848: Josue Garcia, Lola Suarez and Miguel Miranda of Lolis Mexican Cravings

With excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guests, co-founders, and COO of Lolis Mexican Cravings Josue and Maria Dolores "Lola" Garcia and Miguel Miranda, respectively. Josue got his entrepreneurial start slinging tamales to pedestrians in Guanajuato, Mexico. Handing out tamales evolved into owning a restaurant. Eventually, Josue would hire Lola and it didn't take long before the two were falling in love. Josue and Lola migrated to the United States in the early 2000s with the American dream of starting a restaurant empire. After moving from Guanajuato, Mexico, to Tampa, FL, the married couple worked as cooks in a food court at the mall. During their time as cook Josue's old habit awakened, and Josue and Lola started supplying tamales to all of their co-workers and the other workers at the food court. Eventually, their reputation grew enough to where they could start a catering company. In 2014 they opened their first brick and mortar- Today they have 3 locations and they're growing!

Show notes…

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Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "If you can see it in your mind, you can put it in your hands."

In today's episode with Josue and Maria Dolores "Lola" Garcia and Miguel Miranda we will discuss:

• You need to know your talents
• You need to know what you want
• Be a student
• Starting a successful business in Mexico during a recession
• Believing in yourself and your talents
• Food trucks
• Surviving while under capitalized
• Menu size and complexity
• Quality plus speed equals success
• Fighting the perception that your first store is the best store
• Culture is everything

Today's sponsor:

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7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

MarginEdge is completely free for new customers until September. No setup fees. No integration fees. No commitment. Take your back office paperwork down to 2-3 minutes a day while creating real-time financial views to inform your path ahead.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Persistence
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Consistency
3. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • the new Loli's location
4. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Believe 
5. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Quality
6. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   •  The Bible
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
7. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Consider their impact on the environment
8. Name one service you've hired.
   • My Restaurant CFO
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influenced operations?
   • MarginEdge
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • My wife
    • My kids
    • My employees

Contact info:

Lolis website

Instagram: @lolis_mexicancravings

Facbook: @lolismexican

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Josue and Maria Dolores "Lola" Garcia and Miguel Miranda for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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