, and I am proud of every box we’ve made,” says David.  Each cookie is beautifully designed and packaged and handmade using the finest ingredients. “Our goal is that each bite of a One Girl Cookie will evoke a special childhood memory and bring a smile to your face.”

Dawn’s own childhood memories and admiration for her family have been at the root of One Girl Cookies from the beginning. “When I was deciding how to market and package my cookies, I knew I wanted to honor my family in this new endeavor,” shares Dawn. To that end, each package of One Girl Cookies features photos of Dawn’s family.  She has also recognized her family by naming many of her 15 varieties of cookies after them. For instance, the Lucia, a shortbread caramel chocolate layer bar, is named after her great grandmother. Sadie, Penelope, Olga and Giovanna are just a few of the other names for these unique cookies that not only taste good, but are reminiscent of family and tradition.

This salute to family is also integrated into the decor of the One Girl Cookies Shop Dawn and David opened in Brooklyn in 2005.  The shop is an aesthetically pleasing mix of heritage and modern design, featuring family photos prominently displayed on the walls. Its warm ambience and commitment to customer service has made it a gathering place.  “We have become a part of the neighborhood.  The kids know us and come in several times a week for cookies and to share their latest art project or ballet movements,” laughs Dawn.  Of course, the parents come, too, since cookies appeal to all ages.  “We now have a wonderful extended family.”

Although cookies remain at the heart of the business, customers can also purchase other baked goods including cupcakes, brownies, pies and cakes. An espresso bar is located in the back of the shop where customers can savor a selection of coffee drinks and a variety of other beverages.  On Thursday and Friday nights, customers enjoy a dessert bar featuring a wide array of delicacies.   One Girl Cookies also sells wholesale to hotels and caterers, as well as online and through phone orders.

“We love what we do, but it is hard work,” says Dawn.  “It is difficult to leave the business at the end of the day.  We take our work home with us, so it is a challenge to balance the business with quality time together.”  David oversees the baking and manages the kitchen, and Dawn handles the business side. “We take only one day off a week. It has been hard to let go of the reins, but we are working at it.”

With all the delicious cookies coming out of the oven at One Girl Cookies, which cookies would best describe Dawn and David?  “I guess I am a  ‘Penelope,’ a butter cookie covered in chopped nuts and filled with apricot preserves,” concludes Dawn. Why? “Because it is colorful, sometimes temperamental and sweet.” And David? “Oh, he would be a ‘Mary,’ our chocolate chip cookie that everybody loves and always behaves,” laughs Dawn.   Sounds like Dawn and David have a sweet combination going and a successful business.

Here's what a recent Vocationers had to say about their experience:

“Dawn and Dave gave me an incredible hands-on, behind-the-scenes experience even though the bakery was really busy. They took so much time to answer my questions and made me feel really welcome. I learned a ton about what it really takes to run a successful food business band felt especially lucky to observe the operations of a bakery where the owners treat each employee with respect and professionalism. Plus, I helped make (and sample!) red velvet cupcakes, blueberry muffins, and pumpkin whoopie pies."
Cindy Meyers, San Francisco, CA

“My VocationVacation was just what I needed to get me moving. Dawn helped me see I needed to take action and dive in; Dave helped me understand how to set up a professional kitchen; and both Dawn and Dave provided me a financial reality check on what was needed to operate a bakery and be successful. It was truly an enlightening experience.”
Dawn Treco, Pleasantville, NY

Click here to see Sean Aiken of OneWeekJob.com Vocationing at One Girl Cookies!

While on your baker VocationVacations® dream job holiday with Dawn Casale and David Crofton at One Girl Cookies, activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Gain basic baking business knowledge (i.e.: wholesale vs. retail, pricing, ingredient   sourcing, etc.)
  • Prioritize and organize a day from a business prioritization and production standpoint
  • Learn marketing techniques
  • Experience managing a small cafe & cookie shop
  • Review packaging methods and options
  • Gain experience in managing a small cafe & cookie shop
  • Witness the division of labor between a husband and wife partnership
  • Mix a variety of cookie doughs and batters
  • Participate in the preparation of bars, cupcakes, cakes and a variety of other baked goods
  • Learn techniques for cookie shaping, rolling and finishing
The baker Vocation Vacations® dream job holiday with Dawn Casale and David Crofton includes:
  • Two days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a baker
  • The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post-VocationVacation career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job becoming a reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: Monday/Tuesday or Tuesday/Wednesday based on mentor's availability with exception of holidays

Price: $1049 Per Person

Book This Career Mentorship




Suggested Accommodations

Nu Hotel Brooklyn

Bed & Breakfast on the Park
(Not included in the price of your VocationVacations adventure)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® dream job holiday:

  • NYC & Company - New York City's Official Tourism Website for Tourists, Journalists, Travel Professionals, and Meeting Planners
  • I Love New York - The Official New York State Tourism Website
  • NY.com - The Paperless Guide to New York City
Reservation, Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules and Conditions:

Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.