Meet Raul Rodriguez, founder of Raul’s Taqueria Al Pastor, a Tex-mex food truck in North Austin. Raul got started cooking helping his mom in the kitchen at her Mexican restaurant. After perfecting the craft, Raul realized how much people enjoyed his food and decided to start his own business. Ten years ago, Raul’s Taqueira was born, specializing in traditional Mexican tacos. Since then they’ve grown to over 3 employees and begun offering their coveted tacos Al Pastor. Today, you can find Raul’s tacos at his food truck on Rundberg Lane and online via Grubhub.
Raul shares his experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Raul! To get started, would you mind telling us what inspired you to start your business?
Making the jump from my Mom’s kitchen to starting my own business was inspired by support from my children. My son encouraged me to be entrepreneurial and made me realize I could make money and provide for my family.
What makes your business unique?
Our business takes original Mexican cuisine and combines it with our own personal style. We offer a wide variety of tacos and tortas, serving everything from breakfast tacos to tortas Cubanas.
What are some obstacles you feel like you have encountered in starting or growing your business? How did you overcome this?
I think just starting the business was the hardest part. In the beginning it took a lot of hard work. It was difficult securing the truck/space, hiring employees, and gaining customers. My whole family helped out, which made the process manageable.
What workshops/business coaching have you done through EGBI?
I took the Build Your Business Plan course and learned to make financial projections and a marketing plan. I really enjoyed meeting other business owners and working with the coaches.
How has EGBI helped you?
EGBI taught me the mechanics of starting a business. They also helped me create a growth plan and set smart goals.
Want to work with EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
Meet Gabriela Rodriguez, founder of Taquizas Los Carnales, a Mexican food and catering company based in Austin, TX. Gabriela’s business opened in 2015 when she started baking cakes and gelatins for her friends and family. She never saw it as a formal business until her son encouraged her to begin offering meals. In 2019, they started catering tacos and made plans to further grow the business. Today Taquizas Los Carnales offers appointments through their website and can be found at The East 40 in Bastrop.
Gabriela shares her experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Gabriela! To get started, would you mind telling us what inspired you to start your business?
My son knew I could cook a variety of traditional Mexican foods and encouraged me to offer more than baked goods. Through his help I realized I could make a living and better support my family.
What makes your business unique?
Our business is unique because we make everything by hand using our own seasonings. We also offer traditional tamales from Oaxaca and Veracruz along with a variety of tacos. Apart from our food, I also feel our interaction with customers is unique. I really enjoy seeing how they appreciate the flavors of the food. Their positive response is really exciting and my favorite part of operating a business.
What are some obstacles you feel like you have encountered in starting or growing your business? How did you overcome this?
The biggest obstacles were operating through the pandemic and turning my personal business into a legal entity. With the help of EGBI we got a lot of support making our business plan and learning to survive the critical moments. We also learned the steps to make our business official and create a growth plan.
What workshops/business coaching have you done through EGBI?
I took two workshops through EGBI. The first was Build Your Business Plan and the second was 90 Days to Business Success. I really liked hearing about how to grow my business and improve my social media.
How has EGBI helped you?
During the 90 days of the second workshop series EGBI helped me open a physical location and encouraged me to start offering pastries again. I feel like the workshops made my business more full service and prepared me to keep growing.
Want to work with EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
Meet Alejandro Medina, born in Monterrey, NL and founder of CompuPlus. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Media Communications as well as PC repair and maintenance IT. In 2013, Alejandro moved to Austin, Tx, where he worked at a well known computer repair shop for a couple of years before deciding to start his own business in 2016.
Alejandro shares his experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Alejandro! To get started please tell us what inspired you to start your business? What inspired me to start my business was the need for better customer service and more affordable computer and smartphone repair service in town with a bilingual approach.
What makes your business unique? In CompuPlus we care about our customers and understand the importance of their computers and smart devices and how valuable they are in their lives.
What are some obstacles you feel like you have encountered in starting or growing your business? How did you overcome this? Promoting it in a city where I know very few people and not knowing all the ins and outs of starting a business in a country different from the one I was born and raised in. I´m still dealing with those two main obstacles but with time and the support from institutions like EGBI I feel like I’m overcoming these obstacles little by little.
“EGBI is the best option for business consulting in Austin!” – Alejandro Medina
What workshops have you taken at EGBI? So far I have only taken two Spanish workshops: Taller para pequeños negocios (workshop for small business owners) and puntaje de crédito (credit scores).
