You Dough Girl!

Eleven-year-old entrepreneur Hollyn Gege is making Daniel Island a little sweeter. She turned her love of baking into a thriving business – one delicious homemade cookie at a time.

 

The idea for her cookie business evolved when her older brother, Liam, started his milk delivery business, DI Dairy Dash, this year. Gege combined forces with Liam, who’s been delivering milk to residents while the local Publix is under renovation.

 

“I went on deliveries with him and gave each of his new customers one fresh-baked thank you cookie,” she said. “Customers continued to order milk, and then asked how they go about buying more cookies too. That was the reason I created You Dough Girl, and my own business just took off.”

 

Gege is excited about her new venture. Now residents can get fresh milk AND cookies delivered on Wednesday and Friday evenings and to businesses on Monday afternoons.

 

“I love bringing other people joy, and my cookies seem to do that,” she said.

 

Her mom, Amy Gege, said the siblings wanted to own a business since they were little.

 

“Whether it was participating in the Red Balloon Sale day, having a lemonade stand, a bake sale, or, at one point, a car washing service, they enjoyed the process of creating a plan, designing posters, and trying to execute sales.”

 

When Gege was at a young age, her parents spoke openly about money, emphasizing the importance of hard work and generosity.

 

“We talk a lot about financial responsibility – wants versus needs – and whose money should be paying for their wants. We highly recommend all parents read “The Opposite of Spoiled” by Ron Lieber,” Amy said. “One of the plans we adopted from this book: If we are out for dinner and our kids want to order a soda or a dessert, they have to pay for it themselves. This makes them appreciate every single dollar their new business ventures make.”

 

Gege was a speaker at the 2025 She Means Business Conference in Charleston. The organization empowers and celebrates women in business. She was the last speaker at the event and received a standing ovation. The Daniel Island School fifth grader said it was an honor to be chosen as a speaker.

 

“I was nervous about speaking in front of such a big group, but I practiced my speech a bunch,” she said. “Once I started my presentation, my nerves went away.”

 

Gege’s mom felt proud to have her daughter speak at the event.

 

“She devoted time to writing her speech and practiced her presentation over and over. When the day finally came, she crushed it. It was a ballroom full of strong women, all business owners themselves, who were lifting each other up. I think it will be a core memory for Hollyn for many years to come.”

 

To order cookies and for more information, visit the website Gege shares with her brother at didairydash.start.page.