Community Highlights: Meet Farhad Koushan of Cobra Cookies

Today we’d like to introduce you to Farhad Koushan.

Farhad, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After earning my Marketing degree from Cal Poly Pomona in 2018, I moved back to the Bay Area and started my career in industrial sales. I thought I was on a solid path until I was laid off in April 2022. I pivoted to software engineering and completed an intensive bootcamp, only to graduate into a wave of layoffs that decimated the job market.

Over the next 18 months, I applied to over 1,500 jobs across tech, retail, sales, even janitorial roles but kept hitting dead ends. The constant rejection eroded my confidence and sense of direction. During this time, baking became my quiet form of therapy. I had started making cookies to stay busy, and friends kept telling me I had something special.

One night, my girlfriend said something that shifted everything: “If no one is willing to take a chance on you, why don’t you take a chance on yourself?” That was the moment I decided to stop waiting for permission. I launched Cobra Cookies named after my 1998 Mustang Cobra, which I now use for deliveries. The car was my gift to myself after getting sober, and now the cookies are my gift to everyone else.

Since June 2024, I’ve been learning the ins and outs of small business ownership, permits, paperwork, production; and I’ve never been more driven to build something that’s mine.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road at all, but growth rarely is. I came into this with zero experience running a business, just a lot of grit and Google. The paperwork alone was a maze: every level of government had its own set of rules, and I had to figure it out while watching every dollar.

Starting out after more than 24 months of unemployment meant there was no financial cushion. Every decision, buying ingredients, packaging, paying for the website, had to be deliberate. There were days when I questioned if I could really make it work, but I kept going because this wasn’t just about cookies. It was about reclaiming belief in myself.

The hardest part wasn’t just the logistics—it was managing the emotional toll. Doubt is loud when you’re doing something new, especially alone. But each step forward, no matter how small, became proof that I’m capable of building something from scratch.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Cobra Cookies is a homegrown cookie brand built on three things: real ingredients, real flavor, and real heart. We specialize in thick, gooey, crispy-on-the-edges cookies that are consistent every single time. No gimmicks, just crave-worthy cookies that hit the spot.

What sets us apart is our commitment to never cut corners. We don’t substitute or scale back quality to pad profits. If it’s not good enough for me to give to someone I care about, it doesn’t go out the door.

Beyond the cookies themselves, I’m most proud of what Cobra Cookies represents: a reminder that starting over doesn’t mean starting from scratch. This brand was born from resilience and built to bring people joy, one cookie at a time.

Whether you’re ordering online or catching a delivery from me in the Cobra, you’re getting more than a cookie. You’re getting a product made with intention, and a piece of a bigger story that’s still being written.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Resilience. Hands down.

Starting Cobra Cookies wasn’t a polished, step-by-step plan; it was a leap from survival mode into self-belief. There were so many moments where giving up would’ve been easier, but I kept showing up. That persistence, even in the face of rejection or uncertainty, has been the backbone of everything I’ve built so far.

But it’s not just resilience for the sake of enduring; it’s paired with honesty, humility, and a hunger to keep learning. I’m not afraid to say, “I don’t know” and then figure it out. That mindset has allowed me to grow as a business owner, a creator, and a person.

The cookies are good but it’s the consistency behind them that makes people come back.

Pricing:

• 5 dollars per cookie
• 20 dollars per 4-pack
• 60 dollars per dozen
• catering/ special occasion fulfillment available upon request

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cobracookies.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cobra_cookies/
• Other: cobracookiesla@gmail.com

Image Credits
Nabeel Al-Aziz