Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Ibarra-Gonzales.
Hi Linda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I love food and in particular pastries. I recall my sisters and I tried baking a cake for my mother when we were just kids. We thought, how difficult can this be. Unfortunately, it was a flop, but my mother being the dear that she was, was so gracious and said she really enjoyed it. My sisters abandoned the notion of baking but that experience likely was the initial impetus for my love of cooking and baking. I eventually learned to make chocolate chip cookies pretty well and delved into making fudge because a friend in junior high brought some and shared it with me. I really enjoyed it and soon made my own. Upon graduation from high school, in order to stay connected with some friends, I baked several treats and provided them as gifts for the Christmas season. This progressed into including family and still continues today after 48 years. I also baked birthday cakes for my nieces and nephews. Sometimes I would be asked by guests at the party if I was available to bake for them as well.
I was often told I should sell my treats but with a household of six, working full-time, returning to graduate school, there was no time for such an endeavor other than baking for my immediate and extended family. However, in 2004, my husband took a sabbatical to home-school our four children. As a result, the household income diminished by $60,000 and selling baked goods to supplement our income managed to fit into my schedule. This continued for seven years and during that time I baked throughout the year but sales were especially great during holidays like Thanksgiving as I sold various pies, and Christmas. When my husband returned to teaching, I scaled back but customers would still contact me for treats.
My desire to open a store front was growing and so I decided I would stay in communication when my clients while I continued with my full-time job. During that time, I learned as much as could about starting a business and also availed myself to various seminars presented by the UTSA Small Business Development Center. I also searched for store front locations and with each inquiry (there were many) I was met with disappointment because the cost was beyond what my budget could afford. I persisted but not as aggressively as it appeared it may not be what was meant to be for me, but I could not overcome the thought of not having done enough.
As my time to retire approached, I set a goal to open a store front but still nothing was available. Refusing to give up, I continued to sell my goods and two years prior to retirement in May 2022, I noticed on my way home, a sign on a small house, indicating it was for rent. I passed this location almost every day for 27 years and never thought it might be where I am today. I called the number, the landlord met with me the same day to show the location and within two days, I signed a contract. It was an exciting time but also stressful as I was administering spring final exams, submitting grades and preparing my summer courses while preparing the store front for the soft opening in June. I continued with my full-time job for two years while running the store front but finally retired as a college professor in May 2024.
I should also note other contributing factors are my mother and my love for science of the human body.
My mother, while she did not provide formal instructions on how to cook or bake, she managed to always provide great meals to a family of ten that lived on one income. She was able to take a pauper’s ingredient list and make a king’s meal. I am not sure if it was just pure skill or a combination of that and her preparing meals with such love and care. In addition to the household demands, she cared for her ill father and helped raise her younger brother while raising her own. She never provided a second rate meal. In retrospect, one of the many ways she loved us was through her sacrifice of her time to always prepare great home made meals despite the daily tasks and responsibilities of the household. My oldest daughter often notes that I add a secret ingredient to all that I bake and cook. It is TLC (tender loving care). Honestly, this is far more representative of my dear mother than myself.
My love for science also has played a role in my love for being in the kitchen. I taught a variety of science courses but in the last 30 years as a college instructor, I primarily taught anatomy and physiology and nutrition. The human body is truly the most amazing living entity on this earth. Comprised of over 30-40 trillion cells, each with its own cellular components and each component with its own function, it is astounding how the human body carries out its metabolic functions with very little effort on our part. Thousands of chemical reactions taking place, twenty-four, seven, 365 days. Truly astounding how elements behave to form chemicals that in turn become agents our bodies need to survive. Likewise, foods are comprised of chemicals/ingredients present in certain proportions creating a delectable texture and flavor. In some cases, creating an experience that can transport us back in time!
