In the middle of the current decade, the U.S. labor market remains challenging for people with disabilities – statistics show that only one in five such individuals find employment. The story of Collette Divitto, an entrepreneur with Down syndrome, proves that determination and the ability to transform failure into a business plan can change not only one’s own life but also the fate of others.
A Series of Failed Job Interviews
The beginning of Collette’s professional career did not differ from the experiences of thousands of young Americans – she completed an educational program at a university in South Carolina and moved to Boston hoping to find her first job. Reality proved brutal. Despite completing a two-year intensive course that normally takes three years, every job interview ended with a polite rejection.
The situation was particularly frustrating because Collette knew she possessed the skills and willingness to work. In 2015-2016, people with disabilities represented a marginal portion of the American workforce – only 17.5% of them had any employment. Most lived below the social minimum, dependent on family or state support systems.
After the seventy-fifth rejection, Collette faced a choice – continue searching with an almost certain next rejection or try a different path. She chose the option that seemed riskiest – she decided to use the one skill that had accompanied her since her school years.
From Home Kitchen to a Store in North End
Collette’s passion for baking developed during high school in Ridgefield, Connecticut. For years she experimented with recipes until she finally created her own formula for cookies with chocolate and cinnamon. This recipe became the foundation of the business venture she launched in 2015 with help from her mother Rosemary and sister Blake.
The first real test was convincing at least one store to sell her products. Golden Goose Market in Boston’s North End neighborhood agreed to display Collettey’s Cookies on their shelves – without guaranteeing success, but with openness to try. The result exceeded the store owners’ expectations – one hundred packages were sold during the first week.
The real breakthrough came in winter 2016, when local station CBS Boston prepared a report about a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome who, instead of giving up after dozens of rejections, started her own company. The piece was shared on social media and within days reached millions of viewers. Orders began pouring in like an avalanche – email servers could barely keep up with registering cookie shipment requests.
Employment as the Foundation of the Mission
Commercial success was not Collette’s only goal. From the company’s inception, her priority was creating jobs for people who – like her – experienced systematic rejections in the market. By 2025, the company employed fifteen people, including several with various forms of disabilities.
Collettey’s Cookies’ business model was based on the conviction that people with disabilities can not only work efficiently but also develop the company and contribute to its growth. This approach contradicted the common belief among U.S. employers that hiring such a person involves additional costs, lower productivity, and the need to implement special workplace accommodations.
Collette repeatedly emphasized that her employees are not beneficiaries of a charity program – they are full-fledged team members whose contribution directly translates into product quality and customer relations. The company proved that a business model based on employing people with disabilities can be both economically viable and socially responsible.
Media Attention and Activism on the National Stage
Media interest grew proportionally to the company’s success. Collette appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, Inside Edition, BBC, CBS Evening News, and ABC World News. People magazine dedicated an extensive article to her, and in 2018 she was invited as an ambassador for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress to a United Nations forum.
Besides running the company, Collette regularly speaks at lectures in various states, sharing her story with entrepreneurs, students, and policymakers. Her message is simple – instead of focusing on limitations, it’s worth recognizing possibilities. She argues that the biggest barrier for people with disabilities is not their individual limitations but stereotypes and low social awareness.
As part of her activist work, Collette founded the nonprofit organization Collettey’s Leadership, which offers training programs and courses for people with disabilities. The goal is to prepare them to enter the job market and develop their own business projects. The organization collaborates with local institutions, companies, and foundations, creating a support ecosystem for people who want to work but encounter systemic barriers.
Scale of Operations and Development Prospects
By 2025, Collettey’s Cookies had sold over four hundred thousand cookies. The company built a recognizable brand not only in Boston but throughout the United States. Products are available online, which allowed reaching customers in every state, as well as some countries abroad.
International recognition came particularly in 2018, when Collette’s story was publicized as part of the World Down Syndrome Day campaign. Since then, the company has received inquiries from organizations in Europe, Asia, and Australia wanting to replicate the business model based on employing people with disabilities.
Collettey’s Cookies continues its expansion, introducing new flavors, expanding distribution channels, and increasing employment. The company remains private and controlled by the Divitto family, which allows maintaining the social mission as the foundation of all business decisions. Facing growing competition in the artisan cookie market, the company relies on the authenticity of its story and the social value of the product as main elements of competitive advantage.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
- https://collettedivitto.com/
- https://stacja7.pl/ludzie/collette-divitto-przedsiebiorcza-31-latka-z-zespolem-downa-spelniajaca-swoje-marzenia/
- https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/06/how-collette-divitto-with-down-syndrome-launched-colletteys-cookies.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collette_Divitto
- https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/woman-syndrome-starts-successful-cookie-business-job-rejections/story?id=44050086
Marcus Renfell
Marcus Renfell is a historian driven by curiosity and passion. He refuses to accept the “safe,” polished versions of the past. Instead, he brings forgotten, overlooked, and distorted stories back to life. His work blends scholarly precision with the art of storytelling, turning historical narratives into vivid, page-turning experiences.
His mission is simple: to prove that history can be gripping, alive, and deeply personal.
His debut book: Women of Science. Stories You Were Never Told
In his first publication, Marcus Renfell shines a light on the remarkable women who shaped the world of science — both the pioneers whose names we know and the brilliant minds history forgot. It’s an inspiring journey through untold stories, groundbreaking achievements, and the resilience of women who changed our understanding of the world.
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