A boy named Cory Nieves, 6 years old, was tired of taking the bus and wanted to help buy his mom a car. He used a friend’s restaurant to start selling hot chocolate for $1, later adding cookies. He searched for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe for three months, making them with his mom, until he found the perfect cookie. He got positive response from his customers but got shut down for a health code violation – making and selling treats out of a home kitchen.  However, a local bakery got Cory an attorney who helped him and his mom form a legal business and get access to a commercial kitchen. They took their cookies to local festivals and races and pitched to customers their delicious cookies.

As his business grew, Cory was invited onto the Ellen DeGeneres Show which multiplied his orders but created production shortages. He earned a $100,000 cash infusion on CNBC’s The Profit, helping to launch an e-commerce site, hire employees, and ship product all across the country. Mr. Cory’s Cookies now offers 14 flavors and has potential to expand.

Cory’s story is inspiring for multiple reasons. The fact that he started this business at the age of 6 shows his ambition, energy, and love for cookies (and his mom). The initial motivating factor was to buy his mom a car, a bold goal, but one that drove Cory to work hard and push past obstacles like getting shut down due to a health code violation and experiencing a supply shortage. His response to hardships like these shows his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for his business. Although chocolate chip cookies are not a new idea, Cory’s story, spirit, and perseverance allowed him to be successful in a popular market.