Dopey 495: Smoking Crack, Drunk and Homeless to Cookie Millionaire -Janie (Deegan)'s Life Changing Baked Goods, Crack, Booze, Recovery

This week on Dopey! We are joined by Cookie Magnate, creator of Janie's Life Changing Baked Goods - Janie Deegan! Janie might be the feel good Dopey of the year - a drunk and homeless New Yorker who saved her soul by making cookies! Janie's story starts off innocently enough before she tumbles down the stairs of total rock bottom insanity! Plus there are multiple voicemails, emails and much more on this sad, salty but ultimately super sweet new episode of the good old Dopey Show!

AI Notes:

summaryJanie Deegan, the founder of Janie's life-changing baked goods, joins the podcast to discuss her journey and the impact of her baked goods. She shares how she got sober at 25 and became a superintendent in the East Village. Janie also talks about her early experiences with alcohol and the thrill of drinking as a teenager. The conversation touches on the challenges of production and the potential collaboration between Janie's Cookies and Katz's Deli. Overall, the episode explores Janie's life-changing baked goods and her personal journey. Janie reflects on her early experiences with alcohol and drugs, from feeling like an outsider in her teenage years to finding her identity in partying. She discusses her codependent and abusive relationship in college, where she turned to alcohol as a way to cope. After graduating, she moved back to Ann Arbor and her alcoholism escalated, leading to financial and personal problems. Janie's behavior became increasingly out of control, causing concern among her friends and family. After experiencing the emotional bottom of her alcoholism, Janie enters a period of darkness and depression. She meets a sober guy who becomes a bright spot in her life, but she is unable to maintain a relationship with him due to her drinking. Janie's drinking escalates, leading to consequences and interventions from her friends and family. She goes through multiple rehab programs and detoxes, but struggles to fully commit to sobriety. Eventually, she ends up in a shelter and then in a therapeutic community on the Upper West Side. Janie Deegan shares her incredible journey from addiction and homelessness to becoming a successful entrepreneur. She talks about her experiences in rehab, her struggles with sobriety, and how baking became her outlet and passion. Janie's story is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and finding purpose in life.

keywordsJanie Deegan, Janie's life-changing baked goods, sobriety, alcohol, East Village, production challenges, collaboration, Katz's Deli, alcohol, drugs, identity, codependency, abuse, college, partying, coping, addiction, Ann Arbor, alcoholism, emotional bottom, depression, sober relationship, consequences, interventions, rehab, detox, shelter, therapeutic community, addiction, homelessness, sobriety, entrepreneurship, baking, resilience, determination, purpose

takeaways

• Janie Deegan got sober at 25 and became a superintendent in the East Village.
• She had early experiences with alcohol, including drinking from her parents' liquor cabinet and attending a Halloween party in the West Village.
• Janie's life-changing baked goods have had a significant impact on her life and the community.
• The potential collaboration between Janie's Cookies and Katz's Deli is discussed.
• The episode highlights the challenges of production and the importance of finding the right business plan and vendors. Janie's early experiences with alcohol and drugs were influenced by her desire to fit in and escape her anxiety and low self-esteem.
• Her codependent and abusive relationship in college further fueled her reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism.
• Moving back to Ann Arbor after college intensified Janie's alcoholism, leading to financial and personal problems.
• Janie's behavior became increasingly out of control, causing concern among her friends and family. Alcoholism can lead to a period of darkness and depression
• Having a support system and a sober relationship can provide hope and motivation for recovery
• Consequences and interventions from friends and family can be catalysts for change
• Rehab programs and detoxes may not be effective without a genuine commitment to sobriety
• Homelessness and living in a shelter can be a reality for individuals struggling with addiction Resilience and determination are key in overcoming addiction and rebuilding one's life.
• Finding a passion or creative outlet can be instrumental in the recovery process.
• Being authentic and embracing one's story can inspire and help others.
• Support and mentorship from others can make a significant difference in one's journey to recovery.
• Building a successful business requires hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks.

titles

• The Thrill of Drinking as a Teenager
• From Superintendent to Baker: Janie Deegan's Journey The Downward Spiral in Ann Arbor
• Concerns from Friends and Family The Challenges of Committing to Sobriety
• Navigating Homelessness and Shelters in Addiction Finding Purpose and Passion in Baking: Janie's Story
• From Addiction to Entrepreneurship: Janie Deegan's Journey

Sound Bites

• "I'm making it really big with my pie crust cookies. I don't need your stupid fucking cookie."
• "Come to me with a business plan and some vendors who are ready to place purchase orders."
• "I just remember thinking it was so wild. There's cops everywhere and we're getting away with this."
• "I don't remember having an identity before I started drinking."
• "I was alone at some frat school in upstate New York and I was like, I don't know what else to do."
• "I'm finally free. I'm at University of Michigan. I'm having a blast."
• "I'm still a person. I'm still like a young lady who just graduated from like a really good school."
• "Alcohol is a depression. It really is."
• "He was like emanating this light."
• "I'm like, this is great. I'm like back on the Upper West Side, like I'm not paying rent, know, I'm on Medicaid, whatever."
• "What are you doing here? What's a nice girl like you doing here? And I'm like, I'm different."
• "I guess I gotta leave right now, right? And so I was like, okay, let me go to the bathroom and I just leave and I all my clothing there."

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Janie's Journey

27:31Janie's life-changing baked goods

38:05Finding Identity in Party Culture

46:32The Downward Spiral in Ann Arbor

01:09:00Concerns from Friends and Family

01:15:46The Emotional Bottom

01:23:02Moving to New York and Escalating Addiction

01:32:30From Rehab to Shelter

01:44:51The Illusion of Sobriety

01:53:42From Addiction to Entrepreneurship

02:04:55Building a Business and Finding Purpose

02:19:18The Invention of the Pie Crust Cookie

02:26:09Embracing Authenticity and Finding Success