Meet Vanessa Valencia | Creative Mind

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Valencia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always loved making things by hand whether it be baked goods, cards, paintings. Its been a way for me to relax and destress. I come from a creative parent so I have always liked the idea of making someone something as opposed to buying something. Its more personal and heartfelt.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What I’m most proud of is that I went for it. I gave myself a year to get this business off the ground and I’m entering my 5th year this July. I always told myself even if I failed I at least tried. I put myself out there; I invested in myself. It wasn’t always easy. It took me a few months to work out the kinks with branding and getting my permit. The pandemic was a big hindrance. A lot of supplies were limited and I had to close for a few months to just kind of see what was going on and how I could make it work with all the changes and limitations that we faced. Thankfully I had a fulltime job so it didn’t affect me in a way it did other cookiers who relied solely on this business. I think the fact that I like to think outside the box and aren’t afraid of certain cookie themes that sets me apart from others. One very important lesson I’ve learned is don’t compare yourself to others. We all start somewhere and we all have to work at the craft. What works for you may not work for others. What comes naturally to others may take time for you to develop. I just want people to enjoy my product and have fun with it. Let my cookies tell your story.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve had friends and family here multiple times and I always love taking them downtown. There is a variety of places to eat and things to see. I love taking people to Balboa park for a walk or a museum tour. My go to eateries tend to be in Hillcrest on University Ave; Baja Betty’s is the place to go. Not only is the food amazing but the staff is fun and welcoming. The San Diego Zoo is always a must. Venturing out to the outlets in San Ysidro or Carlsbad for some retail therapy is always a vibe.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost I want to shoutout my mother. She taught me to never give up, to be open and persistent when it comes to getting what we want in order to be successful. My mom also taught me that its great to have help and support but you need to be your biggest cheerleader. You need to believe in yourself and what you do. You make your dreams come true only you can navigate how far you’ll go. I also want to shoutout my bestie Tina; she’s always had my back and been so supportive. When I started this business as a hobby she put my name out there. She was always posting and hyping me up on her FB. My first clients were friends of hers. Lastly I want to shoutout my uncle Robert (El Guero); he’s no longer with us but he was part of the reason I started this. He always told me I should do something with my talents. Anytime I would try a new recipe I always went to him. He had a major sweet tooth. He would say you won’t know what you’re capable of until you try. I’m just sorry he wasn’t around to see me do this. I know that he would be proud and would definitely be my number one taste tester lol.

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