WCW #14: Courtney's Cut Outs Meets World

Meet this week's Woman Crush Wednesday- Courtney Boyer of Courtney's Cut Outs!

• How long have you been doing Cut Outs? 
• It will be 4 years this December.

• Where did you come up with this idea?
• I did cake decorating in 4-H when I was in jr. high, that is how I learned how to use piping bags. I always enjoyed making cut out cookies with butter cream icing for family holidays and when I was a senior in college I started experimenting with royal icing recipes. I finally found one I liked and then it took off from there!

• Where do you draw your inspiration? 
• The internet, Pinterest, decorations, I love looking at holiday napkins and drawing inspiration from those for cookies (Weird, I know…but there are some cute napkins out there!) 

• Have you always wanted to do this?
• I would have never dreamt I would be running my own business after going to college for something way different then BUSINESS! I always have enjoyed baking so it is definitely a dream of mine. (Owning my own bakery is my BIG DREAM!)

• How important is social media?
• Social media is VERY important. Most people that order have seen my cookies before on some sort of social media site. 

• What does the average day in the life of Courtney’s Cut Outs look like?
• On Sundays and Mondays I mix up dough and roll out the cookies, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays are for icing and fine details on the cookies!

• What was your big break?
• When my husband started me a business Facebook, the word spread very quickly!

• How do you measure success?
• My costumers that return to me for more and when they refer me to others. 

• Is this your sole job? If not, what else do you do?
• I am also a Jr. High teacher and during my summers off I coach a summer swim team!

• What did you go to school for?
• I went to OU and got my bachelors in Middle Childhood Education and I am currently getting my masters!

• What’s the impression that ofter’s have after an interaction with you?
• Outgoing, Loud and talkative

• What makes for effective time management?
• I am great at getting things done on time HOWEVER, I am a HUGE procrastinator. I tend to work better under pressure. My husband is the complete opposite and hates my procrastination. He says “I live life on the edge.”

• What does the average day in the life of Courtney Boyer look like?
• During the school year I go to school from 7am-3pm and when I get home from school I ice/bake cookies from about 3:30-7 or 8pm depending on the work load. I average 20 dozen cookies or more a week. I try to have all cookies done by Thursday evening so that I can have my Friday nights off, BUT that doesn’t always happen! There are many times I am icing cookies on my Friday night (exciting right?!) I like to have all my cookies done so that my Saturdays are free and I can enjoy my weekends! 

• What is your greatest professional achievement?
• Well so far… Getting a teaching job and starting my own cookie business! 

• What did you want to be before you grew up?
• I wanted to be a baby sitter! I have always loved babies. Once I got to high school and started helping with the kids at swim team I knew I wanted to be a teacher. 

• What’s your guilty pleasure?
• Crafts and decorating! 

• What would be your dream job?
• To be Joanna Gaines off of HGTV’s fixer upper show. I love her decorating style, her husband and her family. And they just opened a BAKERY! I have also always wanted four kids too ( I currently have none) and she has two girls and two boys…how perfect is that!? 

• Who is your fashion icon? 
• I love turning to Pinterest and fashion blogs like this for inspiration! Jordan always looks adorable, love her style!

• Where do you shop? 
• TJ Max, Target, Khols, Old navy 

• What makes up your wardrobe? A little bit of everything. I LOVE shoes! I have over 200 pair (it drives my husband crazy!) I could have a slight problem with shoes…maybe? I also love purses (which is an expensive problem!) 

• What advice do you have for young women?
• Follow your dreams and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t! Hard work will eventually pay off (I still tell myself this!)  My motto is: Work hard, Play Harder. 

• Why do you do what you do?
• I love to come home from a noisy day at school and ice cookies…It’s like therapy for me. I  like to come up with creative designs and I love the stories behind each set of cookies. It’s a great way for me to interact and meet new people. I love when my cookies bring joy to others. 

Thanks, Courtney!

xo,

KJB