Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vanessa Medina. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Vanessa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Risk is a factor in any decison we make, both personal and professional, In my path, it is about faith, believing that where I am at now is exactly where I was meant to be.

Looking back at my journey, there were a lot of risk involved in moving to the U. S seeking a better quality of life and opportunities, being a role model for my two daughters and transitioning from being an employee to a small business owner during the pandemic.

Vanessa, 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?

At age 19, I moved to Minnesota from Guatemala knowing little to no English with my family. Since starting my first job at Red Lobster, I quickly developed a passion for connecting with people through hospitality., The different roles throughout my 17-year career there enabled me to fully learn about the restaurant ecosystem.

At age 36, I found myself as a new head of household and full-time single parent of two young daughters looking for enough income to support our family. An opportunity presented itself to become the general manager of a Mexican restaurant where my skills could be fully invested. I took on the challenge and jumped on the chance to prove that my leadership skills allow the business to be successful. Not long after this new gig kicked in, the pandemic hit and I found myself – like a lot of hospitality workers – unemployed.

With opportunities in the restaurant industry becoming scarce, I started working a desk job for a pool company. While I valued it provided for my family, eight weeks into it, I had made up my mind that it wasn’t something I was passionate about, it wasn’t my calling. I got home eager to present a new business idea to my oldest daughter: I wanted to create my own recipes in addition to selling homemade Guatemalan food while restaurant kitchens shut down.

While I thought it was a great idea, many people wondered “Who will buy your food during a pandemic?”. I was persistent in my mission; not knowing whether it was going to pay off but believing that it certainly will. I decided to take the risk, a risk on myself; I was a bet I was confident to make by trusting the path that led to that decision.

I started making food and advertising on social media about the different menu options I was making available. The demand was overwhelming and I quickly realized that we were up for something very special when I saw people enjoying the Guatemalan cuisine, making repeated orders, and telling others about it.

I decided to approach one of the investors overseeing the Mexican restaurant, where I was employed, seeking a partnership to open my own Guatemalan restaurant in the beautiful city of Andover “Mrs. Taco”. Our doors opened in January 2022 introducing new foods and cultures from Guatemalan-El Salvador and Mexico, along with high-end tequilas and mezcales. Mrs. Taco is one of the first ones to offer food from Guatemala, which I am so proud of.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Like many people, I have a presence on many social media platforms, with a diverse of group of friends and followers. Mid-week, I would post to my network the anticipated menu for the upcoming week with pictures reflecting the colorful nature of the fresh ingredients I use. On any given week, there were items on price specials as an incentive for people to try new flavors. I had a small focus group that served as the test kitchen for new blends I was considering as the season changed. Collecting feedback from my customers was critical to ensuring the menu items were tailored to the preferences of people in our area.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

For any strategy to be effective, it has to be resilient, inclusive, and service-oriented. Our focus is on ensuring the greatest quality of service, the highest hygiene standards, and amazing hospitality. Our clientele resembles our community. We have a diverse group of people who frequent our location in Andover regularly. We meet their kids, family members, and friends. We cater to their birthdays, workplace events, and social causes. We are active socially; we host many events throughout the year to support causes that our community cares about. We are passionate about our people, and we show it through the food that we create for them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mrstacomn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.tacoofandover_mn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mrs.tacoofAndover/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mrs-taco
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF3po3TdM-w
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mrs-taco-andover
• Other: Uber Eats https://www.ubereats.com/store/mrs-taco/2-WaYKqmXOasLtVCxBAQlg google mrs.taco

Image Credits
Lara Photography