HI, MY NAME IS… Brady Breese.
MY OCCUPATION IS… owner of Urban Cookies Bakeshop (urbancookies.com)
with my wife, Shaun. We specialize in from scratch, all-natural cookies and cupcakes. I oversee bakery production and recipe development.
I’VE LIVED IN PHOENIX SINCE I WAS 6 YEARS OLD AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE… there’s no major natural disasters to contend with and you can’t beat our winters!
A TYPICAL DAY IN MY LIFE INCLUDES… my day always starts with running kids to school and activities and walking the dog. When I arrive at our bakery, my focus is first on quality control and the team’s production for the day, then ordering ingredients and working with our vendors. The best part of any day at work is when I’m focused on research and development of new recipes. Most people would think I’d be tired of being in the kitchen, but I do also enjoy the end of every day, including preparing a nice meal for my family.
MY FAMILY IS… my crew – good days and challenging days, we all just get each other.
ONE THING I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT IS… chips and salsa!
MY FAVORITE MOVIE I COULD NEVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING AND WHY IS… “Home Alone.” I love ’80s nostalgia and I actually saw that movie for the first time while visiting my dad in Chicago.
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WANTED TO BE… a football player. But after eight concussions in high school, I was forced to throw in the towel. It was a pretty devasting moment for me, but it forced me to explore other passions.
THE SONG I WOULD SING AT KARAOKE NIGHT IS… “Grease Lightening.” I have fond memories of standing on my couch as a 6-year-old singing that song.
THE ONE PERSON WHO MOTIVATES ME IS… always my wife.
THE LAST THING THAT MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD WAS… re-runs of “King of Queens.” I’m a big Kevin James fan.
THE PERFECT DAY IS… 68 degrees and sunny in Northern California eating amazing food and drinking great wine.
MY FAVORITE LOCAL NONPROFIT IS… Ryan House. Our bakery supports them with birthday cakes for their residents. I love their mission of helping children and their caregivers at the end of life.
MY LIFE IS… darn good.
THE BEST GIFT I’VE EVER RECEIVED WAS… 30 gifts for my 30th birthday from my wife. I remember small gifts like a card and candy and larger gifts like meeting an old friend in town for lunch and renting a Porsche for a day. It was really memorable.
MY DREAM VACATION WOULD BE… a beach or woodsy location, great food, good wine, and my family.
THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED IS… years ago when we were a young, struggling business, a business mentor once told us “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” That year, we launched cupcakes as a new menu item and shortly after Food Network called about a new show called “Cupcake Wars.” We participated and won—that win changed the trajectory of our business forever.