How has EGBI helped you? Monthly meetings with EGBI´s program coordinator, Leo Pozobon, are helping me better understand how to run a business and make it grow.
———
Want to work with EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
Conoce a Raúl Rodriguez, fundador de Raul’s Taqueria Al Pastor, un carro ambulante de comida Tex-Mex al norte de Austin. Raúl comenzó a cocinar ayudando en la cocina del restaurante mexicano de su madre. Después de perfeccionar el oficio, Raúl se dio cuenta de lo mucho que la gente disfrutaba de su comida y decidió iniciar su propio negocio. Hace diez años, la taquería de Raúl nació, especializándose en tacos mexicanos tradicionales. Desde entonces han crecido hasta tener a más de 3 empleados y comenzaron a ofrecer sus codiciados tacos Al Pastor. Hoy puedes encontrar los tacos de Raúl en su carro de comida ambulante en la calle Rundberg Lane y en línea vía Grubhub.
Raúl comparte su experiencia como emprendedor y como EGBI te puede ayudar también a que tu negocio crezca.
¡Hola Raúl! ¿Para comenzar te gustaría decirnos qué te inspiró a iniciar tu negocio?
Dar el salto de la cocina de mi Madre para iniciar mi propio negocio fue inspirado por el apoyo de mis hijos. Mi hijo me animó a hacerme emprendedor y me hizo darme cuenta que podría hacer dinero y proveer para mi familia.
¿Qué es lo que hace único a tu negocio? Nuestro negocio toma a la cocina mexicana original y la combina con nuestro propio estilo. Ofrecemos una gran variedad de tacos y tortas, sirviendo desde tacos de desayuno hasta tortas cubanas.
¿Cuáles son algunos de los obstáculos que crees que has encontrado al comenzar o al acrecentar tu negocio? ¿Cómo los superaste?
Creo que el iniciar el negocio fue la parte más difícil. Al principio me costó mucho trabajo. Fue muy difícil conseguir el camión/espacio, contratar empleados y obtener clientes. Toda mi familia ayudó, lo cual hizo el proceso manejable.
¿Qué talleres/asesoramientos financieros has tomado a través de EGBI? Tome el curso de Crea tu Plan de Negocios y aprendí a realizar proyecciones financieras y un plan de mercado. Realmente disfruté conocer a otros emprendedores y trabajar con los asesores.
¿Cómo te ha ayudado EGBI? EGBI me enseñó la mecánica de iniciar un negocio. También me ayudaron a crear un plan de crecimiento y a establecer objetivos inteligentes.
Traducido al español por Diana Ariza. Para leer el artículo en inglés, haga clic aquí.
By Amy Carrillo Cobb, Business Owner at AmyCobb.Co
About 70% of businesses with employees will survive their second year in business. At this point you need to start planning beyond your problems.
Tips to Maintaining and Increasing Sales
Collect on the money that is owed to you.
Don’t go it alone. Tap into Resources and Network.
Ask what you’re worth? Develop a Pricing Strategy.
Put profitability first and rewards second. High salaries should come second to Cash Flow.
Focus on what you do best. Your business should not be all things to the marketplace.
About the writer: Amy Carrillo Cobb gives others the financial capacity to make a difference through Bookkeeping, Accounting and Finance services. She is a Money Mindset Coach, Business Coach, and blogger. https://linktr.ee/amycobbco
2. Click on ‘New Project’ and add all the video clips you want to use.
3. We recommend choosing an audio before editing your clips. Click on “+add audio” to go to a library of audio to choose from (shown on the left side picture) or you can add your own audio.
4. Click on the clip you want to edit. At the end of each video clip you can see a slider (shown by the orange arrow) that allows you to shorten or cut certain parts of the video clip.
5. When you click on a video clip additional editing tools pop up at the bottom. Below are the meanings of those additional tools.
6. Made a mistake? You can delete any clip by clicking on the clip and then the trash button on the bottom right corner. You can also change the videos resolution and frame rates by clicking in the top right corner.
7. Once done editing, click on the top right corner and download the video. Once saved to your camera roll you can also share your video on all the social medias listed.
Complete! You are now one step close to becoming a video editing expert.
