Janie Deegan Transforms Personal Struggles into a Successful Bakery in NYC

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — Janie’s Life-Changing Baked Goods is not just about cookies; it’s a story of resilience and recovery. The bakery offers a variety of fresh pastries, including Deegan’s unique creation, the pie crust cookie, which she describes as the best bites of a pie without the soggy crust.

Deegan’s entrepreneurial journey emerged from a challenging period marked by addiction and homelessness. Reflecting on her past, she shared that around 13 or 14 years ago, she felt lost and trapped in a dark place. With a transformative moment in June 2013, she discovered baking as a method of rebuilding her confidence and self-esteem. This meditative process helped her establish a small business, which recently expanded to a new location on the Upper West Side.

Deegan is committed to creating job opportunities beyond traditional hiring practices, stating that she values individuals for who they are rather than solely their resumes. This philosophy has allowed her to employ people with challenging backgrounds, including former addicts and those recently released from prison. Through her story, Deegan hopes to shift perceptions surrounding addiction and homelessness, emphasizing that these experiences do not define a person’s true identity.