AZ Latino-owned cookie business shares its recipe for success

Every great endeavor begins with an idea. For Gilbert Tapia, that spark was ignited in a place filled with meaning: a small bakery in his hometown of Deming, New Mexico. It was amid the familiar aroma of freshly baked bread and childhood memories that Tapia shared his vision with his sister.

“I’m going to open a bakery,” he told her. 

His sister’s initial reaction, as is often the case in these stories, was skeptical.

“You don’t know anything about baking, what are you talking about?” she responded.  

But far from discouraging him, her comment became the inception of a −very sweet− journey.

With a dream in his hands, a few conversations with bakery owners, baking classes with a friend who was a baker, and years later, Tapia took a leap of faith and transformed that dream into his decorated cookie business, Cookie Brokers, located in Phoenix. And, it was that very sister who initially joked about his lack of experience baking, one of his main support pillars along the way. 

Tapia, 46, a New Mexico native but Arizonan by choice, arrived in the Valley of the Sun 26 years ago and started working in the information technology industry. But the idea of starting his own business always echoed inside his mind, until he decided to do less thinking and more acting. 

“I’ve always wanted to have my own business. The idea of creating something from nothing has always been in my dream,” Tapia said. “I was following certain people in Phoenix. Chef Silvana was one of them, and I was following her on Instagram. She was very vocal, and she’s out there. So, kind of watching her and watching others, I was like, ‘I think I’m going to take the leap and start my own business.’ So yeah, I quit my job, took my 401k, and said, ‘I’m going home.’” 

Cookie Brokers launched in March 2017 and has gained loyal customers and opportunities over time, such as preparing cookies for the Phoenix Suns and a Super Bowl event in 2023, when the game was played in metro Phoenix. 

Being a small business 

According to Carolina Martínez, CEO of CAMEO Network, an association of nonprofit organizations that provide business services primarily in California but with operations nationwide, being a minority and aspiring entrepreneur in the United States has historically brought challenges, but in recent months, new ones have arisen as a result of new policies from President Donald Trump’s administration.

“We’ve talked about unequal access to many of the resources necessary to start and grow businesses, such as accessing capital,” Martínez said. “But there are also additional challenges that we’ve experienced this year, right? Like, they’re related to tariffs, inflation, immigration policies that are probably keeping people home.” 

Martínez also highlighted the existence of organizations, such as CAMEO Network or Local First in Arizona, that are willing to “help you grow in all aspects” and strongly recommended them to aspiring entrepreneurs. 

‘Resilient, optimistic, and resourceful’ 

For thousands of entrepreneurs, perseverance is key. And the numbers don’t lie. According to the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s DATOS 2025 report, from 2007 to 2022, the number of Latino-owned businesses grew by 7% nationally. Meanwhile, non-Latino businesses grew by 2%. Additionally, there are currently more than 5 million businesses belonging to this demographic, which contribute $800 billion to the national economy. 

Martínez said that Latinos are starting new businesses at almost twice the rate of the general population and that many of them “start businesses with the goal of keeping them in their families and communities in the long term to be able to leave a legacy for their kids,” just like Tapia, who “dreams big.” 

“I think there is always an intentionality of building something bigger than ourselves for our families and our communities,” Martínez said. “We’ve always been able to see those opportunities. Maybe because all of the experiences that as a community we’ve had and all of the challenges… We’re always trying to find the solution and seeing how we can kind of take that into opportunities.” 

‘It’s about helping’ 

Martínez mentioned that “entrepreneurship is also about the ‘American Dream,’” something that “Latinos have embraced and has provided them with the opportunities to grow and give back to their families and communities,” according to her. 

From day one, Tapia knew he wanted his business to be community-focused. This is reflected in her diverse clientele and the social events his sweet creations cater to — from weddings to birthdays and bridal showers. For Cookie Brokers, that connection with customers is the greatest recognition that can come before any award or honorable mention. 

“What I think is more important and special than that is the client base that we’ve built and the fact that we’re able to do what we love,” Tapia said. 

But the strong business-client relationship isn’t the only thing that characterizes Cookie Brokers. They also carry out charitable efforts ranging from contributing to fundraising initiatives like one n ten to participating in animal adoption events. 

“As a Latino and as a gay man myself, there are certain things that are really important to me and the organizations that we align with,” Tapia said. “It’s not just baking or hosting an event. It’s things like helping with the connections that we’ve made.” 

‘It’ll get better’ 

“When I started my business, I had no clue about how difficult it would be,” Tapia said. 

Transitioning from corporate America to running a small business, initially completely on his own, was challenging, but not impossible. In fact, the entrepreneur describes it somewhat, “liberating.” 

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“I think the biggest reason I wanted to be a business owner, and might not even have consciously known this, is when I was in corporate America, how I carried myself and how I wasn’t free,” Tapia said. “So, one thing that being a business owner has offered me is freedom.” 

But without a doubt, the biggest driving force in this process was “the circle around him.” Tapia honorably mentioned his sister, who “believed in the project from the beginning” and was always by his side during times when Cookie Brokers was a “solo show.” 

With time, perseverance, and ambition, Tapia has managed to build a team, a family, a driving force that keeps Cookie Brokers running and promises to continue doing so for a long time to come. 

When asked what message he would share with aspiring entrepreneurs, Tapia, without hesitation, said, “Just know it’ll get better.” 

Reach out to La Voz reporter Paula Soria via email: psoriaaguilar@gannett.com.