Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Victor Garcia, CEO of Sol Dias Ice Cream, located in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We specialize in making ice cream, paletas, and treats with the flavors, styles, and traditions of my hometown, Mexticacan, Jalisco. We serve our customers from our shop, at events, and local grocers, boutiques, and shops. We serve all who wish to experience the BEST Hispanic treats, focusing our efforts on wowing our customers!
Tell us about yourself
I was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and I love our culture. Growing up in Mexico and then LA, the culture was vibrant. Traditional drinks, treats, and flavors were on every block. I couldn't imagine a place where this wasn't the case. Yet when our family moved halfway across the country to Texas, the unimaginable occurred. Time helped suppress the need for a mangonada, but that lingering desire roared back every time we visited family in Mexico.
I knew from a very young age that entrepreneurship was my calling, yet I always imagined my path as having a traditional career first. Saving and learning the tricks of the trade before branching out on my own. I attended UT Dallas and worked for a CPA firm for a couple of years. After a particularly awful busy season, I promised myself that if I were to ever work this hard again, it would be doing something I loved. Shortly after, I quit. I then sought more meaningful work, yet felt unsatisfied with what I found.
I wandered aimlessly for a bit. Moved back in with my parents and slowly gravitated to my childhood love: the Mexican culture and flavors. My parents partnered with an investor to open a business in Haltom City. After purchasing the building, the investor pulled out. My parents were left with an old, abandoned building. I immediately saw the opportunity and leased the building from them. Sol Dias was born 9 months later. I am excited to wake up every day knowing that my contributions provide a better quality of life for my team, improve the cities we are a part of, and provide our community with an incredibly delicious taste of Mexico.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We partner with many organizations to volunteer at youth-centered events and donate ice cream several times a month. An example, we give the local library free junior scoop coupons for kids who complete the Summer Reading Challenge. Additionally, I volunteer with Junior Achievement, a program dedicated to economic and entrepreneurial education in schools. We often volunteer for events with the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Big Brothers Big Sisters, local churches, and other organizations.
A project I am very passionate about is SolDias Ice Cream Tours! We are working with Haltom City and Birdsville ISD to host recurring field trips for children to see how we make our homemade ice cream and paletas. We aim to inspire school children to consider entrepreneurship, to be curious, and simply to share inside knowledge of a deliciously fun trade. Lastly, we support our community from whom we buy. 85% of everything we buy is from our local farmer's market and a local Hispanic supplier. We love working with them.
We better our customers' lives primarily by making them happy. We aim to ensure each step of our customers' journey is a pleasant one. Beginning with how they find out about us and finishing with a big smile on our customers' faces after their last bite, lick, or sip. A super fun example is that we have no limits on the number of flavors you may try. Yes, we've had many customers try 35 flavors before falling in love with flavor 36!!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
For the past almost six years, we've reinvested 95% of our profits. That's how we like it, always moving forward, serving more customers, and hiring more people. We've grown sales each year by at least 35%. Banks don't like this, and as a result, we struggle mightily to get approved for funding.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Just start!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://soldias.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soldiasco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soldiasco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictorFredi22
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorgarcia12/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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