When death came knocking, this soldier answered….with cookies. Ret SSG Randell (Scott) Adarme was one of the rare few who survived what is commonly known as a “Widow-Maker” heart attack. In this 2 part episode, Scott and his wife Jennifer share the story of how Scott’s health scare redirected their lives from military family, to builders of a local cookie empire called Dadbod Cookie Co.
The Fort NOT Lost in the Woods Podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. For guest or sponsor opportunities, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com. This episode is sponsored by Nexthome Team Ellis, Security Bank of Pulaski County, TK’s Pizza of St. Robert and Sugar Creek Farms.
— Automated Transcript —
**Segment: Intro**
This episode of the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast is sponsored by Security Bank of Pulaski County, Next Home Team Ellis, TK’s Pizza in St. Robert, and Sugar Creek Farms, your home for farm fresh pork products. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of OhQuinn Media, its hosts, affiliates, or sponsors. Content is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
Enjoy, and thank you for listening.
**Segment: Episode Introduction**
Host: Welcome to the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast. This episode is part two of an episode titled “From Combat to Cookies, A Life Rewritten.” If you haven’t listened to part one, which dropped on March 24th, I would definitely encourage you to listen to that episode first, then come back here for the second part.
Now, let’s hear from our awesome sponsors and then we’ll hear the second part of “From Combat to Cookies, A Life Rewritten.”
**Segment: Sponsor – Next Home Team Ellis**
Lisa Ellis: Around here, home means something different. It’s Friday night lights, early morning heading to post, neighbors who become family, and the comfort of knowing you belong. That’s why at Next Home Team Ellis, real estate has never been just about buying or selling houses. It’s about people.
Hi, I’m Lisa Ellis, broker owner of Next Home Team Ellis, and I’ve spent nearly three decades helping families across Fort Leonard Wood, Waynesville, St. Robert, and surrounding communities move forward with confidence. As a retired military spouse, I understand tight timelines, unexpected orders, and the importance of having someone in your corner when life changes fast. Whether you’re selling a lifetime of memories or searching for a fresh start, you’ll have innovative marketing, expert negotiations, and honest guidance every step of the way. Because here, reputation travels faster than advertising, and trust is earned one family at a time. Call Next Home Team Ellis at 573-774-4101 or visit us at buyfortwoodhomes.com. Next Home Team Ellis, moving forward with confidence.
**Segment: Sponsor – Sugar Creek Farms**
Looking for real farm fresh flavor without all those extra chemicals and who knows what else? At Sugar Creek Farms, your pork is locally raised, hormone-free, steroid-free, and antibiotic-free. Stock up now on breakfast favorites your family will love. Savory sausage, mild or sage for just $4.99 a pound and thick cut bacon for only $6.99 a pound. But only while supplies last.
Pick up in St. Robert. Cash and bulk discounts are available. Message Sugar Creek Farm on Facebook or text 417-531-0483. That’s 417-531-0483 today. Sugar Creek Farms, real food, raised right.
**Segment: Sponsor – Security Bank of Pulaski County**
Mike Dunbar: This is Mike Dunbar with Security Bank of Pulaski County. Trends change, technology changes, but one thing hasn’t changed: our commitment to this area. For decades, Security Bank has been right here making decisions locally and putting people first. Because when your bank knows your name, your goals matter more.
Security Bank of Pulaski County. Local then, local now. Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender. Online at sbp-c.com.
**Segment: Sponsor – TK’s Pizza**
Remember when pizza night meant piling into the car and heading to your favorite local spot, everyone enjoying great food and spending time together? Well, at TK’s Pizza, we’re happy to say that tradition is still alive and well. Family-owned and proudly serving the Pulaski County area for 47 years, TK’s still makes every pie the old-fashioned way. Fresh hand-tossed dough, hearty toppings, and plenty of love.
Call 573-336-FAST, order online at 336fast.com, or just come on in to 743 Missouri Avenue in St. Robert, the same little spot we’ve been throwing dough for decades. TK’s Pizza, where neighbors become regulars and every slice feels like home. Taste the TK’s tradition today.
**Segment: Welcome Back to Part 2**
Host: Last week, we talked about so many things. If you are listening to this episode and you did not listen to the first part, this is a two-parter. Yes, I know, we’ve never done that on the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast, but welcome to the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast, by the way.
