Richmond 'Kidpreneur' Turns Cookie Baking Into Cool Biz

RICHMOND, TX — Makai Walker loves making cookies with her dad, but it was never intended to become a full-blown business. The 8-year-old Kai, as she is known to friends and family, started getting in the kitchen with her dad at the tender age of 6-years-old and with the help of her parents Roderick and Taneka Walker, launched Kai's Kookies.

"I like to bake," she said.

Her goal was to make and share delicious cookies while learning how to run a business, her mom Taneka said.

It hasn’t always been an easy road, and she has heard many “nos” from potential clients. However, the challenges have taught her how to make the best of situations and over the past year she has proven her ability to succeed.

Last year, Kai was given the honor of “Best Decorated Booth” and “Friendliest Staff” at the Huntsville Fair on the Square Festival, and in March, she has attended the Tomball German Festival as the youngest vendor to ever operate a booth.

That’s just the beginning of what she has in store for year two. This summer she will launch her monthly subscription “Kookie Box” and will now be shipping her cookies domestically.

After a year in business, she has begun to understand value of hard work, discipline, sacrifice and the importance of giving back to the community. Each month she donates her time, cookies, portions of proceeds to different local charities in the Houston area. She has donated over 12 dozen cookies and raised $1100 for Hurricane Harvey victims.

She has also managed to become a fixture in the Tomball community by popular demand.

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But Kai is not only is a cool 'kidpreneur,' but she also has a big heart.

While many of the Walker's friends and neighbors were struggling through Hurricane Harvey, the Walker's were dry, but they saw the devastation up close.

"Literally up the block from us, we had people who were being evacuated by helicopter" Roderick said. "I took her around and I said, 'look at this.' She could see the water rising and the people being evacuated."

They went to a church around the corner and saw many of the people who'd lost their homes.

"She was overwhelmed," he said. "We wanted to help, but she wanted to keep it in the area she was in."

Through hard work, Kai's Kookies raised $1,100 and donated the money to Fort Bend Forward, a non-profit organization that focuses on the needs of Fort Bend County residents recovering from Hurricane Harvey.

Kai said she wants to do things to help people, but she also loves to bake, and people love her cookies.

She the company launched, she has made the rounds to various festivals and events, including:

• Huntsville Fair at the Square
• Winter Tomball German Festival
• Tomball German Festival (Spring)
• Spring Crawfish Festival
• Mushroom Festival Madisonville
• Pasadena Strawberry Festival
• Food truck festival Kingwood
• Fort Bend County Fair (Upcoming)
• Texas Wine & Art Festival
• Houston Food Truck Stop Festival
• Little White Oak Market
• Axel Rad Market

This young CEO has big dreams and hopes to be the first and youngest vendor at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. She hopes to change public opinion of young entrepreneurs with her effort to educate the public and prove that young entrepreneurs can run a successful business.

Have a sweet tooth? Check out the selection at Kai's Kookies.

Image: Bryan Kirk/Houston Patch Field Editor

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