Meet Veronica Trevisan, the owner of Ñapegados: a business that serves local Spanish-speaking small businesses with administrative services, for better company management, and customer services. With the help of Veronica, several entrepreneurs have scaled their businesses to 6 and 7 figures.
As a Launch Manager of online info products, she helps course creators, coaches, and business owners start or expand their online businesses. In her portfolio, she has clients from LATAM, Canada, and USA to whom she has helped reach multiple 5 and 6 figures in 7 days selling their info products in English and/or Spanish. Veronica also became an expert in the art of audience’s investigation. Here she helps entrepreneurs who want to narrow their audiences for a better sale, but principally to better serve their clients in both languages. As a course creator herself, she has courses in Spanish about creating very qualified audiences.
Veronica shares her experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Veronica! To get started, would you mind telling us a fun fact about yourself?
I like to ride my electric bike all around Austin. I have had it since 2016 and still, I am amazed when kids and even adults, wave at me and say “I love your bike”. I share a picture here. I think it is really cool, too.
Why and how did you start your business?
When my friend Bran and I decided to start a cleaning company in 2011, I realized there was a lack of information in Spanish to help local business owners, so I started a blog. My blog was simple: I read articles in English, made a summary in Spanish, and posted it on my blog. With this exposure, I had the opportunity to write for a very important Spanish newspaper here in the Austin area (El Mundo Newspaper), which then gave me the opportunity to host workshops about different topics and teach aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners. People started noticing my expertise and, as they say, the rest is history.
What was the toughest moment in your business journey? How did you go past it and move forward?
The toughest moment so far has to be when I had to fire a client with whom I had been working for more than 6 months. It was a very scary decision, but I knew it was the right one. It affected me financially, but emotionally was a relief. I moved forward reminding myself every day that I deserved better and that my intelligence and knowledge should be respected.
What would you tell other entrepreneurs wanting to open their own business?
Don’t wait! Starting your own business is worth it. It is a lie that you will work fewer hours in the beginning, but it is also a lie that you will earn safe money (and tranquility) as an employee. Think about this- if someone is willing to pay you XX amount of money for your skillset, don’t you believe that you can make more money using those skills set in your own company? It is just common sense.
“EGBI’s volunteers are highly appreciated; you too will be appreciated, and good exposure is always good for business.” – Veronica Trevisan
How has EGBI helped you throughout your business journey?
EGBI was fundamental in my journey. I am one of the first-generation alumni (2011). The courses were not given in Spanish at that time. Barba, Nayeli, and our dearest Al helped me in many steps of the way, and that is why I became a volunteer.
What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering and supporting EGBI?
EGBI is an amazing organization. You can tell that it is a family for most of us alumni, and the reason why we keep coming back. Before the pandemic, the Celebrating Success Event was our reunion. It was wonderful to see the success of so many entrepreneurs.
I recall how important it was to learn from experts in different fields. Now, as a volunteer myself, when I am summoned to give a class to newcomers, I can enjoy the presence of other business owners for 2 hours. Their excitement, their eagerness, and their bravery are refreshing to see.
———
Want to work with and/or volunteer at EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
Meet Monica, a veteran and founder of MVP Transformation Fitness: a personal fitness and lifestyle business that coaches and helps those struggling with weight loss, accountability, getting results, and overall lifestyle issues. Through MVP Transformation Fitness, Monica hopes to live out her mission of helping and supporting those truly ready to commit to a new way of living and being. She primarily focuses on the benefits of strength training, nutrition, and lifestyle behaviors.
Monica shares her experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Monica! To get started, would you mind telling us a fun fact about yourself?
I enjoy watching forensic shows and documentaries. I enjoy trying to analyze who did it and why.
Why and how did you start your business?
I started my business as a brick-and-mortar facility in 2018. The reason I started my fitness business was because I noticed that we increasingly face an epidemic with the rise of obesity and health conditions due to what and WHY we eat. Most people are intimidated by gym settings. My goal was to create a space where all felt welcomed, lacked intimidation, and had someone to walk them through a fitness journey for success. Now that we are online, we still ensure that your fitness journey is carefully monitored and supported.
What was the toughest moment in your business journey? How did you go past it and move forward?
The impact of COVID19 was definitely the toughest period. After reopening, I thought I would be ok as I’d tried hiring new coaches to help support my mission. That period was short-lived. However, not having working capital was a huge underlying issue for my business overall. That is when I found out about EGBI to help me with re-strategizing.
