Karla Pamanes | San Antonio Logo Design, Web Design, Branding, Design Mentorship
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How my mom’s chocolate store shaped my design journey

1/10/2025

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This storefront isn’t just any store—it’s my childhood home 🏡💕. Both my parents were educators, but I like to say, that I get my creativity from my mom and my side-hustle drive from her too. Alongside her career, she loved exploring hobbies like crafting and making chocolate candy 🍫—a passion that eventually grew into a small garage store.

What started as a fun project in our garage blossomed into a thriving candy and chocolate supply business that eventually took over our entire home. Their hard work and dedication, combined with this side hustle, helped put three kids through international college—all at the same time! It even funded my design degree, laying the foundation for my creative career.

This business will always be part of my story because it’s what brought me here: doing the work I love for people I admire.

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​This logo is especially dear to my heart because it was one of the very first design projects I ever worked on.. I created it for free because 👉🏼 you don’t invoice your mom!  And while I now teach my students in The Brand Design Academy not to work for free, I always remind them that exceptions apply when it’s for someone you love. This logo even went on to win a 2020 Graphic Design USA Award 🏆—a proud moment for both my mom and me.

After COVID and the heartbreaking loss of my dad, the store had to close. It was a deeply emotional time, but it reminded me just how much this home, this business, and my parents’ entrepreneurial spirit shaped who I am today.

I carry their lessons with me every single day—in how I approach my work, how I guide my students, and how I strive to build something meaningful in my own career. Their story is a reminder that creativity and resilience can overcome even the toughest challenges and that the foundation they gave me is one of my greatest gifts.

Though the store is no longer open, its legacy lives on in everything I do—and I hope to honor it by inspiring others to create their own meaningful journeys too. ❤️
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    AUTHOR

    Karla Pámanes is an award-winning designer, branding expert, and mentor who helps businesses elevate their brands through strategic and impactful impactful visual design. Based in San Antonio, TX, she lives with her son, Lennon, and their two quirky cats, Teodoro and Paquito.

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  • ABOUT US
  • SERVICES
  • CASE STUDIES
    • ROUX CASE STUDY
    • YUMDAY CASE STUDY
    • SPROUTED PLANNER CASE STUDY
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  • COURSES + RESOURCES
    • DESIGN YOUR WAY TO FREEDOM
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