Mi Passion!

It’s true, when you do what you love it doesn’t feel like work, and I love what I do, sharing about experiencias Mexicanas is my joy and passion. Working con mi gente, serving our comunidad, providing a place for others to learn and explore are just some of the ways I thrive. Once you know your passion, no matter what else you try doing it just never feels right. I remember, though many years ago, before finally realizing I’m meant to be at the family’s business El Burrito Mercado, I worked briefly at other places (Mayors Office, General Mills, Salvation Army, And a few other start ups) trying to find myself and then I finally realized everything I love and want to do I can create for myself within the business that our parents had already established. And once I was in I started running and have not stopped since!

I look forward to going in every day, I love being there, I love the people I work with, I get to speak Spanish every day, listen to all genres of Latino music all day long, eat my favorite Mexican foods, plan fun Mexican and Latino events, meet new people, etc, truly, it’s my home!
And of course, building a career doing what you love doesn’t mean this is easy, this doesn’t mean that every day we aren’t putting out fires and dealing with a new challenge, or worrying about finances. However, even all that has grown on me, and has helped me build resilience and taught me to overcome adversities.

You learn to just accept that every day there is going to be a challenge, sometimes we can quickly find solutions, sometimes things take time to resolve and sometimes there’s just nothing you can do I just need to let it resolve on its own. Being at peace in all of these scenarios is key and is something I still work on every day.

Some of the exciting ways that I engaged myself in the business in ways that my parents were not is

• Added Catering services
• Started marketing and advertising to main stream markets sponsoring for several years the Weekly Dish My Talk Radio program- and boy did I work hard to convince my parent aka my bosses to do this! This was back in the day before my roll as CEO. (I remember preparing power point marketing presentations for them! I’m a persistent fun sized mujer, as my niece Analita once ordered on a Tshirt for me “Chiquita Pero Picosa” (small but spicy!)
• Expanded the restaurant seating capacity
• Added a beer/wine then liquor license
• Expanded the restaurant again providing a space for small events and buffet
• Added a patio and host events
• Opened a location in Midtown global market
• Obtained a booth at Minnesota state fair for the imported gift items from Mexico.
• Together with my mother developed private label food products distributed in Super Targets, Cub foods and Kowalski‘s
• Oversee the marketing and branding for the FoodTruck business my brother operates
• And several other ventures and I’m excited to say that the list keeps growing!

I sometimes feel like I’m just getting started!

I love what I do, and I love who I work with! While I may be the visionary, it’s only because my family business partners support me and our amazing team always back it up and puts their all into it! I’m so blessed and so grateful!

I’d love to see your comments if you recall any of these entrepreneurial ventures!

Milissa Silva

Once we started doing more advertising and marketing, I started having opportunities like this one on The Jason Show as well as other news and media

Putting together salsas and chiles for our social media and newly launched website

This is a treasure from my very first entrepreneurial experience in the 1980s as a young girl. My mother had launched a private label salsa with the assistance of the deceased Ken Davis, from Ken Davis BBQ sauce. I would go with my mom to do sampling at the previous Red Owl supermarkets from Mr. Davis huge RV! (my favorite memory of him is calling me a Mexican princess!)

Together with my mother we ventured into an entrepreneurial experience launching private label salsa‘s, tortillas, chips, tamales. At its peak, we were in super targets throughout the Midwest, Cub Foods, and other local grocery stores. This venture initiated through the supplier diversity program at Super Target. We partnered with co-packers to execute this, it was a great experience. Due to high broker fees, slotting fees and other unfortunate events we discontinued that business.