We have Scott and Jennifer Adarme from Dadbod Cookie Company. This is the second part of this episode, and we talked about so many things, and you don’t want to listen to this episode without listening to that first part. So go back and do that and then come back and see us. But on this episode, Dadbod Cookie Company, health scare, recovered from that, big health scare, listen to episode one if you didn’t. How did you come up with the name?
**Segment: The Name – Dadbod**
Scott: So, as I was coming up with the name, I was thinking, I’m like, okay, I really want to tie in my service because if it wasn’t for that, it wasn’t obviously going to be anything, it wasn’t going to be successful. I also wanted to tie in my upcoming because at that point, I was like on the cusp of retiring. So, I was kind of thinking, I was like, oh man, what, what, what is it that you can still embody my military service and like my, you know, my honorable military service, and then retiring?
And then I think I asked one of my friends, who, who’s one of, one of my best friends for, you know, quite some time, and he served, and he ended up getting out. He’s a chef in California, part-time chef, part-time nurse. I was like, kind of get a little bit fatter when you retire.
Host: Yeah.
Scott: You know, you don’t got that PT anymore.
Host: And women do like those dad bods though.
Scott: Exactly. You don’t got that PT in the morning, you don’t got your ruck marches, you don’t got like your PT test to keep you fit, or like, you know, oh, I gotta make sure I eat right so I can pass height weight and tape for those who understand what that is. You know, you’re like, oh, I can’t go over like 22% body fat or else I’m gonna get kicked out of the army.
So, obviously all that kind of just goes out the window and I’m like, yeah, I can do whatever I want now, you know, I can,
Host: Freedom!
Scott: Yeah, freedom, you know.
Host: So.
Scott: I mixed in a little bit of that. I was like, okay, you’re gonna get a dad bod when you retire. So, you’re gonna get a little bit thicker.
Host: I love it. I love it. It’s perfect.
Scott: So, the dad, that’s where the dad bod part came from.
Host: And I was like, when and then when I was thinking about it too, I was rubbing my belly, I’m like, oh my gosh, I’m like, I’m getting a little thick here, man. Like no more PT at 6:00 AM, like, oh man, I’m I’m getting it.
And then when people approach me, they’re like, oh my gosh, man, like, I love the name, Dadbod. I was like, well, it’s still a work in progress, you know, I’ll rub my belly and I was like, but, you know.
**Segment: The Name – Cookie Company**
Scott: And then the Cookie Co, the Cookie Company, that’s my little nod to my service because everybody knows that’s in the military, you’re like, oh, Alpha Company.
Host: Yeah, right.
Scott: Oh, Charlie Company. Guess what? This is Cookie Company.
Host: It’s perfect.
Scott: And the Cookie Company is if people see my label, my logo, it’s in a multi-cam name tape.
Jennifer: You have a great printing gal, um, who’s been our friend for over, over a decade.
Host: Oh, that’s awesome.
Jennifer: Um, that’s kind of helped us with.
Scott: Her husband’s like, we’ve been pretty much on par with each other with career-wise, but then I ended up getting out earlier than him.
Jennifer: So, she’s, she’s always our go-to printing and and and creation.
**Segment: Starting the Business**
Host: So, where was the first place that you publicly offered your cookies that were, that the public could buy them or or your I don’t know if it was a cookie or cinnamon roll was your first.
Jennifer: So, when we moved, when we moved off post, of course we wanted to save all that. That’s a huge transition in life. And mind you, we’re both going to school for our Master’s degrees.
Host: Wow.
Jennifer: We both have jobs. We have three kids. Um, and he has two other jobs other than cookies.
Host: Oh, you do.
Jennifer: So, good lord. Two and three coming up. Um, and so, you know, there’s just a lot.
Scott: I’m just an open book.
Jennifer: You know, there’s, there’s a lot going on and uh, we’ve, we’ve rented this old, old big house and um, you know,
Scott: Right on 66.
Jennifer: Right on 66. And right across from the middle school. And of course, well, at this point, everybody knows where we live, so there’s no secret. And uh, I thought, well, you know, now maybe we, we can, you know, things calm down a little bit and we get this transition going and we’re surviving and everything’s okay.
