Dutchy Poofs Founder Receives SBA Student Entrepreneur Honor

In May, Severna Park High School class of 2026 graduate Izzy Maly received recognition for a business she has been building since middle school.

Maly, founder of Dutchy Poofs, was recently named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Rising Star Student Entrepreneur of the Year for the Maryland district. The award recognizes young entrepreneurs who have demonstrated innovation, leadership and business success.

For Maly, the honor represents years of work introducing customers to a snack many had never heard of before: poffertjes, traditional Dutch mini pancakes.

“Poffertjes are traditional Dutch mini pancakes that are light, fluffy, or I should say puffy, and served warm with butter and a dusting of powdered sugar,” Maly said.

Her connection to the treat began while living in the Netherlands for four years. During that time, poffertjes became one of her favorite snacks. When she returned to the United States, she quickly realized most people around her had never heard of them.

“I wanted to share a piece of Dutch culture that meant a lot to me,” she said.

That desire eventually became Dutchy Poofs, a business whose name reflects both the product and its origins. Maly said “Dutchy” references the Dutch roots of poffertjes, while “Poofs” comes from the way the batter puffs up as it cooks.

Getting started required much more than learning how to make pancakes.

Maly acquired her original cart from a man in the Netherlands who was retiring after a career selling poffertjes. Along with the cart came his recipe, but she spent months refining it through trial and error. Family members became taste testers as she worked to perfect the product.

She also had to research locations, purchase equipment and learn the logistics of operating at markets, festivals and private events.

“One of my biggest challenges was convincing people to try something they had never heard of before,” Maly said. “I learned that storytelling was just as important as mastering the product itself.”

Building the business while balancing school responsibilities was another challenge. Maly launched Dutchy Poofs during middle school and continued growing it throughout high school while participating in activities like Key Club and Model United Nations.

The experience taught lessons she said could not be learned in a classroom.

“Time management was crucial,” she said. “My business hasn’t simply been a side gig. It has built a community that I cherish and taught me lifelong lessons.”

That sense of community became one of the first signs that Dutchy Poofs had evolved beyond a hobby.

At first, many of her customers were friends and family members. Over time, unfamiliar faces began making up the majority of sales. Customers started returning to events, sharing recommendations online and bringing friends to try the miniature pancakes.

“I began to see faces return and heard stories of learning about my business from a customer’s Facebook post,” Maly said.

Some families even stopped by after moving away because their children kept talking about the pancakes.

Maly’s most frequent location is The Station near the B&A Trail, where she has partnered with neighboring businesses to host markets and seasonal events. She believes that community involvement helped Dutchy Poofs stand out when she was considered for the SBA award.

“I think what makes Dutchy Poofs unique is that it combines entrepreneurship with culture and community,” she said. “Every customer gets to experience a tradition from another part of the world.”

Maly knew she had been nominated for the award by her business teachers, Annie Houghton and Heather Barnstead, but receiving the official congratulations email was still a surprise.

“To have that effort recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration was an incredible honor,” she said.

This fall, Maly plans to study international business in college with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. She credits Dutchy Poofs with sparking her interest in how businesses can connect cultures and communities.

Whether she continues growing Dutchy Poofs or pursues new ventures in the future, Maly said the lessons she learned as a young entrepreneur will stay with her.

For students who have business ideas of their own, her advice is simple.

“Start before you feel ready,” she said. “Most of what I’ve learned came from taking action, making mistakes and improving along the way.”