How Insomnia Cookies Went From College Side Hustle To $200 Million Company

[@olivierauberger]

When Insomnia cookies recruited drivers and staff in Chicago, they chose to pay decent wage. It's something that I never forgot.

[@natashadickson4819]

Thank you for mentioning that.

[@catpoke9557]

I've been considering working there, because they make a lot of claims that if true would make them an excellent place to work. But I'm not sure if the claims are true or not as employers often lie or exaggerate. Did you work there? If so, were the claims they make about their work environment accurate at your location? I know obviously things won't always be the same for every location and things can change with time, but any info helps.

[@lissethg7249]

they say they’re paying $10-13 an hr in Texas

[@MultiMediaMouth]

Walter White of Cookies.

[@CueTheStage]

😂😂😂

[@biscaynesupercars]

Lmao

[@cartersa8758]

Jesse, let’s bake

[@beepboopbeepp]

@@cartersa8758 Jesse we have to bake!*

[@user-sr5kj6ej9z]

lLOl

[@roycephillipsjr]

I would order Insomnia Cookies at the end of every semester in college! It was my treat to myself after the semester was done!!

[@Me-eb3wv]

Cute :3

[@Sai-q7g]

What did they cost? With delivery ? Question from the uk

[@roycephillipsjr]

@@Sai-q7g I don't remember how much they cost at that time. But they are about $3 per cookie now.

[@damlurker]

I was at Drexel in 2004. I remember these guys.. Before the smartphone, social media etc. we used to just call for delivery lol

[@matthewchow4991]

I was at temple and remember that too

[@nhnova1452]

Second year at Drexel rn

[@oooh19]

Honestly modern tech makes it easier it’s an advantage we don’t need to call we can just use an app or order online etc

[@AZ-rg3rf]

I was too

[@akirebara]

I always applaud people like this. While his classmates were probably partying/getting high, he was out there juggling school and baking cookies and delivering them. Kudos to his dedication and hard work.

[@modernkings42]

His business would've gone nowhere without those classmates, let's be real

[@trayshana]

AGREE

[@nonefvnfvnjnjnjevjenjvonej3384]

but there are so many people who bake cookies man. i feel these documentaries, do not mention secret deals and privileges. How come this one becomes a 200 million company?

[@go_jeff_go]

@@modernkings42 gotta thank all the classmates who had munchies!

[@dankk_edibles]

​@nonefvnfvnjnjnjevjenjvonej3384 but how many of the people who bake TAKE ACTION and start selling/promoting door to door. You missed it

[@shmuelb.1460]

It seems like his wife was a key factor to the success of the company. Kudos to her!

[@HaggisMuncher-69-420]

Nope. Wrong.

[@Efem1286]

Behind every successful man, there’s a woman 😉

[@tiernyjasmine8678]

@@HaggisMuncher-69-420 how?

[@mmmu09]

@@HaggisMuncher-69-420 I mean she helped test and came up with the name. There are lots of little things people do to support each other.

[@myge6015]

Woman lol nah

[@rawan5804]

He captured the feeling of warm sweet delights delivered late with me! remember going to insomnia for the first time as a college kid late at night because what else can you do at 12am beside driving for some cookies? Haha

[@farzana6676]

Bruh. You got a name like a Hamas member.

[@oooh19]

Yea not everyone is necessarily partying and if they are well before going home they might grab a cookie 🍪!

[@yawaokaidja2262]

It's always fascinating what is birthed out of struggle.

[@rjcubano]

“Struggle” or a “CRAVING”?

[@dgjdtuvsth4051]

Ordering out all the time, living in dorms, and going to college. That’s not struggling. That’s just a kid without problems able to pursue ideas.

[@QuirkyGirl10]

@@dgjdtuvsth4051ideas are nothing without struggle and hard work to bring them to life.

[@thabiso_kgabung]

I'm a South African. I'm just blown away at how there's a market for everything in America. Krispy Kreme even bought a stake in this? You guys are really the land of milk and honey

[@jacobsoto7228]

Capitalism is magic.