Scott: Yeah, health is good. But that was another one too, like we wanted to make sure I got a clean bill of health, good to go before I started on this next adventure in life, you know.
Jennifer: And then that was when, you know, we thought, okay, let’s check and see, what do we need to do to operate a business? What, what do we, how do we do this? What do we do, what, you know? Um, and then that’s all that kind of led, and we were just playing, toying with that and through this whole time, you know, we gave to, you know, goodies to our daughter’s old school. Told him like, okay, obviously you’re good.
Host: Could we make some money?
Jennifer: Yeah, exactly. I’m like, make some money, you know, do it and and if we’re if we’re gonna do it, let’s go all in. Um, and my husband is a by procedures, oh, you know, wild guess, you know.
Scott: Having, so long in the army, you know, he is by rules, he is by procedures. He’s very.
Host: It really comes in handy with this though.
Scott: 100%.
Jennifer: ABC, never skip a beat and um, he gets mad at me when I bake.
Scott: When she cuts corners.
Jennifer: So, so I don’t bake.
Scott: Are you sure you scraped all the flour off the top of that measuring cup?
Host: And gosh, that sounds like my husband.
Jennifer: So, so he is very precise, he’s very exact. So, so figuring out all of this and how we could do this best. Um, but most importantly, you know, to pay that tribute to everybody that supported us and give those products that, I just want to give good stuff.
**Segment: Why They Are So Successful**
Host: You know, I think that’s why you guys have been so successful and in why people have embraced your products and because you started out doing this for the right reason, and I love when businesses start out doing things for the right, well, when businesses in general, do things for the right reason. You don’t start out going, we’re gonna make a bunch of cookies and we’re gonna get rich.
You know what I mean? But you started out because you wanted to, you know, you’re bored, and then you wanted to thank people that had helped you, and then, you know, you wanted to pay homage to your company and all of this stuff, and it led to the success. And that, I love, oh, I love stories like that.
Jennifer: You know, and and throughout the entire time, you know, we, um, this man will spend six hours in Costco because he’s reading and and not because we’re looking at all the things. It’s easy to do that anyways.
Host: That’s true.
Jennifer: He’s reading the ingredients.
Host: So you guys are a Costco and not a Sam’s Club.
Scott: We’re both, actually.
Host: I’m a Sam’s Club. I love Sam’s Club.
Scott: We we swore to up and down that, oh, we’re Sam’s Club. And then when we were like, Costco’s got a better food court though. That’s true. They got chicken bakes. Oh man, Sam’s Club doesn’t got chicken bakes.
Host: Luckily they’re fairly close to each other.
Jennifer: They have the organic this, you know, this.
Scott: And that’s another thing too about our ingredients is we’re organic, we’re vegan, and we came, get out of my mouth.
Host: I didn’t know that.
Jennifer: Yeah, so some of the, some of our goodies, um, you know, it’s, it’s a little harder to bake with those allergies because that changes the chemistry of baking, which changes what we can do under cottage law, which of course we have to be really careful with that because A, I mean, I, I would never put anybody at risk.
We just want to give you good stuff. Good yummy stuff. And of course, with with food service, that is, um, a biggest fear of just, you know, making sure we do everything right.
Host: And people that don’t feel like that have no business making food for other people.
Scott: And then when we wanted to offer vegan options or AlphaGal options, and people were like, when are you guys going to come out with that? I was like, we will, but we want to make sure we do all the thorough research before we drop any of those products because we want to make sure it’s A, healthy, B, in compliance.
Host: AlphaGal is a crazy thing. I like to find a local expert to talk to about it because there’s just so much, there’s so much crazy. A chicken sausage, well, is the casing made with pork? Is the casing made with seaweed? Well, if it’s made with seaweed sometimes they use this and it’s crazy.
Scott: That’s why certain sugars that we use, we’ve changed from one to another because.
Host: Just grow your own sugarcane.
Scott: I know, yeah. I wouldn’t surprise me. I’m like.
Host: I was waiting for that to come out.
Scott: Who knew that like, you know, regular granulated sugar is crushed with bone marrow?
Jennifer: Yeah, bone char.
Scott: Bone char.
Jennifer: Or processed with bone char. That’s how it’s made.
