We recently had the chance to connect with Chloe Vela and have shared our conversation below.
Chloe, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think a lot of people misunderstand that this is my full time job. Especially since i started this business when i was around 15 years old in high school still figuring myself out and growing up, a lot of people get surprised or weirded out when i correct them about this not being a hobby. I’ve had a lot of people ask me when will I have my “real job” and I think that’s just people’s way of saying you won’t make it as what you’re doing and it pushes me to become a better version of myself everyday. I think another big misconception is that my parents do everything for me, as much as I would love that, they help with as much as they can , it is me being in the kitchen till almost 3 am and having to wake up at 5 am to get ready for a event and also have to set up to have everything ready by 8 am. And when my parents go on supplies run, im running my booth by myself having to cashier, make drinks , and greet everyone in extreme weather and in big rush. But I will say my family has helped me tremendously over the years I won’t be able to thank them enough for that.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Baked With Love Dallas started when I was just a sophomore in school, it was a new journey for me business wise and personally. Being in school while juggling my business wasn’t easy however I did manage and even if that meant doing a private paintball event the night after prom, I was willing to do it because it’s what I love to do and I wouldn’t change it for the world. What makes separates Baked With Love Dallas from others is the passion, the attention to detail, and the originality I try and convey through my treats. What also separates my lemonades from the rest is using high quality syrups that the people generally enjoy. I have a lot of fun stuff planned for the new year and I can’t wait to share with everyone.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
It would have to be my parents, they saw my potential that I didn’t see in myself and always to continue to support and remind me everyday that I do what I do because I’m passionate about my business and I care about the things that a lot of people sometimes overlook. Whether it’s the font of the text I put on my flyer, the type of ingredients I use, or even the language I use in everyday conversations I do this because I care about the little things that set me apart from others.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
To be kinder to yourself and to not stress so much about what others think. Growing up in a generation where we grew up with social media and high standards in general, I definitely can say that it affected kids like me that don’t fit in with a lot of kids my age. I definitely wasn’t a kid who would stand up for myself if someone said something to me, but I was one of the kindest , respectful, and big hearted kids for sure. Nothing has changed much honestly. But what I can say is that I know little me would be very proud of myself now.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
The first thing that comes to mind is being a hard worker and having resilience. Growing up as having business owners as parents it teaches a lot about the real world and how you have to work very hard for the simple things in life. It definitely did help me when it came to my business and made me realize it’s now or never and even when I feel doubts about certain aspects of my business, most business owners can agree that once we hear someone say “we see how hard you work we appreciate you and we see it” it pushes me to go harder and be better than yesterday.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
The privilege that a lot of my generation has. Being surrounded by the same people my age did help me realize not everyone was at the same level as me and realize that the things we do now have a way more profound impact than ever before. Also that we all care too much about what people think, it makes us doubt ourselves and feel almost embarrassed when we try and be our authentic self. A quote that I will always cherish about that is “If your happy doing what your doing, then no one can tell you you’re not successful” and that can resonate with many things in today’s world.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakedwithlove_dallas?igsh=eW45aWw5cXZ0bjh2&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17fVrSyXQn/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
@dtx_payaso_ on Instagram
@emma_moreno on Instagram