[@LiciKai]

As someoe who used to teach immigrants and refugees, I can advise you to not believe this. So many of my Black and Brown student in particular, thought the same. Then they got here and quickly found out they did not have 1/3 of the opportunities their European classmates had. You notice how most to the people in these stories are White and Asian men. There is a reason for that.

[@Renegaderabbit8]

@@LiciKai your students probably would have benefitted by having another teacher who could encourage and inspire them to go out and create their own opportunities. Their skin color will never be the reason if they don’t succeed. Your pessimism will be the reason.

[@Renegaderabbit8]

I know a young South African man who could not find work because of his accent and had no particular skillsets besides his work ethic and drive to succeed. He started driving for Uber and enjoyed it but one day realized there were alot of hungry people at night on the weekends. He didn’t know how to cook so instead he just went to buy a couple of catering platters from a restaurant and bought boxes to portion them out to individual meals. Then he charged 3x what he paid and just sold them to drunk people while he was doing uber. And at time he would just stand out front of clubs that were letting people out. This was 6 months ago. The saw his Instagram yesterday and he is driving a Mercedes and has his own food cart.

[@LiciKai]

@@Renegaderabbit8 - 🤣 - Whew! Looking for my "Colonizer-Be-Gone" spray.

[@25447carepear]

Yall, when I tell you I have never been into cookies until I found this place. I've tried Tiff treats and etc but only tried ot once. Never went back. These cookies are bomb! I found them when I worked at UNC Chapel Hill and someone brought them. ❤❤ Insomnia is 🎉.

[@biscaynesupercars]

I’m glad There’s a whole late night food industry getting more mainstream

[@El_Diablo_12]

What an awesome guy. He really made the world a better place in a small but important way.

[@JAYFULFILMZ]

The picture at 1:28 is Syracuse, NY where the 1st insomnia retail store was opened. I never knew my city had the 1st insomnia cookies retail store & it’s still on campus til this day, I always knew it was something special about insomnia cookies but I never knew my city was were it all started. That’s crazy!

[@EcomCarl]

Insomnia Cookies' journey from a dorm room idea to a multimillion-dollar business is a brilliant example of seeing an everyday need and transforming it into an opportunity. Seth's early hustle and creative marketing are key takeaways for any entrepreneur looking to make an impact with limited resources. 🍪

[@gnocchi_]

ChatGPT responses be like:

[@The_Pope_real]

@@gnocchi_ fr 😂

[@madefromstardust2250]

You can thank marijuana for that

[@ohneben]

😅

[@dwaynekeenum1916]

@@MaxPotter365no

[@rustinpierce7269]

Yep college stoners probably make up 80% of his business.

[@twvs5]

I thought of this during the video ahahah

[@shotcallerdj8228]

Facts prices are crazy but the cookies are delicious especially when high 😂

[@BASE5NYC]

Insomnia is awesome. We've been ordering from them for years. Thought they were just in NYC. There's one 3 blocks away on Pearl st. that delivers super fast. Get weed delivered and 20 mins later the cookies show up. Perfect.

[@armenakbalasanov9074]

How did they manage to delivery the cookies warm? Do they have special containers or what?

[@The_Pope_real]

@@armenakbalasanov9074 i'd assume they have those insulated pizza bags

[@AZ-rg3rf]

@@armenakbalasanov9074 the delivery person has to hand massage them to keep them at room temperature until it gets there

[@barbarawillis5187]

Delivering warm cookies at night was a great idea. Cookies make a most people happy.

[@copywritergena1225]

There were a lot of smart business decisions made here, but you know what? This company succeeded because their cookies are the best. It's that simple.

[@edheldude]

That's the key: you have to provide value so people keep buying. You can't succeed with just a novelty.