Scott: That’s why some sugars. That’s why a lot of like AlphaGal people can’t have just normal stuff. But now we’ve switched to where our sugar is AlphaGal.
Host: Vegan sugar.
Scott: Because we’ve done so much research to make sure that we’re within compliance with that stuff.
Host: Good thing he’s married to someone who just wants to dig.
Jennifer: A researcher.
Host: And dig, and read, and read.
**Segment: A Public Statement**
Host: Okay, so, on that note, there’s so many things. I really am serious about having you guys back because there’s so many things. Before we get to some of the things that, three things that people might be surprised to learn about y’all, and some of your favorite things about the area and that kind of thing. Is it okay with you, now by the time this second episode airs, it’s we’re gonna be probably almost a month out from your post that you made. So, you have to tell me if there’s an update after this. But is it okay if I read a public statement that you put on your Facebook page? I think it was today. Was it today?
Scott: This morning, yeah.
Host: This morning, yeah. Okay. And again, by the time this second half of this episode airs, we’re gonna be way out. But is it okay if I read this?
Scott: Absolutely.
Host: All right, I’m gonna read, they posted this this morning because I want to find out the backstory in this, and I know we’re really running out of time here. They’re waiting to use the studio, so I’m gonna try to hurry here. But uh here’s the statement.
“Over the last few weeks, we’ve apparently picked up a whole parade line of haters, anonymous complainers, and people who suddenly think they’re experts on laws they’ve likely never read.”
“See, again, I’ll refer to, if you know my wife, then you know. She’s relentless, this is when I decided I wanted to meet your wife, by the way. She’s relentless, protective, a researcher and digger, and you’ll get the fight of your life with her. She will never back down from fighting like hell for her family, her and all children, and for what’s right and legal, and what’s in black and white. If you know her, you know this. If you don’t, well, welcome.”
“And to also note, nothing short of being dragged out by some master spy hitman from some country we didn’t know existed and kidnapped will stop my wife. And even at that point, I’d be more worried about Master Spy Hitman.”
“We are handling it with governing authorities. We are not stopping bringing the best treats to our community, and we are dang sure not going anywhere. We’re working through the nonsense, the anonymous noise, and the someone said drama. The blurred legal lines in which some work within and we’ll have this wrapped up soon so we can all get back to doing what we do best, baking, creating, serving this community, and supporting the small businesses that actually show up. You can still order online, pick up, and delivery available, and we’ll have our markets figured out soon. This community and all of you that make Dadbod a huge success is why we do what we do, and the profound support we receive is why we will never stop. And we love all of you, even those anonymous heroes because God tells us to love. Thanks to everyone who’s standing with us and not afraid to fight, the rest of you keep watching, if you want a show, you’ll get one from Jennifer.”
Scott: Boom.
Host: You gotta give me the short version on this, but where did that come from? What’s going on that you can talk to me about?
Scott: So, yeah. So, she’s gonna go ahead and take the lead on this one.
**Segment: The Health Department Issue**
Jennifer: Our friends, so the Brochers, and they just opened the Ruby Doo Vintage. Her whole idea was uh just to bring this awesome market to the area and uh, you know, and and to be able to bring vendors in and figuring out how to navigate, you know, can we do that? And there’s some big time clarification that we are working and butting heads with the Health Department over. And uh, me being a digger, me being that researcher and I want it in black and white, we’re just trying to get there.
And uh, is what has happened is we’ve had um, within three days of her opening her market, the Health Department shown up and uh, very unprofessionally and very just um, in a in a way that they could have done better, you know, and and we all could do better and that’s okay that we all have bad days, you know, or whatever, but we are professionals. And uh, has told, you know, the Brochers that all these things need to come out and she’s not authorized to sell those. And so, where we work out all that, she feels attacked. I feel attacked and I take that personally because this is my husband. You know.
Scott: And let me just jump in here real quick. There’s three things that you never mess with with Jennifer is her money, her kids, and her husband.
Jennifer: And and and that’s that. But I take that seriously. Um, I take that seriously with all small businesses because, you know, we we want to show up, we want to support everybody local and and they’re they’re being unfairly attacked and we just can’t get that clarification. Um, and there’s being, you know, anonymous reports to the Health Department and the one thing that I vow from this is um, once we get over this hurdle, um, I will stop at nothing to change the state law that um, requires these anonymous complainers say it with their chest, put their name on it.
