Back in 2013 my wife wanted to have a mini taco station at our wedding reception. As we all know, whatever the bride wants, the bride gets! With 22 years of background in the culinary industry, I knew that these would be pretty time consuming to make but had no luck in my search to find pre-made shells. That didn’t stop them from being at our wedding (made by yours truly) and they were a hit! From there I started MiniTacoShells.com so I could offer chefs the opportunity to flex their creative muscles in the kitchen without spending hours in prep. We only use the finest masa to make our tortillas which are then fried to crispy perfection, by hand, for each order. This ensures you get the fresh product each and every time, and is the quality every chef looks for. We are in the same business as our customers so we understand their needs and wants. Our goal is to provide our customers with nothing but complete satisfaction and confidence in our products and service. Mini Taco Shells may have started as a hobby, but it quickly turned into a refreshing new take on a classic food.
What were the biggest initial hurdles to building your business and how did you overcome them?
Finding a kitchen to produce the Mini Taco Shells. I opened a catering company and shared the space with my Mini Taco Company to offset costs, share labor and generate enough business to build out my own kitchen strictly for the Mini Taco Shells.
What books are you currently reading? And your recommendation for entrepreneurs to read?
Think and Grow Rich - Current, Recommended to others - The Lean Start Up, The Hour Work Week, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Did you ever deal with contention from your family and friends concerning your entrepreneurial pursuits? How did you handle it? What would you do differently in hindsight?
Everyone thought I was crazy and that I couldnt make a living selling mini taco shells. I had to ignore their comments and keep pushing to succeed.
What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business success?
Everything I learned from my previous jobs.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started as an entrepreneur?
How to use Quickbooks
What advice would you give to an upcoming entrepreneur locally and internationally?
If you truly believe in yourself and stay focused, you can succeed at anything.
