Meet Taya Marroquin

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Taya Marroquin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Taya, great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.

I often found myself shying away from risk growing up, especially the unknown! Choosing risk has never been an easy decision for me, especially when it goes against everything I was raised to prioritize. But in building a bakery from the ground up, I couldn’t embrace risk more even if I tried! Throughout my career I have learned risk is a necessary step towards expanding my comfort zone, especially when choosing to follow my passion. It was a learning process but I realize risk is necessary when taking the unconventional path.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the owner and founder of Mad Vegan Collective, Oakland’s only vegan panadería specializing in traditional Latine desserts. My bakery highlights my culture through recreating nostalgic pan dulce I grew up eating – conchas, tres leches cake, cortadillo (Mexican Pink Cake), quesadilla salvadoreña, and LOTS more. What started as an online cookie shop (post-pandemic) has become a flourishing bakery pop up offering nostalgic recipes, cakes, and allergen-friendly options.

After being vegetarian for 7 years, I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle in 2022. Also inspired by the Bay Area’s small business community, I longed to create a bakery reminiscent of the local panaderías I visited growing up. I would often stay with my Grandma in Los Angeles, where we would ride the LA Metro, and stop at the corner panadería. I would grab my favorite sprinkled cookies (galletas grageas) and she would opt towards the more savory items including Quesadilla Salvadoreña – a traditional Salvadorean pan dulce topped with sesame seeds, or bolillos to dip in her afternoon cafecito. This is where my love for desserts truly took flight.

My mission is to bring vegan representation to my culture and bake accessible baked goods that rethink traditional recipes that rely on dairy, eggs, and other animal products. I have clients that haven’t been able to indulge in their cultural recipes for YEARS because of their diet, whether they are lactose-intolerant, vegan, or gluten-free, everyone deserves to have baked goods that transport them to their childhood.

Through baking, I have been able to learn more about my culture and feel closer to my heritage. I am a self-taught baker so developing vegan recipes always involves a lot of research and communication with my mom or others in my community. My favorite season to bake is right around Latine Heritage Month when I release the special holiday recipes including Pan de Muerto – A traditional orange-scented bread baked for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to pay homage/honor the departed and Rosca de Reyes – A wreath-shaped bread used to celebrate Día de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day).

Alongside local pop ups, I also offer custom cakes (including gluten-free), dessert catering, and offer shipping around the California Area! This is major for vegans looking to celebrate their special day. I’m blessed to do something I love but even more fortunate to share my love for baking with the world.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that have impacted my journey most are creativity, dedication, and the ability to be personable with others. My creativity has helped me create something truly unique but my dedication to becoming the best fuels my long-term goals.
Don’t ever be scared to innovate something new or stray from tradition, YOU are the only person who can carry out your vision. Trust that your tribe will find you and appreciate what you have to offer. And always try to improve your way of doing things and be open to learning from those around you, this is how dedication thrives.
Also, developing personal relationships is essential to becoming a great business owner. Putting yourself out there and engaging with strangers can be overwhelming, but when you share your passion people will always feel that. Always try to show up as your authentic self because people aren’t just buying what you’re selling, they’re supporting your vision!

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful thing my parents have done for me is foster my creativity and help me stand strong in who I am. From a young age I was allowed to be whoever I wanted, even if that meant changing my style completely, painting on my walls, or reinventing myself every five years. They always supported my current place in life without question, allowing me to try every hobby and sport my heart desired, eventually leading to finding myself along the way. My mom is from Tonacatepeque, El Salvador and has always raised me to be proud of my culture and strong in my roots. It is because of her that Mad Vegan Collective offers 100% vegan baked goods and she’s still my number one supporter, whether its commuting 3+ hours to help me with a pop up or waking up early to frost tres leches cakes.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

IG @madveganco

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