And because if it’s a valid concern, and it’s a food safety concern, absolutely.
Host: It’s very important.
Jennifer: It is very important.
Host: Food safety is very important.
Jennifer: Of course, and I I admire the Health Department. They’re up against, you know, being understaffed.
Host: Well, and you can’t under everything. They are just doing their job.
Jennifer: They are.
Host: And sometimes what they have to say, most of the time probably, is not gonna make people happy, and that’s a hard position to be in.
Jennifer: And and and it is.
Scott: Like even this morning, I was like, people know when the Health Department comes, it’s like, oh no.
Host: It’s not a good thing. It’s a panic moment.
Jennifer: And and and that’s okay. And and I don’t ever think that that is their intention. I think it’s just one of those things. It’s it’s kind of like when you’re driving down the interstate and a highway patrolman pulls up behind you, and even if you’re not speeding, the first thing you do is go, oh crap. And look down at your, you know, look down at how that, you know.
Scott: Let me turn off this cruise control at 78.
Host: I mean, he, Mr. Officer, he’s he’s speaking for himself only on that.
Jennifer: Which which my 17-year-old and Waynesville Police Department, they can vouch for.
Host: That has to be a bit hard position.
Jennifer: So, and and but it it’s not food safety. It’s it’s a regulatory.
Host: Do you feel like the anonymous complaint or tip or whatever to the Health Department, do you feel like that was someone jealous of your friend’s business or your business, or both?
Jennifer: I I think it’s a little bit.
Host: Or neither. Maybe maybe not at all.
Jennifer: Yeah, and I I think it could be a combination of everything. And uh, and we we live in a world where, you know, everybody just doesn’t care about one another. But we do, you know, we we wholeheartedly do. Even if you were the anonymous complainer or even if that, come to my house and eat dinner with me. I will take care of your babies. I will baby sit your kiddos, I will get them safely to and from football practice because that’s what I do. And uh, but make no mistake, I have to know and I will find out and I want the clarification and I want the black and white because that is the law. There is no gray area.
Scott: There’s no oh my interpretation or your interpretation.
Jennifer: And so that’s the kind of um, gray area that we’re stuck in. It’s not a compliance, well, it’s not a food safety issue, it’s not anything like that with all the vendors in that store. It is what it is is, well, this paper excerpt from this says you can’t do this, but we don’t fall under that line. Well, yeah, if you sell in a retail shop, it makes you this. And so, there’s a lot of just that.
**Segment: How to Get the Goodies**
Host: So, for now, how can people get your goods?
Jennifer: So, you know, we we have a website, you know, it is www.dadbodcookieco.com. Um, my personal cell phone number is everywhere on the website.
Host: You are great. You are great.
Scott: That’s why that also talks to the testament that, you know, we’re true to our word.
Host: Because you can still bake though.
Scott: Oh, yeah.
Host: Oh, absolutely.
Jennifer: You can still bake and you can still provide to the public. You just.
Scott: I was baking late last night for a battle buddy of mine that’s was on staff duty.
Jennifer: And and it’s what.
Scott: Who wanted to get fat on staff duty.
Jennifer: Just until we until we get some wholehearted clarification.
Host: Hopefully, as soon as you do, and as soon as you’re available, please let me know because it may happen before this episode airs, and I want to be sure and provide an update.
Jennifer: And and if that’s the case, you know, the Ruby Doo Vintage Market, you know, it’s a 100 100 Historic Route 66, so right across from the Riverside shop and the Hicks’s new store is the Brochers new.
Host: So many neat things going on down there. Beautiful.
Jennifer: It is and her market is beautiful. And uh and everything in there is perfect. And um I firmly believe, you know, that hopefully by the time this airs, when we work out all this, we will have all of our goods in there available daily. We’re rotating stock and uh because this man just says, hey, I want to make a new cookie.
Host: Even though he does get mad at me because I say, hey, let’s make a new cookie and put it out tomorrow. And he’s like, no.
Jennifer: Well, Facebook order, you know, you can always and you can always text me because that is my cell phone number.
Host: Do you want to give it out or just want them to go to the Facebook and find your number?
