We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Gonzalez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda , thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

In my small business, I believe it’s extremely important to do whatever it takes to make my customers feel heard. As a business owner, I want to make customers feel like family and not just a number. I feel that when you do business or buy from someone who treats you with respect and kindness, that’s always going to stand out and separate that business from the rest.

Amanda , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Amanda Gonzalez. Owner of Abuelo’s auténtico. I retired from my work as an Esthetician and makeup artist in 2020, after 21 years, I had to walk away from it all. My youngest child is handicapped and life had become pretty challenging for my family.

I wanted to fully commit myself to family. I began making healthy meals and treats for them. My first business was about making people feel thier best. It was so rewarding. Cooking replaced that feeling for me.

My parents taught us from a young age how to navigate the kitchen. We learned so much from them. I’m go grateful they took the time to teach us all about cooking and baking.

From an early age there was a joy surrounding meals in my home. My Dad would make these amazing breakfasts and invite everyone over. My mother would bake homemade cinnamon rolls and give them away. My friends always loved coming over to have dinner at my house and they were always welcome.

The food was always amazing and the company even more. I wanted to carry that tradition along with my siblings. All three of them are amazing cooks.

I remember my oldest sister developing a talent for cooking and baking. My brother too. My youngest sister can make the most delicious meals. I’m so proud of them. It’s a skill that I didn’t want our kids to lose.

Family and recipes became very important to me. I discovered my Father in laws family history, and that he had an amazing recipe for Mexican chocolate. His father had owned a factory in Mexico. They produced some of the most delicious and popular chocolate.

The factory is no more, but I wanted to find a way to carry on that legacy. I didn’t want that amazing story to be forgotten. So after much begging and bugging, my Father in law agreed to show me how to make the chocolate.

In December 18, 2022 was the day I walked into my Father in Law’s kitchen. He showed me how to make Mexican chocolate, and milk chocolate too. Some of his family favorites.

I was so impressed with his knowledge and expertise. He is 91 years old. We made our first chocolate tablet and I made a family homeschool project out of it. We shared with family and friends.

Once people knew the story, they wanted to try some. I got a bit scared by the attention it received at first. I don’t think I was ready for that. It would be two years before I had the confidence to actually turn it into a small business.

I know the hard work and dedication, ups and downs that come with starting a business and I knew it would not be easy. I finally realized my why and that was what drove me.

My youngest daughter as I mentioned, has a rare disorder called Apert syndrome. Being a caregiver to a child with so many needs is not easy. Most people don’t understand what it means to have a child stay with you even when they are an adult, you are responsible for thier care.

I wanted to continue this legacy for her. Even if means we keep it small that’s okay with me. I want her to always know where she came from and how special that is. I want she, her sister and all of the grandchildren to be proud of telling their family story.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

In 2022 when this project first started, it was not intended to be a business, but more a family project. When it gained attention on social media, I really didn’t know what to do with that. When my heart finally opened up to the idea of sharing this through a business,

My husband jumped in to help me, and my sister-in-law gave me lots of help on how she started her soap making business. She showed me about how to save money by making my own labels and how she packaged her products to keep them fresh. My brother was my official taste tester.

I didn’t have any financial backing, and being a stay at home mom, obviously no income. I’m not one to borrow or ask. I’m extremely independent, so I started with $600 my husband gave me. My parents also gave me some money to buy what I needed. I didn’t need much. Just the ingredients.

I opened a small business account, registered my business, got all the proper licenses, bought my supplies and went into the kitchen. It wasn’t anything where I started big. This is still very small, and I’m okay with that for now.

I love the support I received from my family and how excited they all were for this project. Family is everything.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I first became a small business owner in 2000. I was so young and inexperienced, but I was determined to stick with it. I was an Esthetician and makeup artist. My work was about making people feel good about themselves. It was what drove me all those years. It was so rewarding.

Moving into a different type of business was indeed challenging. I felt like I was in unfamiliar territory of course. The one I discovered later, was that the feeling I had was the same. It felt very rewarding.

When someone would buy chocolate and tell me how much they enjoyed it and how it brought them back to their childhood, I can’t deny the amazing feeling it gave me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pia_mandy1?igsh=dnR4ZmEzYjV1czU2&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/157aGiAhYM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits

These are my own photos.

Amanda Gonzalez.