We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jocelyne De Luna a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jocelyne, thanks for joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
After completing the necessary steps to officially start my business as an LLC and opening a business bank account, I decided to do something spontaneous to get the word out. I organized a quick, one-hour pop-up event right in our garage to test how everything would function in a real-world setting. To attract attention, I posted in our local city Facebook community group with a simple message: “FREE CHURROS! Today for one hour only, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm” With only 45 minutes to prepare, my husband and I quickly set everything up while our 6-month-old son napped inside. I was nervous, worried that no one would show up, but within 10 minutes, people started trickling in. By the end of the hour, we had served about 60 churros to our neighbors and residents from surrounding areas. Everyone was so kind and had wonderful things to say about our cart and the churros. Among the visitors was a man who came with his daughter. He mentioned they were hosting a bridal shower for his sister-in-law, and his wife had seen my post and sent him to check us out. Later that day, his wife messaged me. After exchanging a few details and sending her a quote and service agreement, she signed the agreement and sent the deposit by 10 pm that same evening. I was lying in bed when I turned to my husband and said, “We just booked our first gig.” It was an incredible feeling.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am 28 years old, married to my high school sweetheart, and we have an 18-month-old son. My husband and I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but we struggled to find the right idea. The inspiration for OC Churro Cart Co. came about almost by accident when my sister-in-law asked me to find a dessert vendor for her wedding. That sparked the idea for our business. I shared the idea with my husband, and he thought it was great. We started researching what it would take to get the business off the ground—looking into start-up costs, forming an LLC, and opening a business bank account. During this time, we welcomed our son, which put our plans on hold for a while. However, during those early mornings at 2 am feeding our baby, my creative energy kept flowing, and we decided to go for it. Despite my doubts, I’m so glad we took the leap. Since launching in September 2023, we have been catering events every month. It means so much to us that people trust us to be a part of their special occasions. We’ve catered a variety of events, including birthdays, weddings, corporate gatherings, community and church events, quinceañeras, and more. We pour countless hours and effort into our churro cart business, and we always hope our clients are thrilled they chose us.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
I met my business partner during our freshman year of high school when we were 15 years old. We started dating that summer in 2011, and since then, we’ve built a life together. My husband graduated from California State University, Fullerton; we’ve gotten married, bought a house, adopted a dog, had a baby, and recently started a business together.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Finding resources can be a bit challenging because our churro cart business is so niche. I often turn to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to connect with other small business owners. It’s comforting to see that others feel the same way I do, especially when I’m feeling discouraged or when my social media efforts don’t seem to be paying off. Recently, I discovered a local networking group called Amigas Social Club, which has been a game-changer for me. It has empowered me not only as a Latina small business owner but also as a mom, wife, and friend. Every time I attend one of their events, I leave feeling incredibly supported and inspired. I highly recommend that any small business owner find a similar group in their area.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://occhurrocart.co
- Instagram: @occhurrocartco
- Other: Tik Tok: @occhurrocartco