Jennifer: Oh, we of course, yeah. 253-861-9117.
**Segment: Fast Facts and Would You Rather**
Host: All right. Well, I know Marv is waiting on the studio, so I’m just going to run through this part super fast. Three things people might be surprised to learn about you. I’m not gonna say which one of you put this. Um, I’m gonna I in fact, hang on, I’m not even gonna look at the names. I want to see if I can guess. Okay. Oh no, it’s too easy for me. I know I too, I know too much.
Okay. I was a kindergarten teacher for five years before the army. Actually, oh no, I was wrong. I thought this was yours. Okay. I was a kindergarten teacher for five years before the army. Obviously this is your, Scott, right?
Scott: Yeah, that’s me.
Host: I survived a widower maker heart attack, which doctors say only 22% of people who survive with immediate or early intervention. I used to be a background artist for movie movies and TV for a summer job. Oh my gosh, you guys got to come back.
Okay, uh your favorite thing about Pulaski County and surrounding area, it’s like cheers. Everybody knows your name. Sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s not.
Scott: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I I came from a good approach on that.
Host: Right, no, I totally know what you mean, and I I love that too about the area. All right, Jennifer, three things. I love this first one. I’m working on a law degree. I’m so excited for you on that because I’m so interested in law. I love mental health. That is my thing. And that is probably why you can approach all of this with a, okay, this is frustrating, and and this makes me angry. However.
Jennifer: Let’s process.
Host: Yeah, yeah, exactly. And I know Chip and Joanna Gaines from Magnolia in Waco. How do you, so how do you know them?
Jennifer: I So, I.
Host: Give me the quick virgin so Marv doesn’t come over here and throw me out.
Jennifer: Uh yeah, the quick version is my mom is a Wacoean. She was um, she passed away 20 years ago, but she’s born and raised in Waco, Texas, and she’s a local. And so is Joanna Gaines. Um, her family owns the Firestone. Uh my mom always went to her dad for car repairs.
Host: Oh, that’s her car.
Jennifer: And then my first semester in college, my first roommate was Joanna Gaines’s best friend. And they were seniors. And uh, and that’s where Chip came in. He he’s not a local Wacoean and he came to Baylor and um and so most of all my friends uh work for Magnolia Enterprises. Or I don’t know if it’s Magnolia Enterprises, but.
Host: It is an enterprise. The director of communications. That’s so neat. I love that. I know we’re gonna get you back here to talk more.
Jennifer: I have to do. Yeah, I have to dig for an old picture, you know, like Circa 2001 of of me and Joanna Gaines at a local pub.
Host: I love it. Okay, super quick. I don’t care which one of you does it. Here’s the wheel, spin the wheel. Not that we haven’t already learned so much about you. This this could lead to, who knows what? There’s another. All right, can you read it? Uh.
Scott: Would you rather?
Host: Oh my. I was gonna make you do it again because but no, that’s okay. Would you rather, you have to bake bake goods for 100 people and you have 24 hours to from start to finish to get this done. 100 people. Would you rather bake enough cookies for 100 people or enough banana bread for, I was gonna say cinnamon rolls, but there’s no way you’re gonna pick cinnamon rolls on that. That seems too complicated.
Scott: Um, probably be cookies.
Host: That’d be easier.
Scott: Yeah, that’s just the easier thing.
Host: We can we can crank out some cookies.
Jennifer: Within three hours he put together about 200 cookies for Crystal Heenan out at Humboldt.
Host: I thought I had a good question, but I so did not have a good would you rather.
Scott: In that time I only had two hours of sleep.
Jennifer: She said my food vendor bailed on me for October Fest. Can you help me out? And we were there for Chris.
Host: That’s amazing. She’s amazing. You guys promise you’ll come back. We have so much more I feel like we should we could dig into with this. All right.
**Segment: Closing**
Host: Well, Jennifer and Scott Adarme from Dadbod Cookie Company. Again, Facebook page, website, they can order your stuff. It’ll be available again retail-wise soon. We will provide an update. And thank you for being my first ever two-part episode. You kept me intrigued the whole time. I still have a whole bunch of questions just swirling in my head. I want to ask, but I won’t. So, thank you both for coming in. This has been so much fun.