We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amber Garcia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amber, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I read an article recently and something Lori Greiner said really struck me. “Entrepreneurs are willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week,” she said. That may sound crazy, but it’s truly accurate.

I am happy to work 80 hours a week to fulfill my dreams and my vision for my company. I will gladly work 80 hours a week to see my staff accomplish their hopes and dreams. I will work 80 hours a week to mentor and see my staff grow, develop and work their way up to becoming a business owner themselves. 80 hours feels different when you feel so fulfilled afterwards. In a sense, it’s not a job. It’s a passion!

Do I ever wonder what it would be like to have a regular job again? No, not at all. I had regular jobs where I would clock in and clock out each and every day with no real feeling of accomplishment. Thats not to say that I didn’t accomplish anything working other jobs or that I don’t appreciate every job I’ve ever held, because I do. Every job I held taught me something different. I gained skills and leadership experience that has helped me to become the business owner I am today.

Amber, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A little about me, I came from very humble beginnings, raised by my grandparents on the southwest side of Houston. I started in the restaurant/hospitality industry as a hostess at the age of 15. I spent several years in the industry working my way up to several different positions until I decided to sign on with the United States Navy at the age of 22. In the Navy, I served in two operations onboard the USS Carl Vinson.

In 2012, I was honorably discharged and I was quickly led back to the hospitality Industry while I attended college. Hospitality had always been a industry that I loved and excelled at. I loved the day-to-day interaction with my staff and guests.

In 2015, me and my husband were throwing up the idea of creating our own concept. We both loved what we did, and for us, this was both of our passions. We decided to merge both of our passions for the industry and in 2016, we created Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen in Vintage Marketplace. It became very successful very fast. We were truly blessed to be doing what we loved.

In August of 2019, we were again blessed with the opportunity to open a second location at The Boardwalk in Cypress. In 2021, we successfully opened our third location at La Centerra in Cinco Ranch.

God has led me in a million different directions, but they all led me to be the successful woman that I am today. I am a wife, a mother and a business owner and I couldn’t be more happy. I am humbled and truly grateful for all the relationships I have made, people I have met and lives I have been able to help change. We will continue our quest to change the service industry in a positive way. We whole heartedly believe that Hospitality is a human right!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I remember the day that it was announced that all restaurants would be shut down for indoor dining due to COVID. As a restaurant owner, this was devastating news to hear. We did not have a Togo platform set up at that time and I knew that so many people were depending on me for work.

I quickly jumped into action and created the platform overnight and posted it on our social media and website. We opened in the morning with full staff to do deliveries and had over 300 orders to fulfill because of our amazing guests.

My staff made money by us not having to using a 3rd party delivery service and we never had to close our doors.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One book that we require all staff to read prior to becoming a manager is The Way of the Shepard. This book really changes their mindset going into their leadership position. It teaches them to study and learn about each individual under their leadership personally and professionally. This means learning their strengths. heart, attitude, personality and experiences. Every person is different! It goes into building trust, making your “pasture” a safe place, protecting your staff and so much more. It’s truly an incredible book and would recommend it to anyone in a leadership role, in any industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ambriza.com
• Instagram: @ambrizakitchen
• Facebook: @ambrizacypress, @ambrizakitchen, @ambrizakaty
• Yelp: https:/m.yelp.com/biz/ambriza-houston

Image Credits
James and Angela Kaatz with Illumination Marketing Anya Carranza with Connection and Marketing