Today we’d like to introduce you to Marilyn Segundo.
Hi Marilyn, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up watching my mom work magic in her kitchen. No one ever left her kitchen hungry or without a warm hug. From her, I learned how food can be so much more – it can be joy, warmth, happiness, and it can help show someone how much you care.
It was with her encouragement that I made the decision to pursue a career in the world of culinary arts. After finishing up at Alvin Community College where I got to learn from Chef Leslie Bartosh and the indomitable Chef Mary Bass, I worked in some fun kitchens and bakeries in the area.
In 2015, I made the decision to start my own baking side hustle and Yellow Apron Baking Co. was born. I made the market circuit for several years, always working around my full-time job, and through life’s many twists & turns, I reconnected with an old friend from school who quickly became my loudest cheerleader (and lucky for me, Lou’s even louder now.)
After several conversations where we looked at what I had started and what we were building together, we made the decision to go all in. In 2021, I quit my full-time job and made Yellow Apron Baking Co. my focus. The first thing we did was join Old Pearland Farmers Market as one its original vendors. The following year, the family behind a La Casita Mexican Restaurant (celebrating their 50th year in business this October!) graciously opened their doors and introduced our baked goods to their guests.
Our presence exploded in 2025 after winning Pearland Innovation Hub’s pitch competition. While we had our regulars and loyal shoppers at the market and at La Casita, winning the pitch competition put us in a whole new spotlight within the city.
This helped us build new relationships and deepen exiting relationships with other small business owners in the area.
In January of this year, we were invited to kickoff One Million Cups here in Pearland and be the first to share our story. We talked about our journey, about my mom, and how her encouragement helped me find the path meant for me. We shared what our vision for the future of Yellow Apron might look like. And once we were finished and returned to our seats, Lou and I were certain of one thing – we needed to open our brick & mortar and create a space for our community to gather.
After a movie date one night, we drove past a retail space we’d had our eye on for years, always talking about how it would the perfect spot to open our first location. On this night, we noticed a For Lease sign in the window. We turned around, parked, and stood on the sidewalk with our faces pressed against the glass, envisioning what the space could be.
Fast forward a few weeks, and the lease was signed and we had the keys to Yellow Apron Baking Co. Bakery + Cafe.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not even a little bit. Life has thrown so many curveballs our way, both in our personal lives and in business. I’ve had to hit pause more than once, and take time to look at things from a different perspective.
Despite the challenges – rising food costs, constant change to the rules on social media, feeling like I have to be a content creator to run my business when all I want to do is bake cookies, the late nights followed by crazy early mornings, – this is the most fun.
I wouldn’t change any of the past challenges because they’ve all taught me something – a new way of looking at situations, or maybe a new skill, or they’ve taught me that I’m stronger than I thought and I really can do anything I set my mind to.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Yellow Apron Baking Co. Bakery + Cafe offers homemade gourmet treats – cookies, brownies/blondies, coffee cake, cakes, etc. We the opening of our physical location, we offer breakfast tacos (yes, we make our own flour tortillas), breakfast sandwiches, and a small lunch menu.
We make our cookies & baked treats from scratch, by hand in small batches, always fresh to order. Lou and I, and now our team, are super particular about which ingredients we use (no artificial colors or flavors) and the final outcome of a batch. If it doesn’t meet our standards, it’s not put in the bakery case.
We’re honored that so many other local small businesses are part of our journey. We offer local cold-pressed juice from Gen and Juice, macarons by Sister Shoppe Goods, local jam from Biggs Farm, Rude Horses hot sauce, salsa courtesy of JC Salsa, and everyone’s favorite Hawaiian snack mix from Sweet Elegance by Dana.
We are a brand that prides itself on our relationship with our community. None of this would be possible without their love and support.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Our love for our community. Lou and I both grew up here, and being able to open our doors to welcome the community who helped shape us into the humans we’ve become is amazing and a little surreal at times. We’re blessed to have this opportunity and look forward to what the future holds.
We’re also both just a couple of goofballs who look for the fun in every day. We love to laugh and spread joy, and what better way to spread joy than with delicious baked treats?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yellowapronbakingcotx.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/yellowapronbakingco
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/yellowapronbakingco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thehappychaotic
