Interview with Antonio’s
Hello everyone welcomes to my first blog post! As a part of growing my platform I am planning on going around and interviewing small businesses to hear and share their stories as well as getting advice. Since Dreamr is still very new and early I'll briefly explain that it is a platform made to help entrepreneurs, primarily with small businesses, but for all and to help grown and connect the community. As a part of that I thought a great way to start growing is being more active in the community myself and hearing from those that provide so much to it up here in Reno! That led me to this wonderful interview I had with one of the owners at Antonios as I believe personal testimonies are very powerful and with our first time talking, I could tell she was very smart and knew a lot! I hope you all enjoy our conversation and if you'd prefer to listen you can find the audio file attached at the bottom! Jordan what's your name? Irma My name is Irma Valle. The owner of Antonio's Mexican Grill. Jordan Yeah. And I'm Jordan. It's very nice to meet you. Irma Jordan, nice meeting you. Yeah. Jordan So just first question, what inspired you to start your own business? Irma You know, we moved from Chicago to Reno and it was very tough. I never really saw myself as a business owner. or as a cook or as a restaurant owner at all. But we came here and it was very rough to make it. The cost of living here was really good, but the pay was horrible. So you needed to compensate and you needed to do something on your own. And they were not paying very well here, coming from a big city to a small town. So we decided to actually open up our business and open up a restaurant, even though we never had a clue about what to do. But that's exactly why we did it, because it was just not going to happen if we don't have something. a little bit more on our pockets. Jordan Yes, no, definitely. And you found it like better to kind of go and get it yourself, right? Irma I think so. I think because I didn't go to college. So for somebody that had to go to college back in the day, you wouldn't get paid too much. And everything was very little, very minimum, like $9 an hour. And that was not going to pay my mortgage. My husband was doing two jobs and it was not very good either, so we have to do a change. Jordan Yeah. And then prior to this business, I know you said you came from California. Irma Chicago. Jordan Chicago. Yes. At any point in your life before, did you ever think about starting a business? Irma Never. Like a different, never. It was just that I was forced to actually decide to do something for ourselves. because in Chicago we had really good jobs. We stayed, both of us, my husband and I, he stayed with his company for 20 years. I stayed with mine for another 20. But I worked as a manager for a grocery store. I was doing really well here. And when I came here, I was just shocked how little they were paying. So it was not enough to make a good move. Jordan Yeah, that's right. And what would you say, when you first started, what were your biggest struggles or fears in the very initial starting your business, or even before, just thinking about starting it? Irma Okay, when I started, I'm a very good person that goes and gets what she needs. And working before as a manager, I had a lot of knowledge of what to do, the balances, the accounting part, customer service, all of that. But it was a little bit difficult for me to go find where to get the licenses. what is it else that I needed? I didn't have an accountant back then. I didn't have anybody to guide me of the essentials, licensing that you needed, or even health and sanitation type of thing. But I think once you start thinking or looking, and then if you go directly to the city of Reno, like here, if you were to start in Reno, then they kind of give you a rundown or like a, It's not a booklet, but they give you a bunch of places where you need to go and do, and this is what we need, and this is what is essential, and all of these things. So that's how we started. It wasn't something that I thought that it was going to be easy, and it was more complicated than I thought. And of course, the money was even a bigger issue, because it's more money than I thought. To be able to sustain a restaurant, You needed to have money in the bank to be able to make it. You can't just have $5,000. You have to have a lot of $1,000 in there to make all of your, at least the five months rent kind of. You have to always think. of that. And we didn't in the beginning. So this is a lot of challenging moments in the beginning. Yeah. Jordan I know, but I mean, it's awesome to see you guys still up and going strong. Yeah. And then how do you feel like local businesses impact a community? Irma Well, they definitely do impact. And you have to be a community driver. You need to be able to see that, oh, When I first moved here in the downtown, because I had a restaurant in Sparks, and in Sparks, it was a community. It was definitely Sparks. It's a community. I love Sparks a lot, because they do, everybody knows everybody. Here, I didn't think it was going to be like that. I didn't think that it was going to be a community where people would remember you. I thought that there would be people that would come and go, because you're in downtown, tourists, people that go to work. and to come to know that it is a community. We have