[@fraai]

bro that noise at 00:53 shook me

[@liem6399]

Co founder is probably kicking himself for giving up all that equity even if he did get $3M

[@jhaeros]

100%, but if someone can’t set themselves up for life with $3 million cash then they’re doing something gravely wrong.

[@damlurker]

He probably went and started his own venture.

[@tatummacbride-deaver3081]

If cofounder had 50% stake then he would have "only" received $2,500,000. He ended up getting $3,500,000 after the lawsuit and didn't have to spend those years working for the business.

[@mrartdeco]

@@tatummacbride-deaver3081Isn’t 5% of 500 million is 25 million or am I missing something

[@TLBxFinds]

I wonder why they didn't give him what was owed from the start why did he have to sue his friend ....

[@genius179]

These cookies are amazing, keep doing what you guys have been doing.

[@maulikharia5032]

Godfather of cookies. So glad to have insomnia cookies 10 mins away from me at UMass Amherst

[@lilmeower]

Yess insomnia you guys are the OG love it

[@SincerelyT007]

I loved these guys at Temple University! A soft warm gooey cookie from a food truck after a long night of studying at the Tech center was a reward!

[@jp6846]

very inspiring!

[@quanmack6332]

The American dream. This video motivates me I'm happy for you dude

[@ShaneGillis432HZ]

HAHAH I LOVE HOW NOBODY COMMENTED ABOUT HOW HE TRIED TO SCREW THE CONFOUNDER INSANE NOT A STAND UP GUY!

[@sprinter2live]

for real, dude made 140million and still bilked his co-founder out of 4mil.

[@s28333]

I love these cookies!!! Thank you for not giving up!

[@edwardv4546]

Insomnia was literally across the alley from my home in college. The BEST cookies and all for $1. They’re overpriced now but still pretty good.

[@MrEndzo]

Business partner: You owe me 5% of 140 million Berkowitz: Best I can do is 3.5 million.

[@KingLegendary1]

half is better than nothing

[@MrColeBeans]

Guy seems genuine and all the best to him for starting this successful business I enjoyed these in college 😊

[@JRPGGUY]

Love their macadamia and snikerdoodle cookies

[@stacycastro7356]

Well explained.Thank you for bringing up this video. Financial education is indeed required for more than 70% of the society in the country as very few are literate on the subject..Thanks to Kristy Loreca, the lady you recommended to.....

[@ElizabethDaniel-]

My main concern now is how can we generate more revenue?I can't afford to see my people savings crumble to dust.

[@RechardAnord]

No doubt!! Kristy Loreca are highly responsive and always follow up to make sure my needs and questions are met.we were saving for a deposit to allow us to move to a new house, & true her guidance it was successful,

[@SmithNorman]

Please how can i get to Kristy Loreca?????????

[@stacycastro7356]

*SHE'S MOSTLY ON TELEGRAMS APPS WITH THE BELOW NAME*

[@stacycastro7356]

*kristy loreca* That's her user name

[@usurparemagnus]

They make some fire cookies man, and people recognize and reward them with success because of the taste and experience.

[@Food4thought1234]

Never heard of this. Brother took me in Atlanta after midnight. It was actually good.

[@user-sr5kj6ej9z]

I love the fun, late night college-style branding. Watching this video I actually want to visit one of the stores. Looks so cute lol

[@mattypants]

I love Insomnia Cookies. Had the first time a few years ago and was in love. Tried crumble because everyone was going on about them. They dont hold a stick to Insomnia. I moved, and now im just outside of delivery. It's very sad!!

[@ThrifterPicker]

9:06 Am I the only human on earth that can’t make sense of paying this much for a cookie? I’m just baffled that so many people are under the spell.

[@catpoke9557]

Not a lot of people can bake really good cookies, so if a cookie is good enough, they will pay a lot

[@dlanor15]

It's worth it to pay that much for a cookie, just not THOSE cookies.

[@lakschu629]

americans aren't the smartest

[@RolandJoeC]

Love these cookies I’m glad the business is expanding! 🎉

[@smithco627]

The fact I can get some cookies right now is tempting at 2 in the morning

[@champslim]

Love going to this place after the bar in college.

