We were lucky to catch up with Tawnya McKenney recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tawnya, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
The term success may mean different things to different people. Some may believe success is when you achieve financial freedom, or to have free time to do what you want when you want. To me success is a state of mind. To be successful, regardless of how you perceive it, you have to have a goal and stay committed and focused. Through commitment, you gain motivation to pursue success. To be successful you must be able to adapt and always try and stay positive. Developing a positive mindset is all about trusting yourself and your ability to succeed.
Tawnya, 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 an avid world traveler and I came across my motivation to start my business while on a 3 month trip through Southeast Asia. My background has always been hospitality and sales, however during my trip I found a new side of myself that I needed to pursue. I was in my late 20’s and I was already feeling unfulfilled working in a corporate environment, and working for someone else’s dreams. My boyfriend and I went to many outdoor markets and we stumbled upon what we now call the Wafflerita Machine. It was a uniquely shaped waffle iron. We enjoyed many of their versions of the waffle on a stick and that sparked the flame for me to bring the iron back to North America and start my own waffle business in Cancún, México. I was ready to write my own rules and follow my own dreams of success.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I spent 8 years living in México, and being a blonde American definitely has its advantages, it also has its disadvantages. One major obstacle I was faced with is gaining the right to work in a foreign country. I had previously been sponsored by a major hotel chain to get my right to work, but when I started Wafflerita I had no one to sponsor me. The process that I had to go through would have turned many people away. It was challenging for me to find an accountant and legal aid that would take me seriously. After many meetings, many hours waiting in line at the Mexican version of the IRS, I finally was able to create a company. I sponsored my self, opened bank accounts and hired employees all in Spanish! It was a long, tedious process but the perseverance that I had to have made me a better business owner.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Having a background in hospitality and sales has definitely been crucial to my growth and reputation in my market. I treat every inquiry as I would want to be treated. I am transparent if any issues arise and I always follow through with my word. I have taken a loss a time or two to ensure the client is satisfied because I believe that is the right thing to do. And now, 5 years later and 5 stars across all social media platforms I think it has paid off.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wafflerita.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wafflerita/
- Facebook: facebook.com/wafflerita
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tawnya-mckenney-41b117159
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wafflerita
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wafflerita-walking-waffles-denver-2
- Other: https://gotruckster.com/food-truck/wafflerita
Image Credits
Katie Truong