all of these buildings that people live in them. They own their condominiums or any, their school people, students that go back and forth to school, or they're people that work at the courthouse or the city of Reno, and all of these places that that support our business during the week. And the weekends we have the tourists. And those tourists also come and they're part of this whole ordeal of the community, if you want to say it that way. Because they come back every time they come back, they come back to our restaurant. So we have built something very special. And they even remember us when they leave our city. And they're always hoping to see that we're still here. It's very nice. I love it. I think a business owner should always connect. Yeah. That's wonderful. Jordan And then lastly, just what piece of advice would you give to someone who is like 18 and they're thinking of becoming an entrepreneur or chasing their dream? Like what do you think is the best piece of advice you could give? Irma The best piece of advice is every job that you start or you work at, learn and Inhale every single thing that they train you to do. Every single one of those items that you have learned, all of those skills that you learned through your life will take you to the right direction. Always work in an area where you think that you're going to be able to absorb something that is going to be beneficial for your future. Seriously, if I hadn't had the background of accounting, doing all of the financials that I did for our when I was working as a manager, I would have never been able to sustain a business like I have because you have to know about everything. is to do with employees. You have to learn how to deal with customers and customer service is priority, how to speak to them and all of that kind of thing. So if I hadn't learned that, I don't think I would be here. I would already been somewhere else learning or working in an office just for myself. But you have to, I think if you're 18, keep on working, keep on finding a spot where you like, get internships. You learn a lot when you do that. If you ever want to be a business owner, then you have to work in the kitchen. You can't be out of that one because if you're going to be a restaurant owner, you have to learn how to cook. Even if you don't want to be cooking all the time, you have to know in case that cook falls in sync or you end up with someone that ends up quitting on you. So then you end up quitting. You have to know all of these things, so I feel that would be my best advice to anybody: keep on learning and learn as much as you can. Jordan Yeah, awesome. Thank you so much. Irma You're very welcome. Jordan It was great talking with you!
Today we went out to sit down and interview one of the owners at Antonios Grill! It was a pleasure speaking with her and a very useful opportunity to not only show my face around local businesses but to learn from someone as wonderful as her to help better prepare my platform and better help any new entrepreneurs! Not only is her story very captivating, but anyone who reads it can be sure to learn a lot about what a real-life endeavor looks like! Also, for anyone who may prefer to listen instead, will be happy to find the audio recording attached! Thank you so much for checking out my wonderful conversation with her below!
Transcript
Jordan
what’s your name?
Irma
My name is Irma Valle. The owner of Antonio’s Mexican Grill.
Jordan
Yeah. And I’m Jordan. It’s very nice to meet you.
Irma
Jordan, nice meeting you. Yeah.
Jordan
So just first question, what inspired you to start your own business?
Irma
You know, we moved from Chicago to Reno and it was very tough. I never really saw myself as a business owner. or as a cook or as a restaurant owner at all. But we came here and it was very rough to make it. The cost of living here was really good, but the pay was horrible. So you needed to compensate and you needed to do something on your own. And they were not paying very well here, coming from a big city to a small town. So we decided to actually open up our business and open up a restaurant, even though we never had a clue about what to do. But that’s exactly why we did it, because it was just not going to happen if we don’t have something. a little bit more on our pockets.
Jordan
Yes, no, definitely. And you found it like better to kind of go and get it yourself, right?
Irma
I think so. I think because I didn’t go to college. So for somebody that had to go to college back in the day, you wouldn’t get paid too much. And everything was very little, very minimum, like $9 an hour. And that was not going to pay my mortgage. My husband was doing two jobs and it was not very good either, so we have to do a change.
Jordan
Yeah. And then prior to this business, I know you said you came from California.
Irma
Chicago.
Jordan
Chicago. Yes. At any point in your life before, did you ever think about starting a business?
Irma
Never. Like a different, never. It was just that I was forced to actually decide to do something for ourselves. because in Chicago we had really good jobs. We stayed, both of us, my husband and I, he stayed with his company for 20 years. I stayed with mine for another 20. But I worked as a manager for a grocery store. I was doing really well here. And when I came here, I was just shocked how little they were paying. So it was not enough to make a good move.
