Meet Jeff Flathau | Cookie Man

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Flathau and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking has been a major theme in my business life from early in my career. I began waiting tables and made lots of money. I jumped from that to management and found a mentor and someone who needed to be pushed to take a risk[He had a family and 4 kids, so his timidity was natural]. I was 24 and we put a restaurant concept together for an old Mr Gattis Pizza location in Jackson MS. . Unfortunately , the county decided to widen the road and our financial backer backed out for fear of loosing money. The location was gobbled up by a successful restauranteur and he hit the jackpot.
I was also working on another restaurant project with a friend who I had worked with in Hattiesburg waiting tables. He had a location and things worked out[ at first], and we opened cafe Lagniappe in Slidell La 6 months later.
We hired a chef from Court of Two Sisters [NOLA] and we are off to a great start. But sales dropped and the plug was pulled.
I went back to work for the group I started out with in Hattiesburg. We opened a 50’s diner in Huntsville AL, called ;;Rocket City Dinner. It was a huge success, but the owners booted the management company . I stayed for a minute, but things went downhill quickly there.
I got a job in Houston , TX with TGI FRIDAYS as a manager. I had great success but the drive was tough.
I was contacted about 6 months in from the first group I worked with in Hattiesburg. They were opened a Rocket city Dinner in Hattiesburg, and needed help. I was hired as a consultant and came in to a huge mess- big sales and loosing money. I put my skills to work and saved the business from banktruptcy. I was given a % of the sales and worked there for 6 years.
We had started catering off premise and i was doing the heavy lifting, so I decided I could do this on my own. A food salesperson put me in touch with my future partner in what would be Simply Southern Catering.
We were very successful and we got back into a couple of restaurants.
We also started manufacturing cookies and cheese straws and began whole selling them at the Atlanta gift show.
As do many partnerships, a difference of opinions bubbled up and we went our separate ways.
I kept the catering building and reopened it along with the cookie manufacturing business, which I still own and operate today, employing over 30 people
Our Cookie/snack business sells products in the US, Canada, Mexico, and several other countries across the globe.
We have won several national awards, and do contract and private label products across the US.
All of this came from me taking a leap of faith and many risks along the way, some good and some not.

What should our readers know about your business?
I think i answered a lot of this in my risk taking description/answer. I think That risk is very necessary along with prayer and a never quit attitude. Building a business is all encompassing and time consuming, but also very rewarding. Its not just about money as a barometer, but more about building a lasting brand for me. We have won several SOFI awards with our products in addition to other awards as well.
I enjoy helping employees with their success no matter if they stay with me or leave for other ventures.
I am proud that we have stuck to our original recipes, not substituting cheap ingredients to make more bottom line profit.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would bring them to work at least one day. Then to Del sol Mexican restaurant in Hattiesburg. Then to Bushmann street cafe and to Tabela Italian restaurant, all in Hattiesburgt. From there, a drive to the gulf coast to Biloxi for dinner at Mary Mahoneys, then a stay at the Scarlet Pear Casino. There are several great places to eat at the casino. The staff there is fantastic!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family has been an intergal part of my success. MY mom entertained alot, My dad was an engineer, and my Wife helped create our most successful product. My kids have worked our businesses, and my oldest son helps manage the Cookie plant today.

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