Mother-daughter duo Minal and Diya Patel hail from a family of seasoned entrepreneurs who recently opened one of three Dirty Dough locations in Illinois with the support of Craveworthy Brands. With their deep-rooted franchise experience, a shared passion for baking and a love for the growing “Dirty Drinks” trend taking over the internet, they are proving that women in franchising can do it all.
This National Women’s History Month, we are celebrating bold, fearless female franchise partners like the Patels—women who are rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship one stuffed cookie at a time.
Hustle, Bake, Repeat: Making Dirty Dough a Family Legacy for Generations
The Patels’ franchising journey began with multiple convenience store locations throughout Chicago, where they learned how to build thriving businesses in the market. When it came time for their next venture, they were searching for something unique, exciting and innovative.
That is when Diya saw an opportunity to mix things up.
Inspired by their creative cookie creations, Dirty Dough’s “Dirty Drinks” bring the same over-the-top energy, blending a variety of sodas with indulgent mix-ins and toppings. When Diya, who has been baking with her family since childhood, saw the growing hype around this consumer product, she knew there was a massive gap and opportunity to bring the viral trend to their market.
While pursuing her law degree, she teamed up with her mom, Minal, to bring Dirty Dough to South Barrington—introducing the decadent experience to their local community. The location has quickly become one of the Brand’s largest, transforming into a go-to spot for Millennials, Gen Z and families looking for a sweet treat or just to spend time together.
The Secret Recipe: Three Key Lessons from The Female Franchise Duo
Running a business together means wearing a lot of hats, making quick decisions and keeping the dough rolling and the drinks flowing, literally. Minal and Diya have learned three key lessons that have helped them thrive as entrepreneurs and family business partners:
Forgive and Forget
“My mom and I are like best friends, but that doesn’t mean we don’t argue—surprisingly, it happens almost daily! But she moves on so quickly without holding a grudge, and it forces me to let go, too.” – Diya Patel
In franchising, there is no time to hold onto small disagreements—success comes from focusing on the big picture and keeping things moving.
Divide and Conquer
“We split responsibilities to maximize efficiency and avoid clashing. My mom, an early bird, works the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift, while I, the night owl, take the 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift, after law school. I handle our store payroll and scheduling, and she focuses on operations. But we collaborate on major decisions with the Craveworthy team like supply chain management and local marketing to keep everything running smoothly.”
For them, trusting each other’s strengths has been the secret ingredient to their success.
Always Have Each Other’s Back
“The best part about doing this together is helping each other to thrive. Preparing cookies, frostings or toppings turns into a friendly family competition — who can get it done first? At the end of the day, we make sure we’re always setting each other up for triumph.”
That is the Dirty Dough way — big flavors, big teamwork and big wins. Because at the end of the day, life is sweet, but life also gets messy, and it is always better with cookies (or Dirty Drinks!)
Bold Cookies, Bold Women: Why Dirty Dough is a Sweet Franchise Opportunity
Franchising is about building something that lasts. And with Dirty Dough, that means leading with a bold, indulgent concept that disrupts the dessert space. With a high-impact, high-potential model, streamlined operations and a loyal nationwide fan base, Dirty Dough is a sweet opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to bring something baked-fresh to their communities.
This National Women’s History Month, Dirty Dough and Craveworthy Brands celebrate bold women and entrepreneurs like Minal and Diya Patel, who are creating a legacy for generations to come. For them, Dirty Dough was more than just a business opportunity — it was a chance to introduce an innovative concept to their market, build a thriving family business and turn their passion into something more.
For more information on Craveworthy Brands and our available opportunities, you can visit here.