Owner, Grandma’s Spanish Kitchen, Grandma’s Candy Shop, Grandma’s Tailoring
Describe your personal brand in three words. Keeping it simple.
Hometown: Plattsburgh
Age: 25
Education: High school and some college
Community Involvement: Vice President of the Downtown Business Association
What’s your biggest professional success?
Starting my first business and taking that leap of faith and becoming a full time entrepreneur.
How do you maintain a work/life balance?
To be honest, my work right now and for a while is my life. But the best part of my job is I get to work with family, especially my mother.
What important lessons have you learned in your career?
If there is one thing I have learned it’s this: If you have a dream or desire you have to tell yourself it can become a reality. You have to find what drives you, what makes your life and your purpose in this world—something so profound to you that you know no matter the obstacles or the odds against you, you can accomplish anything if you put your mind, heart, and soul into it. And failure is just part of the process; without it or the acknowledgement of it, we will never learn from our mistakes. I’d rather tell someone 1,000 ways how it didn’t work and a possible way it’s working for me; having these lessons along the way keeps us focused and humble.
What’s most exciting trend happening in the community right now?
This new energy in our community, and the up and coming businesses that are bringing something different. I believe we are moving in the right direction and I’m excited to see what’s to come.
Who is your mentor and what have you learned from him/her?
I have many mentors in my life, but my father and mother have been my biggest mentors and inspiration. They both came to this country, and through hard work and dedication, they made a life and raised two children. My parents always encouraged my dreams and instilled my values and work ethic. My father has a phrase that, in a sense, defines my life: “Dame una palanca y movere el mundo.” Give me a lever and I’ll move the world.
How do you contribute to the culture of your company?
I’m involved in every way in all my businesses from marketing, customer service, and administration, to the passion and conviction to adapt, grow, and keep developing our businesses for the future to come.
What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
I would have to say opening my Restaurant but everything happens for a reason in life.
Write a brief note to your younger self…
Never give up. Always keep going and know that anything is possible, and the one responsible is you. And also this: There are those who dream upon their dreams and reach back in the deep recesses of their minds to wake the next day to find nothing but vanity, but there are those who dream with open eyes and act upon their dreams to make them a reality. Those are the dreamers of the day.
What’s your dream job?
To continue just to be me and operate my businesses with the passion and conviction it took to start them.
What would make the North Country a more enjoyable place to live and work?
I feel like more activities, and a stronger connection between our college and downtown area. I believe if—as an entire community—we worked together to develop the long-term vision for what we want Plattsburgh to be, together we can make our home a destination, not just for tourism but for generations to come, for our children, grandchildren and visitors from afar.