Lioni Seng of Phoenix on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Lioni Seng and have shared our conversation below.

Lioni, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Public speaking.
I’m originally from Indonesia, so English isn’t my first language. Early in my career in the U.S., I had to make announcements over the microphone—and I would do anything to avoid it. I was self-conscious about my accent and constantly worried I’d say something wrong (and sometimes I did—like saying “masterpiece” instead of “centerpiece” 😅). But now, I’m learning to embrace it, accent and all.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Lioni, and I am the founder of Goodies by Max, a small-batch cookie business based in Desert Ridge, Arizona. I started this journey after leaving my corporate job to pursue something that brought me joy and allowed me to spend more time with my son, Max (the inspiration behind the name). What began as a creative outlet and a way to heal has grown into a passion for creating beautifully decorated sugar cookies for all occasions—from birthdays to corporate gifts. Every cookie is handmade with care, and I now also teach cookie decorating classes to help others discover the fun and satisfaction of making edible art.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That I wasn’t good enough.
Growing up, my parents didn’t have much, and even though I was often at the top of my class academically, I still felt invisible and self-conscious. It took years of growth and self-discovery to realize that everyone has something valuable to offer the world—and that confidence is truly one of the most powerful traits we can cultivate.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of failing. For a long time, it held me back from taking risks or stepping outside my comfort zone. But over time, I’ve learned that you’ll never know what you’re capable of unless you try—and that even failure can be a stepping stone to something greater.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes! I’m happy to say that, in this current phase of my life, I finally get to show up as my authentic self—and it feels really good.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I made them feel seen, valued, and loved. That I showed up with kindness, used whatever passion that I have to bring people together (sometimes with cookies!)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.GoodiesByMax.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodiesbymax/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lioni-seng-14b1b9a5/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064023612322