Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to SalsaQueen Zapata. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi SalsaQueen, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
I grew up as a poor immigrant and when I started the business, I did so out of our house in Magna. I’ve realized that what we have and what we’ve obtained is temporary and doesn’t define who we are. We all have potential and sometimes, all we need is a word of encouragement or a helping hand. That’s what I needed so I try to give back and help others the same way that I was helped.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started Salsa Queen as a single mother to provide for my 7 children. I had no work experience or even a high school dipolma….just hungry kids and that was my drive. Whatever I’ve done, I’ve done for my children.
My first child passed away from leukemia at just 19 months old. So, when it came time to select a logo for the business, the sugarskull just made sense and felt right. It’s a symbol of ‘Day of the Dead’ which, in Mexico, is a day (Nov 2) when we believe our ancestors come back to visit so we make all of their favorite foods. It’s a special and sacred day to remember family and by selecting the sugarskull as our logo, it’s a constant remember of my son and all of our family.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Passion. When considering what business to start, I looked at a number of different food products, but none really inspired me. It was then that I selected salsas since that has always been an important part of my family growing up and ‘spoke’ my culture.
Commitment. For me, there was no ‘plan b’. I was all in. I had to make Salsa Queen work.
Mentor. Starting a business is a challenge. How to market. How to price. What to offer. All questions I didn’t know how to answer. Finding a mentor who could help me better define and test my offerings was key.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My husband and now business partner. He had a business background so he’s been able to help me understand different parts of my business that I didn’t know how to run. I’ve been able to have this resource to complement what I brought to the business so it’s been a great combination.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.salsaqueen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salsa.queen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshSalsaQueen
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salsa-queen