Jordan
Yeah, that’s right. And what would you say, when you first started, what were your biggest struggles or fears in the very initial starting your business, or even before, just thinking about starting it?
Irma
Okay, when I started, I’m a very good person that goes and gets what she needs. And working before as a manager, I had a lot of knowledge of what to do, the balances, the accounting part, customer service, all of that. But it was a little bit difficult for me to go find where to get the licenses. what is it else that I needed? I didn’t have an accountant back then. I didn’t have anybody to guide me of the essentials, licensing that you needed, or even health and sanitation type of thing. But I think once you start thinking or looking, and then if you go directly to the city of Reno, like here, if you were to start in Reno, then they kind of give you a rundown or like a, It’s not a booklet, but they give you a bunch of places where you need to go and do, and this is what we need, and this is what is essential, and all of these things. So that’s how we started. It wasn’t something that I thought that it was going to be easy, and it was more complicated than I thought. And of course, the money was even a bigger issue, because it’s more money than I thought. To be able to sustain a restaurant, You needed to have money in the bank to be able to make it. You can’t just have $5,000. You have to have a lot of $1,000 in there to make all of your, at least the five months rent kind of. You have to always think. of that. And we didn’t in the beginning. So this is a lot of challenging moments in the beginning. Yeah.
Jordan
I know, but I mean, it’s awesome to see you guys still up and going strong. Yeah. And then how do you feel like local businesses impact a community?
Irma
Well, they definitely do impact. And you have to be a community driver. You need to be able to see that, oh, When I first moved here in the downtown, because I had a restaurant in Sparks, and in Sparks, it was a community. It was definitely Sparks. It’s a community. I love Sparks a lot, because they do, everybody knows everybody. Here, I didn’t think it was going to be like that. I didn’t think that it was going to be a community where people would remember you. I thought that there would be people that would come and go, because you’re in downtown, tourists, people that go to work. and to come to know that it is a community. We have all of these buildings that people live in them. They own their condominiums or any, their school people, students that go back and forth to school, or they’re people that work at the courthouse or the city of Reno, and all of these places that that support our business during the week. And the weekends we have the tourists. And those tourists also come and they’re part of this whole ordeal of the community, if you want to say it that way. Because they come back every time they come back, they come back to our restaurant. So we have built something very special. And they even remember us when they leave our city. And they’re always hoping to see that we’re still here. It’s very nice. I love it. I think a business owner should always connect. Yeah. That’s wonderful.
Jordan
And then lastly, just what piece of advice would you give to someone who is like 18 and they’re thinking of becoming an entrepreneur or chasing their dream? Like what do you think is the best piece of advice you could give?
Irma
The best piece of advice is every job that you start or you work at, learn and Inhale every single thing that they train you to do. Every single one of those items that you have learned, all of those skills that you learned through your life will take you to the right direction. Always work in an area where you think that you’re going to be able to absorb something that is going to be beneficial for your future. Seriously, if I hadn’t had the background of accounting, doing all of the financials that I did for our when I was working as a manager, I would have never been able to sustain a business like I have because you have to know about everything. is to do with employees. You have to learn how to deal with customers and customer service is priority, how to speak to them and all of that kind of thing. So if I hadn’t learned that, I don’t think I would be here. I would already been somewhere else learning or working in an office just for myself. But you have to, I think if you’re 18, keep on working, keep on finding a spot where you like, get internships. You learn a lot when you do that. If you ever want to be a business owner, then you have to work in the kitchen. You can’t be out of that one because if you’re going to be a restaurant owner, you have to learn how to cook. Even if you don’t want to be cooking all the time, you have to know in case that cook falls in sync or you end up with someone that ends up quitting on you. So then you end up quitting. You have to know all of these things, so I feel that would be my best advice to anybody: keep on learning and learn as much as you can.
Jordan
Yeah, awesome. Thank you so much.
Irma
You’re very welcome.
Jordan
It was great talking with you!
