It is always a joy to share stories full of heart and inspiration. That’s why we’re so excited to share our latest conversation with Erica Corral, the owner and founder of Wink by Erica. Wink is a custom dessert bakehouse located in Houston, Texas that is dedicated to making special moments sweeter with incredible cakes, cookies, and more. Read on to see the beginnings of this bakehouse and more!
A Little About Wink By Erica
To get started, tell us a little about yourself and your story! Who are you, how did you get into baking, and what inspires you?
WBE: I’m Erica, owner & founder of Wink by Erica. I’m a native Houstonian and alumna of The University of Texas at Austin. I’m married and we have a one-year-old and a dog. I worked in corporate marketing for five years before starting Wink.
I started Wink in 2014, after a friend refused to accept free desserts from me and pressured me to make a price list. After that, word of mouth sustained my little hobby until it became a second full time job. In 2017, I left my corporate job and pursued Wink full-time.
Since then, we’ve moved into a studio and grew to a team of 4. My grandma owned a successful noodle shop in Vietnam and I was always inspired by her to start my own business. I wanted to create a business that brought joy to others and I found it in cakes and sweets.
Talking Business With Erica
Shout out to all the supportive friends! We all need that friend who encourages you to take your hobby to the next level. For those who are just starting their entrepreneurial journey, what are some tips or pieces of advice that you would like to share?
WBE: The most important is to just start! Then it’s all in the mindset. Get comfortable with discomfort, not having all the answers, with failing and picking yourself back up. Every failure and mistake is a valuable learning experience. Do small things with perseverance, consistency and heart and it will add up to something really special.
Paper Mart & Wink
Yes, absolutely. Sometimes all it takes is that push! Once you start, you’ll make mistakes but you’ll also learn. So when it comes to Paper Mart, how do we fit in with Wink?
WBE: Presentation and packaging is so important to business and branding. We purchase a majority of our packaging from Paper Mart. In particular the macaron boxes, cupcake boxes, cello bags, mini cake display boxes, and ribbon.
I love the variety of colors and packaging options Paper Mart provides. I love being able to mix and match the slider macaron bases and sleeves. The PVC boxes in small sizes for favors and larger sizes for mini cakes have really made us stand out in our market.
Then there is all the ribbon! I must have ordered hundreds of ribbons from Paper Mart over the years, all the options of textures, sizes, and colors really add such a memorable and giftable touch to our desserts.
We have so many ribbons! I totally understand. Do you have any favorites?
It is seriously so hard, I love it all. If I had to, I would say the satin ribbon. There are so many colors to match our dessert designs.
Shop Erica’s Picks
“The PVC and PET boxes have also been our client favorites and we get asked about those boxes all the time. They have elevated our mini cakes and brought so much joy to our clients.”
- PVC Plastic Boxes (5” x 5” x 6”)
- PET Plastic Boxes (5” x 5” x 10”)
- Premium Satin Ribbon
These images are courtesy of Wink by Erica. If you want to check out Erica’s delicious bakes, check out the Wink by Erica website and shop! Don’t forget to also follow them on social media (Instagram and Facebook).
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