Meet Erica Villasana | Founder & Baker

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

Hi Erica, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My first phase of quarantine was sitting on my couch watching movies and tv shows all day long. After rewatching all 23 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and so so many different TV shows I went into my next phase of quarantine which was baking. I started baking for my family. I enjoyed baking so much and the joy it brought to my family. With so much devastation happening in the world I was happy to bring them a little bit of joy. Before the pandemic, I would volunteer with so many amazing organizations. Being stuck inside and not being able to volunteer to help those organizations made me feel helpless. I wanted to find a way to help others while also staying safe at home. I came up with the idea to combine my love of baking with my love of helping others & bake for others. At that point, Cookies for Others was created.

What should our readers know about your business?
Cookies for Others is a home-based cookie business that fundraises for a different charity/non-profit organization each week. I have a list of such amazing organizations that have been sent to me and ones that I have personally volunteered with. You can nominate an organization on my website! I admire the work that these organizations do. I am honored to be a small part of their mission. Cookies for Others’ mission is to bring awareness to organizations and donate as much as possible to their cause while providing some yummy cookies. Each week I choose a charity from my list and a portion of all proceeds that week is donated to that organization. Since getting my first order in October 2020, I have been able to fundraise for over 30 organizations. I am so excited to continue to support more organizations, work on new types of cookies, and hopefully one day in the future have a cookie shop of my own. One thing I want the world to know about my brand is that as a business we strive to put others first and we will always be willing to lend a helping hand.

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.
Houston is such an amazing city with so much to do. I love sporting events, so going to an Astros, Skeeters, Rockets, Dynamo, Dash, or Texans game would be a must. When the weather is good, I enjoy spending time outside at Discovery Green, Hermann Park, the Waterwall, Buffalo Bayou Park or Levy Park. The museum scene in Houston never disappoints. There is a museum for everyone. My personal favorites are Space Center Houston, The Health Museum & Houston Museum of Natural Science. There are so many amazing restaurants in Houston. It is so hard to choose. The Breakfast Klub, Barnaby’s Cafe, Bellagreen, The Grove, Spindletop, Local Foods, The Dunlavy and Pink’s Pizza are some of my favorite places to eat. And Gelato from Amorino is amazing!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am so blessed with an amazing support system. My family is the best. From ordering cookies to spreading the word about my business to helping me fulfill deliveries, they do so much to help me succeed. My mom, dad, brother, sister, tia Aida, tia Dee, tio Erwin, tia Leslie, and my cousins EJ & Gissy have been huge supporters of my business since day one. Even my cousin Eduardo came into town from Mexico and ordered some cookies. I’m not sure what I would do without my families’ support. They mean the world to me. Also, my customers are amazing. They are the sweetest and are always willing to be a part of my mission.

Website: https://www.cookiesforothers.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookiesforothers/

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