2 minute read
Achieving Dreams
Fanshawe graduate Ahmed Badra’s path to sweet success.
“Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven?”
This was the thinking Ahmed Badra (Marketing Management alumni, 2020) had when he came up with the idea of starting his own business.
Ahmed is the founder and CEO of Browned Cookies, a London-based store offering handcrafted, one-of-a-kind cookies. Each week, Browned Cookies offers popular standard flavours like double fudge and salted caramel, and unique flavours, with layers, mix-ins or stuffing, like kunafa cheesecake. That brings customers back for more.
Being creative is not new to Ahmed. He spent nearly a decade working in graphic design in the Middle East, where he was born and raised. Ahmed had a desire to gain new experiences and decided to move to Canada in 2019. After completing a baking arts course at George Brown College, Ahmed took the Marketing Management program at Fanshawe.
“I wanted to take a program that would enhance the work experience I already have,” Ahmed says. “I learned a lot of different aspects of marketing management, including digital marketing, which I didn’t have as much knowledge of.”
After graduating, Ahmed connected with the chief operating officer of Shelby’s, a chain of shawarma restaurants, and obtained a job as the brand manager, where he was responsible for all the digital marketing, graphic and interior design.
“I strongly believe you should get as much experience as you can in the business you want to operate in,” Ahmed says. “I wanted to learn as much as I could about marketing and administrating for a food and beverage business.”
This year, Ahmed will move to a new location and open Browned Coffee & Bakery. The expanded menu will include pastries, desserts, specialty coffee and high-quality organic espresso.