What would you tell other entrepreneurs wanting to open their own business?
Make sure you have enough capital before opening a business. CASH is king. Not knowing when or how fast a business will grow is dependent on your capital.
How has EGBI helped you throughout your business journey?
EGBI was extremely valuable to my business journey. The coaches, especially Joni Foster, helped provide a new financial and personal strategy that significantly helped me “reboot” the business.
What would you say to someone that is still unsure about using EGBI’s services?
Give them a try. The coaches and staff are very adept in their respective areas of expertise, and they care about your business succeeding.
———
Want to work with EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
Meet Elisa Avalos, an amazing EGBI supporter. Elisa was born in Mexico City and moved to Texas fifteen years ago, thrilled to call Austin home. She began her career as a Real Estate Agent with more than 15 years of experience in mortgage and customer services. In addition, Elisa has a degree in business administration and a master’s degree in marketing. Elisa’s success as an agent is founded in her kindness and patience, quickly cultivating loyal connections in her community as a realtor. She is an agent you can trust to act as your experienced guide and advisor in the home buying and selling process.
Her innate desire, as a parent, to lead with encouragement and insight extends outside of the home and to her clients, where she works to find the perfect fit for individuals in every stage of life.
In addition to real estate, Elisa is the community contact director of Amhiga Hispana, a nonprofit that empowers Spanish-speaking women.
Elisa talks about her experience in supporting EGBI and how you can too.
Hi Elisa! To get started would you mind telling us a fun fact about yourself?
At home, everything comes in two’s: two kids, two dogs, and two cats.
What does giving back to the community mean to you?
As a part of my daily work, helping my community with Amhiga Hispana and EGBI has been amazing. Helping women grow their business helps me grow personally and professionally.
“Donating to EGBI helps them help small business owners thrive and contribute to the local community.” – Elisa Avalos
How did you first hear about EGBI, and why did you decide to support EGBI?
I heard about EGBI when I started as a volunteer with Amhiga Hispana. I have worked very closely with EGBI to provide courses for women entrepreneurs and have organized EGBI’s Miercoles Professionals events.
What do you wish everyone knew about EGBI?
EGBI provides the best training and support for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. The resources, office space, and knowledge provided by EGBI helps a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners reach the next step in their business journey.
What would you say to someone thinking of supporting and donating to EGBI?
Supporting EGBI will help our local entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their goals.
———-
Donate today to help EGBI train, coach, and support aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business.
Meet Sharon, the lead designer and founder of Sharafina Designs, a hand-crafted design company offering custom bags, jewelry and more. She started making her own jewelry in 2010 based on a need for affordable high-quality accessories. Having struggled overpaying for poorly made items she was frustrated getting such few uses out of her products. After moving to Austin and hearing about EGBI, Sharon turned her hobby into a business. Today Sharafina Designs can be found online via her etsy store and social media or in person at Daniela Vlad Boutique in Bastrop, Texas.
Sharon shares her experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Sharon! To get started, would you mind telling us what inspired you to start your business?
I love all things natural, from stones to fibers. I take inspiration from these subtle beauties to create jewelry and handbags that capture both the eye and spirit one piece at a time. My tagline is “Custom designs for the individual in you.”
What makes your business unique?
I have a passion for incorporating natural gemstones in my creations. Each gem has a special meaning, heals, and is a source of encouragement. They are a signature in both my jewelry and handbags. I research the stones’ holistic meaning before including them in my work to help with stress-relief, enlightenment, and concentration.
What are some obstacles you feel like you have encountered in starting or growing your business? How did you overcome this?
The biggest obstacle was channeling my energy from the creative process to the business side of operations. I needed to become business minded and focus on social media, financials, branding, profits/margin, and growth strategies. That’s really when EGBI stepped in. They helped me turn my passion into a functional business
What workshops/business coaching have you done through EGBI?
I got in touch with EGBI around 3 years ago. I originally started out with their 90 Days to Biz Success classes. I found the class invaluable in getting out of my head and looking at things from a business standpoint. Right now I’m taking the Build Your Business Plan workshop to explore getting a bank loan and growing sales.
Exciting most moving forward?
I recently received two grants, from a local church and the Tory Burch Foundation, which have been very encouraging. They’ve helped me grow from a production standpoint and I’m now pitching a line of tote bags for retail.
Want to work with EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