[@joaqueen]

those cookies looks delicious and so is the guy who's in the thumbnail lol

[@MsStarryNights]

Love me an insomnia cookie on the late night!!!

[@H.K.5]

These cookies are 99.1% pure.

[@scombproductions]

you focused on drexels medical campus in center city instead of the main campus, directly next to and overlapping with upenn.

[@kellyc3817]

Y’all were literally the best part of my friends and I’s nights

[@edheldude]

I can't believe my I's.

[@Allaiya.]

They had these when I was in College. Back when you had to use the phone and call for delivery lol It was nice and different type of food that was available and appreciated

[@kavsiva1604]

Bit disappointed we didn't hear how much he raised in his first round of funding but cool story

[@agilitypoodle99]

They said he invested the $10K profit from the first semester, into the business

[@soappreneur291]

What a great name and idea! 💡 Sounds like it was so much fun during the college years!

[@sadgearmy]

$5 cookies are insane

[@Fishuplifts]

crazy story

[@Savvynlady]

I ❤ Insomnia Cookies. And the Insomnia in Mobile is right across the street from our University. U OF South Alabama

[@unskeptable]

What do you do for a living? I sell cookies. Oh, and how did you get the ferrari? I sell cookies!

[@taminlo2005]

I went to Syracuse University and went to Insomnia cookies all the time, especially late at night!

[@1boi593]

its insane that you can get rich by selling overpriced cookies

[@iec7587]

lots of stoned college kids

[@sleep3417]

People love sugar

[@christopherrussell3073]

Someone got rich from toothpicks 💁🏻‍♂️💁🏻‍♂️💁🏻‍♂️

[@nickmo58]

I'm starting a cookie business opening after 2am

[@TheCOOLEYDOG]

200 mil market cap? whats the P/E ratio?

[@hyperreal]

They look delicious, will try them next time

[@paulaluna683]

I'm curious when the legal paperwork came in? like business permits etc.

[@armenakbalasanov9074]

How did they manage to delivery the cookies warm? Do they have special containers or what?

[@gfbmusic]

They are being baked as they are being delivered to you.

[@iamhassanelsaddique]

Love this!!!

[@poggster6047]

I like him, unlike the Crumbl guys… they lack passion and seem to be only in it for the money. Tech guys who couldn’t make it on tech so they looked elsewhere

[@4.carmeljwn]

I always see them when I go in cc philly. Nice to hear the story behind it. I WONDER WHY THE PARTNER RESIGNED THO😮

[@lakschu629]

2$ for a cookie lmao 😂

[@jobarmure6169]

the price of the cookies went from 89 cent to $2.5 to $5.45 chain production supposedly should reduce the cost and the price !

[@Keprion]

18$ for a chocolate chip cookie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. No wonder it did well

[@counterthirty]

excellent margins

[@GGTanguera]

Not if you use real ingredients (real butter not margarine or lard, coco sugar not dextrose, nuts, dark chocolate not “chocolate chips) 😅

[@jishani1]

@@GGTanguera you have no idea the actual cost of baked goods. they are the cheapest food to produce in scale in terms of raw ingredients. out of a batch of dough (and they make hundred pound batches) they have less than $1 in raw ingredients in a single cookie. even using high quality butter and chocolate. because the amount required to make a single cookie is so low and businesses buy in bulk at wholesale prices, not what you would pay retail in a store. add in a scoop of high quality vanilla ice cream and their price is still under $2 per unit on that one. ANY food you buy from a bakery, deli, or restaurant will have at minimum a 33% mark up over their costs on it. baked goods generally have a much higher mark up than that because the cost per unit is tiny. $0.18 in a doughnut, no ones going to object to paying $2 for it. that's a lot higher of a margin than the 33% you'd expect on a burger.

[@margaretchayka6878]

The biggest difference between all these "amazing"-level cookies is a really good marketing plan and the... dough to make it happen. Making a good cookie is really the easy part.

