Meet Kolby Simpson and Edwin Pardilla | Managing Member at Coveted Cakes & Bakery LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kolby Simpson and Edwin Pardilla, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kolby and Edwin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought of starting our own business was the easy part. Edwin and I both come from families that have created and ran successful businesses so to say it’s in our blood is putting it mildly. The difficult part is bringing everything to fruition. With both of us working full-time in completely different fields, our time is limited, but our desire to create something out of nothing and to build something of our own are two effective driving forces. Plus, the simple yet powerful notion of being your own boss is, one could say, “the icing on the cake.”
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?
Our bakery is rooted in art. When we receive an order, the process is similar to an artist creating a sculpture, painting, or drawing. The company slogan, “where art and cake collide,” is representative of our bakery and the end product. Since art is so personal and varies for everyone, the cake, or art, one receives from our bakery is one of a kind. The pieces are also reflective of us to some degree. My professional background is mostly in business and consulting while Edwin’s background is in culinary arts, and hotel and restaurant management. While my family is here in the United States, most of Edwin’s family is in the Philippines where his mother also has a bakery. All these different influences are coming through the work producing a unique product. The bakery is still a work in progress. We are a home bakery so that presents it’s challenges; one being that there is a lack of presence in the community. With every obstacle, there is a solution or a detour. We’ve found that either one is ok as long as it leads to your end goal. Social media has been paramount for the bakery. We’re able to display our work to people that would otherwise never see it. Most, if not all, of our orders come from different social media platforms.

With all that in mind, as cliche and trite as it may sound, one of the most important things in business or life is to simply keep going, don’t give up.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some friends visited from California, and the first place we took them was the breweries. My favorite spot is Buff Brew, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company. They offer three floors; the first and second is primarily to see how they brew their craft beer, and their third floor offers an open space with a great view of Houston’s skyline. After the brewery, you can take a walk through Buffalo Bayou Park. Houston has some great BBQ and Tex-Mex spots so I would definitely try El Tiempo Cantina, Ninfa’s, and Killen’s Heights 101. Houston has a large Filipino community so I would definitely recommend trying out the Best of Filipiniana where you can choose from a huge selection of Filipino foods; try their lumpia and pancit. Another great buffet option is Jin Korean BBQ. Houston also has a really nice museum and theater district so you want to check that out. For some outdoor fun, there’s a great place a little outside of Houston where you can try out the go-karts at Gulf Coast Kartway. I also recommend trying a good karaoke spot, one being JR’s Bar & Grill. Lasty, you cannot come to Houston without visiting Nasa Space Center, and of course, Galveston Island.

-Edwin Pardilla, Managing Member at Coveted Cakes & Bakery LLC and Realtor at Better Homes & Gardens

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I can confidently speak for both of us when I say that we count ourselves very lucky. Both of our families have been very supportive of the bakery and other business ideas that are swirling around our heads. Our friends have also been a great source of support and encouragement. Without our family and friends, we would be very different people so “thank you, you know who you are.”

Support and perspective are monumental in running a successful business. We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re on our way. One book that was profoundly powerful and helped shape our perspectives today is “7 Habits Of Highly Effective People.”

Website: https://www.covetedcakesbakery.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/covetedcakeshou

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

Other: Email: info@covetedcakesbakery.com Phone: 832-620-5616 or 831-582-7756