Meet Cecily Mendez | Baker & Owner

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

Hi Cecily, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
Legacies are intriguing; they often go unnoticed in our day-to-day lives. In the words of Lin Manuel Miranda as Hamilton, “What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” For me, this business is my seed, defining the person I am. I sowed this seed for my daughter, hoping she finds inspiration in it. I pursue this work not just out of love but with the vision that one day, when my daughter is grown and I am no longer here, she will remember me as someone who did her very best to provide for her. My wish is for her to believe that if I could do this, she can achieve anything.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I firmly believe that what distinguishes me from others is finding my niche. While there are many cookie businesses, there are not as many specializing in stuffed cookies. Every day, I create numerous unique flavors; my life is filled with ideas for new flavors and marketing strategies it keeps me up at night. My journey to this point was challenging. Even though I love what I do, there were moments when I considered closing up shop, and I even did once! However, I realized that I didn’t actually want to quit; I was just exhausted.
Balancing raising our baby and managing a business while my hardworking husband supported us was demanding in the beginning. Overcoming this required me to prioritize not spreading myself too thin and taking care of myself. If I didn’t fill my own cup, I couldn’t excel as a mother or business owner. Investing in better equipment, using a calendar, and as my daughter grew older and more independent, I could replenish my cup again. This lesson was hard but invaluable. I feel fortunate to be where I am today, even though my story is not unique, as millions of women share similar experiences. My hope is to inspire and motivate others to pursue their passions!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Houston is such an interesting place to live. I am very much a person who loves to learn and just relax ! The Houston Zoo and Houston Museum of Natural Science are a must go! I love learning new things and I truly just love those places I have memberships to both and used them well! Now for a shopping day we have to hit up Trader Village in Katy T.X It’s a swap meet filled with all the good deals and is filled with nostalgias from the Music and the food to the people.
I consider myself somewhat of a foodie, so places I would drag someone else to that will take you to many different counties. We have to head to my favorite burger spot, The Flying Cow in Richmond T.X it’s tucked in the middle of the country, with farm to table meat and craft beer on tap. They even have a robot waiter which is the cutest thing ever.
For Cajun food though: Swamp Shack in Lake Jackson T.X. They have the best crawfish and drinks!
And last but not least for good old fashion home cooking and great service with amazing sweet tea we will have to go to Reyna’s cafe in my home town neighborhood in Hungerford T.X.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Certainly, my mom holds a special place as she was the one who initially introduced me to baking using a basic box cake mix and an easy bake oven. She continues to take pride in all my achievements, no matter how small. Additionally, my amazing husband has been a huge source of support since the start, actively engaging in late-night sessions to help package thousands of cookies alongside me. Taking off work to support my dreams, he truly is my backbone.

Website: Stuffeddoughcookieco.com

Instagram: @stuffeddoughcookieco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StuffedDoughCookieCo/

Other: Tiktok – @stuffeddoughcookieco