We recently connected with Marisa And Elio Valenzuela and have shared our conversation below.

Marisa and Elio , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.

Asada Tacos started as an idea that my husband and I would often talk about. We would cook at family events, backyard parties and everyone would always compliment on how amazing our food is and how we should start our own taco business. After much thought and some hard times, we decided to finally move forward and turn that idea into a reality. We created a brand for ourselves and rolled it out March of 2024. The Sleepy Whale in Downtown Chandler was the first tap room that gave us an opportunity to serve our delicious food… and let me tell you… the support was overwhelming, and we were definitely not prepared. We started out with only my husband and I cooking and prepping all the food, our children taking orders, and at times in 100+ degree weather. This business has brought us together in so many different ways and we have grown so much as a business, couple, and family.

As a family formed business, we have been able to teach fundamental family core values to our children. Running a business is not easy and we have been able to show our children that perseverance goes a long way even through some of the downfalls. I believe that every parent’s dream would be to have their children continue the legacy but if their heart and future takes them a different route, we would definitely support that.

I feel the biggest lesson to our children is that no matter how small of an idea something may seem ALWAYS go for it. You either grow from it or learn from it.

Marisa and Elio , 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?

Asada Tacos is a pop-up/catering provider, and our mission is to bring a smile after every bite. We are family owned and operated business which includes husband, wife, and three beautiful daughters. We are a couple with a background in healthcare administration and sales but don’t let that fool you… we know what we are doing when it comes to our carne asada;) Asada Tacos offers various tacos, quesadillas, and loaded potatoes (aka: Asada papa – very famous) made with fresh ingredients and a full salsa bar of toppings made daily.

What I believe sets us apart from others is the freshness and quality. We have taken the time to find the perfect cut of meat, seasoning and ingredients. We use a dry rub for our meats, and you can taste the love in every bite.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I was born and raised in Arizona but in 2010 I had decided to move to Colorado where I grew so much in the healthcare industry and earned a degree in Healthcare Administration. My background was not in the food industry but after moving back to Arizona in 2021 and meeting who now is my husband we went through a set-back. My husband was a successful salesman who sacrificed and invested so much time, money, and resources into a company that went under. We had lost so much money and literally lost it all. At that time, I had gone back into healthcare and my husband started doing door dash to find some extra income. We were determined as a couple to move forward and after losing it ALL we knew it was our time to rebuild. Our resilience to move forward one way or another is what kept us going even through the 100+ degree weather here in Arizona selling our food.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

As a couple having a background in administration and in sales, we have been able to use our skills to standardize quality, cleanliness, attention to detail with a focus in customer service. Majority of our customers feedback tells us that they love the experience that we provide. By treating our customers like family and giving our very best to go above and beyond our customers can recognize our efforts and speak to who we are at Asada Tacos. Because of this we have been able to grow as a business and have recently hired our second employee.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @asada_tacos_az
• Facebook: Asada Tacos
• Other: https://linktr.ee/asadatacos