A Conversation with Sofia Hudson of Swoon Cookie Crafters
What if one small gesture—like serving cookies at a First Friday event—sparked the beginning of a whole new business?
That’s exactly what happened to Sofia Hudson, the founder of Swoon Cookie Crafters, a Kansas City-based bakery known for beautifully crafted, custom sugar cookies. What started as a way to bring more foot traffic into her furniture store quickly turned into a full-fledged business. And today, Swoon ships cookies across the country and serves a fiercely loyal customer base.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sofia to talk about her unexpected leap into entrepreneurship, what it’s really taken to scale the business over time, and how she’s structured her team so that she could step into a new season herself.
From Parsons to Pastry (Sort Of)
Sofia’s story starts in the art world. She studied furniture design at Parsons in New York City—after being told she’d never get in—and later opened a furniture store in the heart of Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. During First Fridays, her mother-in-law offered to bring homemade cookies for guests, and one seasonal sugar cookie in particular became a crowd favorite.
The cookies were such a hit that even after the store moved locations, customers kept asking for them. So Sofia leaned in—and Swoon Cookie Crafters was born.
Organic Growth, Intentional Decisions
What’s unique about Sofia’s story is how slowly and intentionally she grew her business. She made the decision early on to not take on debt—especially after the ups and downs of running a retail store. For years, cookies were baked out of her mother-in-law’s home before Swoon moved into its first commercial kitchen.
Over time, Swoon grew through word-of-mouth, community partnerships, and just plain beautiful product. A surprise feature in the Kansas City Star Magazine helped put them on the map, but the real staying power has come from consistent product quality and creative attention to detail.
Building a Team of Artists
One of the things I love most about Sofia’s business model is her team.
Most of Swoon’s decorators are local artists—illustrators, fabric designers, jewelry makers—who take on cookie decorating as a flexible and creative supplemental role. It takes about four months to train a new decorator, and each person brings their own style and flair to the work. It’s clear that Sofia has built something that’s both precise and joyful.
Letting Go to Grow
In a bold move, Sofia recently stepped away from the day-to-day operations of Swoon to take on a new full-time role running the business side of an interior design firm. But instead of walking away entirely, she empowered her team to run the creative and operational side of Swoon while she handles the finances and big-picture strategy.
It’s a beautiful example of what it looks like to grow a business that doesn’t rely solely on the founder—and to create a team you can actually trust.
Real Talk on Supply Chains, Slow Months & Small Business Survival
Of course, not every part of the journey has been smooth. From vanilla shortages to egg supply issues to skyrocketing packaging costs, Sofia has had to navigate all the uncertainties that come with running a product-based business.
Her approach? Keep learning, stay flexible, and surround yourself with good people.
She’s participated in small business education programs through Kauffman and Goldman Sachs, and has built a network of local entrepreneurs to lean on. When things get hard, she focuses on taking the next best step—something she calls “left foot, right foot” mentality.
Advice for Fellow Entrepreneurs
Sofia’s advice to fellow business owners is simple but powerful:
“You can plan and forecast all you want, but sometimes you just have to focus on getting through the next day.”
She also encourages creatives and aspiring founders to not let lack of experience hold them back. She didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur—and she certainly didn’t start out as a baker—but her willingness to experiment, learn, and lead with community has made all the difference.
Where to Find Swoon
You can follow along with Sofia and her team at justswoon.com or on Instagram at @justswoon. Whether you’re shopping for a special event or just want to send a sweet surprise to a friend, their cookies are always as thoughtful as they are beautiful.
