Meet Arlene Valdez | Mental Health Therapist & Baker

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

Hi Arlene, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve been baking since the age of 5. It has always been something that I have enjoyed. I used to and still bake for my dad. He’s definitely my number one supporter. I found a passion for baking cookies that I never realized I had. One day, I was talking to my friend and he asked if I’d ever considered selling my cookies. My immediate answer was no. Because the truth is, it had never crossed my mind. I had never really thought about it. As time went on, I continued baking for my friend and he had the opportunity to try different ones. He brought it again a few times and asked me to think about it. One day he says, “seriously, you should sell these cookies, they’re really good” I said, “but what if people don’t like them” he responded, “but what if they do?” And that’s when The Cookie Mobster was born. I wanted to have a brand that stood out and was unique. I loved the concept of being “the Cookie Mobster” or as I like to call myself “local cookie dealer”. I began coming up with unique names such as “notorious gooey’ G” (s’mores) or “machine gun Sally” (churro doodle) or “Lady Luck” (cherry pie). And everyone loved the concept and the cookies.

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.
I’m an ambitious Mexican American woman who has always strived to reach the top. My college experience began at East Los Angeles College. I then transferred to Azusa Pacific university and got my BA in Human Development. Later, I attended grad school at Boston University getting my MA in social work. Currently, I’m an Associate Clinical Social Worker & just completed my 3000 clinical hours and working towards licensure. I’m extremely excited to become a licensed clinician.
But, I am also excited to expand my cookie business and hoping to open up a shop in the near future. Some of the challenges of being a small business owner is that you cannot compete with big brands. You constantly have to market your brand by posting social media content and engaging with followers. You have to stand out to be noticed and that is difficult when you are working with very little funds. Times are tough with prices increasing that’s definitely a challenge at this time because its hard to keep prices low. I’ve learned many things along the way. You will make mistakes, you will drop a whole tray of cookies or burn them in the oven and have to start again. You will run out of ingredients in the middle of mixing your last batch. You will work late at night while others are sleeping. You will cry and want to give up! But, no matter what happens, you just have to keep going.

It puts a smile on my face to know that there are people out there enjoying my cookies. When people tell me how
Much they love the cookies, I can’t believe it! My heart literally lights up inside they just can’t see it. I recently started making Artisan Bread and Jams. And so far, it’s been going well. I am truly grateful and feel blessed!

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 would definitely recommend a few spots to eat. Puffy Taco in Whittier would be the first place to stop. I’d also recommend Girl and the goat in the Arts District one of my favorites. Cali Wings, best wings in town, (food truck) Aloha Cafe in little Tokyo is a must. I’d definitely go to Mas Cafecito in La Puente for cafe de Olla. Randy’s Donuts in Pasadena and Donut Man in Glendora. I’d definitely eat Petrillos Pizza in San Gabriel and Stacks in Glendora to name a few. I’d check out the Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens in San Marino, the Santa Anita Race Track in Arcadia and Bolsa Chica State Beach.

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?
I would like to shout out my mom and dad. I want to say thank you to both of them for always believing in me & encouraging me to work hard in life. It’s truly an honor to be their daughter. Both of my parents were born in the state of Jalisco in Mexico and came to the U.S. for a better life. I was the first in my family to attend college. It was new to all of us, & they were with me every step of the way. Through the good times and the bad. They never gave up on me even when I wanted to give up on myself. Everything I have accomplished in life is because of them. I dedicate all of my success to them, without them I would not be here today. It’s truly honor to have parents like them. Thank you for the love you’ve shown me and most importantly thank you for being there for me always. I love you both!

Instagram: The_cookiemobster