How He Scaled Cookie's Kids to America's #1 Children's Retailer
Cookie Falack is a serial entrepreneur who is best known as the founder of Cookie's Kids, the largest children's department store in America. Some of his other businesses include: • A 3PL (third-party logistics) company that serves clients nationwide • Real estate investments across the country • Genesis, and Israeli-focused fund that backs companies improving humanity • And, most recently, a partnership on cutting-edge photonic chips used for AI and Quantum Computing Enjoy! __________ Check out Joe Shamie on Momentum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=VY_1fK8kZ80&t=414s __________ SPONSORS: • Kosher Media: the #1 advertising network across Jewish communities worldwide. https://koshermedia.com • Life Vault Films: Capture the story of your loved one, forever. Order your film today by emailing [email protected] • Jeff Sitt: Book your free Pivot and Prosper Strategy Call today at https://jeffsitt.com __________ ABOUT MOMENTUM: 🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success.Be sure to subscribe on all platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMomentumPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1jOPoArXfY3OU5uv4BpA3h?si=0311640b82154d1b Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/momentum/id1762657981 Instagram: http://instagram.com/momentumpodcast_ __________ GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!) • Cameras: https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o • Podcast Mics: https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv • Clip-on Mics: https://amzn.to/3H52iwo • Mic Stands: https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL • Lights: https://amzn.to/45lA5up • Tripods: https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI __________ 0:00 Coming up… 2:18 Intro to Cookie 3:48 His main business: Cookie’s Kids 5:25 E-commerce 7:03 Getting into 3PL - warehousing and logistics 8:54 Getting into Montana real estate 10:25 Connecting Montana real estate and photonic chips 14:30 Back to the beginning: working from age 14 16:38 College 17:31 Taking over the store 18:36 Driving his cousin to work and becoming his store manager 19:40 Opening his own store with a $15k investment 21:30 What it was like to open a store from scratch 24:15 Opening up the 2nd location 25:17 Gradual expansion 26:27 What was the vision? 27:33 Seizing opportunity 31:07 Being forced to close down retail locations 31:50 Period of intense failure 33:52 Did you ever consider going into real estate full time? 34:25 Being “too early” to the internet 36:23 Taking another shot at ecom 38:00 Domino effect 38:59 How do you expand your business into an entirely new industry? 40:03 Hiring vs promoting 41:20 Starting an Israeli humanitarian-focused fund 43:03 Have an open mind 45:01 Advice for hesitant young people 46:07 Negotiation tactics 48:11 Learn how to judge somebody’s character 49:27 Follow your passion? 50:43 The conflict of chasing money vs being an entrepreneur 51:58 Charity and giving back 52:47 Why go above and beyond? 54:17 Genesis’s charity requirement 54:37 Being at the forefront of the industry 55:21 Believing in God while putting in the work 57:14 Cookie’s name 58:57 Momentum Moment