Mrs. Fields

Debbi Fields was a young mother without a previous business background when she started Mrs. Fields. A accompany that was to become a highly successful cookie chain with branches all over the world. Field’s passion for baking began in her childhood. was At the age of 13, she used the money earned from her first job to buy vanilla, butter, and chocolate chips,– ingredients to make her cookies.

At the age of 19, she married Randy Fields, a Stanford graduate. However, she felt embarrassed at social gatherings when people asked her what she did for a living. Not content with ‘merely’ being a housewife, Fields felt that she has something more to offer. In 1977, Debbi made the decision to open her first cookie shop in Palo Alto, CA.

The first day was a struggle, passing without the sale of a  single cookie. Undeterred, Debbi started giving out free samples to passersby. Thankfully, many liked her cookies and went inside her store to buy more. Soon, her customers began to request more varieties.

Mrs. Fields Cookies then started offering more flavors although her original chocolate chip recipe remained her biggest hit.

“Good enough” is never good enough for this entrepreneur. Aside from working in her business, creating new recipes, Fields also worked on her business, streamlining business operations through the installation of a brand new  IT system.

The automation process led to increased interests in the business community.  Potential franchisees began inquiring as to the possibility of franchising her cookie shop. In 1993, Field’s accepted an offer on the sale of her business empire, allowing her to spend more time with her family.