Meet Emily Molina of Clo-Co’s Sweets

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Molina.

Emily, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been told only the strong survive. That time heals all wounds. But I am a firm believer that there are some wounds that scar you for life. Some deep to the core. They may close and scar on the outside but on the inside, they continue to bleed. Others, become attire to your bare skin and each and every mark holds a story to tell. Like many out there, we ALL have a story of our own.

Some better than others. Some worst. But we live through it the best we possibly can and are here to share with the world.  Trust me when I say, even when your life feels to be at rock bottom there and others living even deeper beneath the trenches. I’ve gone through a plethora of things in life that one day deserves a book even a sequel just to cover it all.

Many times I questioned; Why me? Why did I have to endeavor all this? I definitely did not deserve it; so why me? I will admit that without the pain I would not be where I am today even as cliché as it might sound. Yes, I would have preferred not to have shed an ocean of tears or held a demolished heart in my palms, but I did. And Guess what? Heart’s still beating! I am still here! Forever grateful for so much.

A little about me. I am 25 years old. A Latina born in California and moved to Arizona at the age of nine. My upbringing was not the best. I was a spectator of domestic abuse, alcoholism, and unstable life. In the sixth grade, I ran away from home to go live with a family member. She later got guardianship of me and I resided with her till I left off to University. Life there wasn’t the best either. The problems were different. The pain was different. But the hurt and damage were still present, just in a different form.

I learned to love unconditionally to the point where my own life was put at jeopardy for others. I cared too much for others that I personally set them in a pedestal higher than my self-worth. I experienced first hand how it felt to get your heart broken over and over again. But I also learned how to bandage, tape, and repair a broken one.

I attended Northern Arizona University for a year and later transferred to Arizona State University to complete my Bachelors In Science for Criminology and Criminal Justice. I was working full time 40+ hours at work at a third party Dmv while in college. It was hard. I pulled through and graduated a semester early in December 2015. I’ll save my love story for a book when I publish it; One day. So keep an eye out for the future.

After all the storm the sun surely did shine on October 31, 2017. My little pumpkin was born. I was blessed with carrying a little princess for 38 full weeks and gave birth on Halloween. Chloé Madelynne I named her. From this day on I knew my entire life had changed. I was not alone. And she and I shared an unconditional love no-one else shared between us.

She is the best thing that ever happened to me. I thank God every day for her. They say you give them life bringing them into this world. No! She gave me life! She gave me a reason to live when I was hurting the most. I would never change anything I had to go through to have my daughter. Only the strong survive, I say the weak that build themselves up are true survivors. You have to endure life to change your perspective on certain things.

Working full time, supporting a child and yourself, providing all the necessities, and paying daycare as a single mom was quite difficult. I made ends meet the best I could. I learned how to stretch out money to last me till next paycheck. I learned to separate the needs from the wants. I learned to manage. Some days I would cry in the shower as my child slept. Hoping I would get through it. I would be able to provide her with everything she needed.

Praying to be a better mother everyday. And above all thanking God for always sticking with me. To make ends meet I began to promote myself as a local pastry business. I have baked all my life since I was a little girl. In high-school since I didn’t have money, I would gift my friends with a cake or cake pops. Later in the years, I baked all the pastries for holidays and soon later I was baking cakes for friends and family members.

It was time for my business to grow and what better time than now when I was raising a child and it was not cheap. I chose the name Clo-Cos Sweets LLC, after my daughter Chloe. She has always been my inspiration. I filed with the Az Commission and made it official last year. I designed my own logo and worked really hard to find the cheapest prices for packaging and labeling.

I started an instagram page and later purchased a package to design my own website. I got business cards and punch cards to go along with words of mouth. Everything I did on my own. I had no help or guidance but it means even more to me because of that. I still bake from home and take orders online. I love baking. Its a type of therapy for me. I lose myself when I let my creativity run loose. Happy customers always bring joy and happiness to my heart.

I have recently spread my horizons and partnered with itrade for a Vip fundraiser this winter, Sponsoring Santa, where some proceeds go to help out the Sojourner Center and Toys for Tots. My daughter is 18 months. She is my world! I am still working at Jp Morgan chase with Auto loans verification. I am due for my third year here this October. I still run Clo-Cos Sweets from my home where I live with a family member and her family.

My biggest turnouts have been Valentines Day and Mothers day. But occasionally here and there I get some birthday cake orders and even pastry tables for parties. I have recently become a notary as well. Anything I can do to get extra money, this mommy will hustle for her child. I may be a single mommy, but I am darn proud of all I have accomplished.

I have had immense support from friends, coworkers, some family, and alot help from a high school teacher. She’s been like a second mother to me since 2010. I have some great family members that never judged me and were always willing to lend a hand to help my daughter and I. I have the BEST of BEST friends. Been there for me since way back. Always there for me, if it was at 2 am to vent, or a shoulder to cry on, or just someone to go out and drink and distract myself to keep my sanity.

