We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Morris Ellis – Designer Pablo Murillo – Entrepreneur a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Morris Ellis – Designer, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
Something that differentiates Aguas Locas from the “industry standard” is our “for the community, by the community” approach to business. Having started Aguas Locas during the pandemic, we relied on the support of our community and fellow small businesses in order to grow into what we are today. As we continue to grow, we continue to work within the community, collaborating with local artists and vendors and growing alongside businesses with missions similar to ours. Not only has this allowed us to build genuine and trusted business relationships, it has also helped us establish ourselves as a truly authentic brand representing something bigger than ourselves.
Rather than following business trends and prioritizing profit first, we choose to listen to our audience and grow from the inside out rather than from the outside in.
-Morris
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Pablo Murillo, I am a proud father of 2 children and entreprenuer who focuses on highlighting and celebrating my latin heritage in everything I do. My entire career has revolved around food, drinks, and bringing people together over unforgettable meals and moments. I have now translated that into my own brands “Aguas Locas” a pandemic-born and latin-inspired beverage company. We specialize in authentic and nostalgic beverages using high-quality and better-for-you ingredients. We are representation on the shelves for the “cultura” and will continue impacting and uplifting our communities. My other brand is “Bar Nuda” LA’s first and only latin-inspired non-alcoholic cocktail bar and events company. We aim to redefine a night out by hosting some of the best events in the city without the pressure of drinking booze. Both brands celebrate my culture, health, wellness, and good times!
-Pablo
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Aguas Locas was born in a time when the entire world was shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic “lockdowns.” What was a terrible time for so many also turned out to be a blessing to a lot of people. For me it not only gave me the time to pivot and move away from my career. It also brought about a paradigm shift in my life where I knew I wanted more for myself and my family so I started making aguas frescas for my 3 yr old daughter and wife. Wanting to create a company that would impact and elevate our local communities. I called my friend Morris to start the brand with me. We launched on instagram and started delivering straight to people’s doorsteps. We then became a pop up shop and recently we moved from a plastic bottle into a more sustainable can. I finally feel like we are ready to scale this company to become what I’ve always envisioned it could be with the help of our amazing team.
-Pablo
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
We initially launched the brand with 1 unemployment check that I received during the pandemic. With the help of my wife and family we have been able to sustain the brand until this point where we are now seeking outside capital to grow the brand. If any reader wants to join the familia please don’t hesitate to reach out.
-Pablo
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drinkaguaslocas.com
- Instagram: @drinkaguaslocas
Image Credits
@drew_v600
@rubenc_photography
@jaehachang
@wikicreativo
@maika.angeleo