Good morning! Welcome to this week’s edition where I’ll be covering a review I was able to make last week of a unique cookie business in Post Falls, and I’ll cover the exp Regional Rally this week at the Resort downtown.

This week I visited three local businesses for reviews (Hula Pot, Backcountry Upfitters, and Meltz). Those full reviews will be rolling out in the near future, but you can get the first look on FB/IG with a short caption intro and some pictures.

In this week’s review:

Watch out big brands, this is Cookie Crush Co. They are located in Post Falls, and offer delivery or porch pickup. The cookies are fresh, and keep people coming back for more. This business is bigger than the transaction. Keep reading to see what makes Cookie Crush stand out!

This was their answer as to how the business started: "Cookie Crush started during a really hard time for our family. After our son Corbin passed away, my husband had to go back to work and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I started baking as a way to cope, then began sharing with others and before I knew it, people were asking to buy them. That’s how it all began."

Cookie Crush says that people are "showing up week after week, sharing our business, and just being kind and it’s been such a light for us in a really dark time." 

Cookie Crush has experienced firsthand how strong community support is and their message to Coeur d'Alene is to be kind and support local. 

I think that their business is sort of genius. They have done very well with social media, getting nearly 1,000 followers on Instagram. The business is simple, but effective. 

Their biggest message of advice for local businesses is to "just start, even if it's not perfect. Stay consistent, be real, and connect with your community!! that’s what matters most."

So far, I believe Cookie Crush has given me some of the best content for CDAR. It's less about the product, and more about what the product stands for. Local businesses should take note. 

They frequently offer new flavors, but their stuffed cookies are a fan favorite. Check out the Nutella-stuffed or the cookies-and-cream stuffed cookies. All of their goods are homemade from small batches, and they donate a portion of proceeds in memory of their son. 

Huge thank you to Cookie Crush for taking their time to help me make this review. I hope the business continues to thrive through the community. Go check them out! 

First of all, thank you very much to Cari Briner for inviting me to this precursor of the full event. I was unable attend the main event, so she graciously invited me to be a part of this opening night. The night was a private mastermind/networking that included a speech followed by a book signing. The event was held in an elegant room at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. 

Tonight (the night I wrote this review) we heard from Rene Rodriguez-a keynote speaker, leadership advisor, author, and consultant. 

The speech tonight was on influence, something his book (Amplify Your Influence) goes in-depth on. At this event, he shared some actionable advice with his audience of mostly realtors. 

He wanted to make his speech interactive. He asked questions, and engaged with the audience. He helped demonstrate through a volunteer how she (and all of us) could make an influence. 

He spoke on cracking the code of attention. What do words really mean? Why are people comfortable after breaking the ice? What made them comfortable? 

I am planning to write a second part review for next week's edition that will give you some actionable take-aways. 

Today (Thursday) is their full event. It will include Rene again along with Leo Pareja (CEO of eXp Realty), Victoria Melton (eXp Realty ICON Agent), and others. They will have training, coaching, and networking.

Ever heard of Turo? If you feel like experiencing a fun car, but don't want the price of buying one, then Turo might be a good option. You can choose something like a Ford Explorer, a passenger van, or this Corvette. It could be fun or practical. This car still isn't cheap, but if you ever wanted to drive one for a day or a week this could make that easier. 

Chevrolet Corvette 2020 rental in Coeur d'Alene, ID by Gary | Turo https://share.google/ukUvFcwKI8DI7XoKS

I hope you sound something enjoyable or interesting in the newsletter today. I want to roll out more variety in the future. If you have any recommendations, feel free to send a reply. I hope you’re enjoying the Spring weather so far, and that you have a good Easter. Thank you for joining!

Until next time,

-CDAR