[@douglassmith9445]

I’ve been wondering this whole time why insomnia cookies was so popular when crumbl cookies are the superior cookie company out of any currently. Never thought about a niche late night delivery service for a cookie. It all makes sense now!

[@kshitizmishra5845]

are cookies really a billion dollar thing?

[@Benjamin-The-Great]

@@kshitizmishra5845 They are if you market to impulsive, wealthy college students. There's a reason that advertisers seek out the younger demographics. Ain't no 45 year old spending good money for a warm cookie.

[@Evaultfinancial]

Are they coming to Canada 🇨🇦?? ❤❤

[@ricodash5330]

Didn’t the thumbnail say $500mil earlier today?

[@Christian_Luczejko]

How do you make this profile-piece without talking about theirsecret back room milkshake speakeasys, hidden behind a fake bookshelf, that you need a password to get into. It’s literally the most noteworthy feature about the business.

[@will.davlin]

Wearing wool socks to bed=best sleep you've had🧦.

[@taylorembach8559]

Went to the website. They don't list the price until u check out. I don't like that 😢

[@Noneya5241]

These cookies are well worth the price The s’mores and Reese peanut butter cup are my absolute favorites

[@designergenes9490]

Great story and really enjoyed ❤️

[@notlisteningwhocares8877]

Omg this place is in Austin, they are so good!

[@irshviralvideo]

i dotn get why this is popular in the time of Uber Eats ? doesn the delivery element destroy the main differentiation factor ? what else makes this so unique ?

[@tatummacbride-deaver3081]

Should have just paid $175,000 (5%) and been honest.

[@ElisaAvigayil]

5% of $140 million is $7 million. Math.

[@huffbj]

He looked cool in school

[@BruhklinNY]

I absolutely love these cookies.

[@dankk_edibles]

I love how he used the businesses revenue to grow vs seeking investors immediately

[@jieasa]

Love insomnia but every time I order the delivery never comes so I gave up 😩

[@ogbillity]

The sugar industry has won.

[@emem2863]

Sometimes, you just want a cookie that a person made - not that mass manufactured stuff at the grocery store.

[@manifestingsanctuary]

Get help, sugar isnt the problem its excess dietary fat. Sweet fruits are one of the healthiest foods humans can eat; animal fats not so much when it comes to longterm health. You think pizza burgers cookies and donuts are sugars/carbs when they're loaded with fats? Try fruit, dates, sweet potatoes, oats, whole grains.

[@sleep3417]

​@@manifestingsanctuary Wrong and uninformed

[@TryTiffiny]

I smiled during this entire video. Those cookies are delicious 😋

[@BrianThrives]

And yet I've never heard of them until now.

[@IHappyChicken]

Favorite cookie shop

[@the.magic.catbus9459]

They had a food truck in my college campus!

[@itstonycia]

LET ME START SELLING COOKIES FROM MY DORM

[@deediva6073]

❤ I have a sweet tooth after 12am

[@kjkrop88]

Jesse, we need to cook

[@amochswohntet99]

I’ve never had this brand before, but I know that once you’ve had the best you inevitably become a snob, and I am a little bit of a cookie snob.

[@Masterahsoka]

Only place that sells good sugar cookies

[@MrMobi007]

weird he didn't pay his former partner without a lawsuit being involved.

[@stevenmichaeleich9856]

So much better than Crumbl

[@Ali1986Koksal]

1:40 What is "Winter night?" I'm pretty sure that's NOT a thing.

[@tammiepressley2684]

So awesome

[@StorytimewithSai]

Amazing! 🥰

[@ravenx054]

They are struggling atm they offered teachers free 6 cookies the last 3 years for teacher appreciation week. However this year it was one cookie. Doesnt make sense even after covid the hardest year you offer that, they are going downhill.

[@revengxnce]

I have one near where i live and i love it

[@midnightsxtc]

7:15