I thank God for testing me everyday. For transforming me into this strong human being I have become. For trusting me to find myself and love myself. And most importantly for allowing me to follow him My Way not the way others want me to. Ive learned everyone has their own interpretation of whats good and bad and how we should follow. But just because others think one way about religion that does not make my interpretation inferior or wrong.

We all have different beliefs. Our own interpretations. And if you don’t like mine because you think it’s wrong, well that’s your opinion, and truly your opinion does not matter! At the end of the day, God knows my heart and that’s all that matters to me!

For a long time, I lived behind the shadow of others. Trying to please everyone because of how I felt or thought was not right! Well, who are they? People can say and think as they please I can agree to disagree with them and still live a happy life, not under their wing. I am me. And me is good enough on my own. My priority is my daughter and thats all that matters. I have forgiven so many people that were never sorry.

As long as I am blessed with life I will continue to live my today. I will continue my home business with great hopes one day I will have a little shop I can hand over to my daughter. I have big dreams and great aspirations one day I hope to accomplish.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No! Most definetely not! Its been one of the bumpiest roads I have ever been one. With some sharp edges and deep turns. Ive been through so much I am not even sure where to start. But let’s keep it simple. Beneath all the baking and colorful arrangements there was darkness. There was pain. Hurt. Sleepless night. As far as my personal life, the pain was inevitable. It came disguised in many ways and caused harm. But I am still standing. The torment may have made me stumble and fall but I got up and I am here stronger than ever.

In regards to my business, it is stressful at times. I am a sole proprietor. I have no employees. I do it all on my own. And when it gets busy, trust me sometimes I feel like I am going to lose my mind. As I said before I am a full-time employee at Chase, a full-time mommy, and the only one running my business. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have enough time to do it all. I forget to eat. I forget to care for myself. But I push through. Because I have no choice. I have to do all I can for my daughters best.

Schedule looks a little like this. I wake up at 5:30 am. Get ready pack breakfast and lunch. At 6:15 am wake up baby, get ready for daycare and get on the road 6:25. Drop off baby daycare head to work. Clock in 7:45 am. Then I am off at 4:30 pm the days her father don’t take her (ordered by the court). I pick her up at 5: 30. Then I get home around 6 pm. Make dinner. Feed her. Play with her. Bath her. Put to bed by 8 pm. Then its Clo-Cos Sweets time. What time do I go to sleep, until its all done? 12am-3 am.

Then I have to shower and the same routine the next day. It’s hard. I’ve managed. I’ve also had great help from family I live with when they help play with baby while I’m working job number two. I’ve cried in the shower many times. Just praying all I do is worth it. That in the long run, it all pays off. I absolutely love being a mother. And although at times it may be hard I would never change it for anything in the world.

Please tell us about Clo-Co’s Sweets.
One of my passions has always been cooking and baking. I learned at a very young age when I had to cook for an entire family of six. I was a 12-year-old preparing dinner everyday for the family I lived it. No worries. Never minded the cooking. I was self-taught, learned it all on my own and my food definitely had my own unique taste. I do have to give my mother credit for my great cooking skills, although I didn’t personally learn from her I think it’s in the genes.

I bake all kinds of things. Cakes. Cupcakes. Cake-pops. Cheesecakes. Chocolate covered strawberries. Chocolate covered anything. I work with boxed cake mixes but only as a foundation. I then add my personal ingredients to the mix. I love using Wilton and Betty Crocker products. I work with fondant and butter creme icing. And I even do Latin fruit bowls with chili. I promote from my Instagram page and also on my personal website purchased from Yola. I use my packaging from Nashville Wraps and Amazon.

My biggest turnouts are on Valentines Day and Mothers day. This past Valentines Day I had over 50 plus orders. My best sellers are chocolate covered strawberries topped with a variety of different toppings as well as personalize bouquets with real roses. I love to take on a challenge when it comes to special orders. I love making my customers happy when they say the final results. I did not go to baking school or take a workshop class. I learn as I go.

Thank YouTube for their tutorials and let me not forget Pinterest for their ideas.

What role has luck had in your life and business?
I personally don’t believe in luck. He is the fact I have never bought a scratcher or lottery ticket. I think it is all Gods plan(like in the Drake song). Everything happens for a reason. Shoot if I would bid my life on luck I would be at the way bottom. I believe I am blessed. Blessed to have life. Have health.

A roof over my daughter and my head even if it is not my very own yet. Blessed for having food on the table. Blessed to have a job. Blessed to have a forgiving heart. And most importantly blessed to be alive. I think luck exists for those who believe in it. Like Santa, the tooth fairy, and the folklore tales. I personally believe if it’s bound to happen it will happen at its designated time.

Contact Info:

• Address: 75th Lower Buckeye
• Website: Www.clo-cossweets.com
• Email: emyaniramolina@gmail.com
• Instagram: Clocos_sweets

Image Credit:
Chloé-Daughter, Michelle- Customer

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