This fascination with chemistry extends into my cooking and baking. Understanding the basic role of an ingredient, its chemistry, allows me to make substitutions in a pinch without affecting the integrity of the food. It can sometimes be a challenge but it is one I welcome as often it has served me well in the future.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes and no. How is this possible? The one element of starting a business that seems to be a major determinant of a successful opening is funding. It is obviously the key factor in the sustainability of the business. It was always a key topic in the business seminars I attended and the literature I read. I was very fortunate and blessed to not have had any problems with funding my business. In retrospect, all the while I was met with disappointment in my search for a location, I was able to acquire a number of tools and small equipment that I might be able to use when I had a store front. Additionally, my husband and I paid down debt and thus qualified for credit cards with a generous credit line and low interest. As a result, my start up costs were very manageable. I used only one credit card for purchases and did not use the full credit line that was available. I should note that at this time, the economy was still trying to recover from the effects of covid and people were not spending as they once were. I found myself asking, “what are thinking of starting a business when the economy is in such a state.”
Starting a business NEVER comes without struggling. If I could rank the issues in order of which was most difficult to least it would be TIME, then TIME, TIME, and finally TIME. As noted, previously, I opened My Mom’s Savory and Sweet Treats in May 2022 at the end of the spring semester at Palo Alto College. I was in the middle of final exams, grading, preparing final grades and for the upcoming summer courses. The summer schedules are prepared in the fall semester of the previous year and so I was on the schedule since that time but it is unbeknownst to me that I would be teaching summer college courses while starting a business.
Additionally, I cared for my mother as she was chronically ill. I am at peace that she was able to live long enough to see my dream come to fruition. So, life continues when you run a business – there is a household to run and maintain, and my husband and I remained dedicated to our volunteer services with our church. Our children were transitioning into the next chapters of their lives, and it was important to assist them in this critical period. And finally, my poor husband, who was excited about my endeavor as he heard me speak of it so often for over 20 years. He was not prepared for the time I spent away from him. This was a very challenging period for us but through much prayer and communication we pretty much have it down to a science how to manage business and personal time.
We’ve been impressed with My Mom’s Savory and Sweet Treats, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My Mom’s is a small bakery located in a small town east of San Antonio, TX. I prepare a variety of desserts: cookies, bars, croissants, puff pastry, scones, whoopie pies, tarts, variable flavors of cinnamon rolls, cake balls, muffins, pies, cakes, savory empanadas, quiche tarts, pizza rolls, and kolaches. We also provide hot coffee and during warmer days we also sell fresh squeezed lemonade and when the temperature drops homemade cocoa is on the menu.
The menu changes monthly but the favorites always stay and they are blueberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, orange cranberry oatmeal cookies, and cinnamon rolls.
What sets me apart is the sense of walking into your childhood home or grandma’s home when the cooking or baking what happening. I am first a point of contact to the customer by greeting them, asking how they are doing, and learning their name. The sale is secondary.
My brand sells through the generosity of my customers. My budget for advertising is very small because my customers often advertise for me by word of mouth, providing my treats at events, recommending my bakery or by passing out my business cards.
The following is taken from my website indicating how I got started, albeit in a very small nutshell:
Where did you get that? A question my children would often get from classmates and coworkers. “My Mom,” they would simply reply. After a while, the phrase stuck, and once I made the decision to start selling my homemade baked goods, My Mom’s Savory and Sweet Treats was born. Each day you can expect, the same savory and sweet treats I have made over the years for family and friends, all made fresh in store. I will also be offering one-day only and seasonal items as the business continues to grow. Follow us on social media to always know what’s on the menu! As with any small business, once our products sell out, we are done for the day! Make sure to visit early so you can enjoy a variety of #MyMomsTreats before they are gone!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
As of September 3, 2026, My Mom’s will only be open for business for three days rather than four. It is the intent to provide the opportunity of online ordering by the end of the year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mymomstreats.wixsite.com/savoryandsweet
- Instagram: mymomstreats
- Facebook: my moms savory and sweet treats
