Bette LaPlante & Diane Cuvelier 49, 43, co-founders of Doughmakers LLC in Terre Haute, Indiana
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Description: manufacturer ofsolid aluminum bakeware with a patented pebble pattern
Start-up: $1,000 in 1997
Sales:: 2003 projected salesof more than $5 million
Bake Sale: As den mother forher son's Cub Scout group in 1990, LaPlante was looking for agood fund-raiser. Her husband suggested making and selling cookiesheets, with help from his aluminum-die-cutting business. "Ithought it was the silliest idea," says LaPlante."Whatboys want to sell cookie sheets?" But she changed her tunewhen each came back with fistfuls of cash, needing more sheets.
Back-Burner Biz: While theirchildren and her husband's business took precedence, LaPlantecontinued to experiment with different textures and aluminumthicknesses, finding a combination that would yield perfectly bakedcookies. With her sister in 1997, LaPlante began attending showsfor organizations like Little League and the PTA, offering afund-raising program that would split the profit.
Labor of Love: Doughmakersexpanded the line in 2001 to include bakeware such as pizza andjellyroll pans, now sold in more than 2,000 stores, includingMacy's. Making the sheets by hand, however, led to carpaltunnel syndrome for LaPlante and Cuvelier. The sisters now havemachines to make the sheets, but baking is still hands-on for thefamily. Says LaPlante, "It's something we can all work on[while having] good conversations."
