Exploring Life & Business with Samantha Hess of Bites of Sam

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Hess. 

Samantha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 

I started Bites of Sam originally as a way to highlight and post about local restaurants and businesses around the Raleigh-Durham area. I would also occasionally post my own creations and specifically these thick cookies I would make. Anytime I’d post these cookies, I would always get questions on when will I start selling them or if they’d be available for sale. I decided to look into the process of getting my home kitchen inspected by the Department of Agriculture so that I could potentially start a cookie business. I worked a full-time job in clinical research at the time and baking was my creative outlet. My love of baking started at a young age, inspired by the tins of chocolate chip cookies my grandmother would send me. I took French throughout school with the dream of one day attending culinary school in France and I’d always be the one to bring cookies or cupcakes to every party. Owning a bakery was a dream of mine that for some reason I pushed aside to pursue biology in college. I view everything I bake as an extension of myself and for the longest time, I was incredibly nervous to start selling my cookies. In July of 2020, I held a fundraiser for The Exoneration Initiative which is an organization that helps provide legal aid to those who have been wrongfully convicted in New York. The response to the fundraiser was overwhelming and suddenly more people than I imagined were asking about my cookies and how to buy them. I knew I needed to start this business and took a month to find a larger commercial kitchen and get the business side of everything in order before officially launching in August 2020. 

Since August 2020, I’ve been so fortunate to work with other local businesses such as Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream and Sushioki. The responses about the cookies have been incredible and demand has continued to increase. In April 2020, I decided to take the leap and make Bites of Sam my full-time career. I hope to continue to expand and offer new products, ways to purchase cookies, and attend more markets in the area. A majority of my sales are through my website, Bitesofsam.com which is restocked every Tuesdays and Fridays at 10AM with new flavors each week. Since I don’t have a retail location currently, I offer a pickup option in Durham and in Raleigh as well as nationwide shipping. I also do a pop-up at Rebus Works in Raleigh on the last Saturday of each month and sell cookies at Sushioki in Durham. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way? 

Running a small business is anything but easy. Especially when you also work full-time. 

My first month was crazy. I had no idea what I was doing and had terrible time management. I would work 8 hours during the day and then another 5-8 hours in the kitchen at night, usually getting home around midnight each night. I’d be running around making deliveries and having pickups, trying to pack and ship all the orders, and still try to take some care of myself like eat and sleep. I was exhausted by the end of the month and took a week off to re-evaluate and do some process improvement. This became a monthly thing and has helped my business so much. It’s important to constantly be evaluating your processes and thinking of ways to improve. 

I also learned to ask for help when needed. Something I tend to struggle with as I like to think I can do everything on my own. My friends and family have been such huge support with this new business and Bites of Sam would not be where it is today without them. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others? 

Bites of Sam is a small bakery business specializing in big cookies baked in small batches. Our flavors rotate weekly and some past favorites include toffee cookie butter, apple crisp, cookies and cream, and triple chocolate chip. While we don’t have a retail location yet, we do offer pickup options in both Durham and Raleigh as well as nationwide shipping. Our website restocks each week on Tuesday and Friday night at 10 AM. We also sell cookies at Sushioki in Durham, have a pop-up at Rebus Works in Raleigh on the last Saturday of each month, and attend some other markets in the Raleigh-Durham area. We also offer custom cookie orders for birthdays, weddings, parties, or if you have a flavor idea you’re dying to try! Follow our Instagram, @bitesofsam, for all the latest updates and information regarding cookies! 

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about? 

I used to be a competitive weightlifter and while I was working on perfecting my recipes, I would bring all my test batches to the gym. Cookies make for a great pre- or post-workout snack! 

I also have a dog named Joey who is a chihuahua whippet mix and can sometimes be seen hanging out at my pickup spots. I tried making dog treats for him once that did not turn out well but a recipe revision could be in the works for my fellow dog parents! 

Pricing:

• Cookies $5.00
• Stuffed Cookies $5.50

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://bitesofsam.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesofsam/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bitesofsam