Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Flores.
Hi Rebecca, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Guatemala; my mom is from Guatemala my dad is from Chicago. When I was 20, I took a leap of faith and moved to Miami with my aunt, who was very kind to offer me to stay with her and her family. I started working at a forever 21 and decided to do what it takes to enroll in college; that’s where my journey in the restaurant world started. I studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Miami and finished my Bachelor’s degree in Restaurant and Hospitality management in Dallas. I started as an hourly staff member at a very well-known Italian restaurant chain. I remember I began preparing salads, but I knew I wanted to be the Kitchen manager someday. I learned every position in the kitchen and scaled my way up. It was not an easy task in a man’s world. After being with that company as a manager for a couple of years and some heartbreak, I decided it was time to take a break and be with friends and family. So, I moved back to Guatemala for one year. God works in mysterious ways. I never thought that after a heartbreak, my personal and professional life would change so drastically.
While in Guatemala, I was presented with the opportunity of opening the first’s locations and developing the US market of this well know Chicken restaurant chain called Pinulito Fried Chicken as a managing partner. To put you in context, they have more than 500 locations in Guatemala, and Central America is almost like seeing a Mcdonald’s here in the US. There is one in every corner. So, the owner of this vast company heard about me and my background through a mutual family friend. So, I took the chance! But to be honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into! My experience was mainly on operating restaurants, not starting a business in Texas from SCRATCH!
I moved back to Dallas because it is a great city to start a business. So, I started the process of creating a corporation, brand, and restaurant here. I begin building the LLC, hiring architects, contractors, designers, vendors, and passing city inspections. After a year of hard work and some gray hairs (if you have dealt with construction or remodeling, you know what I went through), we were finally ready to open. I remember it was the end of December 2019. I’ve had told myself that if I didn’t open the store in 2019, I would change my name. So, on December 28th, 2019, we finally were able to Open the first Pinulito Location in the US!
It was like a dream come true because I am the only one here in Dallas doing all the work, and it is a lot of work for one person. We opened the business it was doing great until March 2020, that we got hit by COVID_19. We had a new restaurant, and the second location was getting ready to open, all while being hit by a pandemic. During this time, I was also planning my wedding (but that is a different story). We were able to open the second location in Dallas in September 2020, which would not have been possible without the help of my wonderful husband. He took a break from his music production career to help me out in the restaurant business, and now he is an expert on frying chicken! I am also grateful for my business partner in this venture from Guatemala, my older brother.
This entrepreneurship path has not been easy; it takes a lot of work and mostly faith, courage, and determination to keep going. Finally, the business is booming, but I am so in love with this project. Being able to bring an international brand to the US and customize it for this market, serve some delicious food and see our guests come back, that is when I can tell all this roller coaster ride has been worth it. As a Female Latina entrepreneur, I can say most of the time, things are not easy for us, but it is worth it. Believe in yourself, follow your gut and trust God. Take one day at a time, rest, relax (it can be challenging, I know), and enjoy the ride. Remember, life is about the journey, not the destination.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all, and last year was proof of it. COVID came to take a lot from us; thank God we were healthy and able to open the restaurant for pickup and delivery. Besides that, creating brand awareness, I think, has been another challenge that we have faced as a Guatemalan brand.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a Guatemalan restaurant, specialized in Fried chicken we use spices from Guatemala. Our breading is crispier and thinner than others, full of flavor, and we proud ourselves to serve and cook fresh chicken. We have some great chicken sandwiches (better than chick fil some say). That’s why we recommend our guests to call ahead to place the order. We cook to order.
I feel most proud that all the restaurant designs, and some menu items are my creation, and also, you can google us, and we are #2 in best-fried chicken in Garland, Texas, which makes me happy.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Now that I think about it, I was the entrepreneur type. I remember I was like seven, and my parents use to have a company in Guatemala that sold some American brands. So, I used to bring some of the warehouse products to my house, like jams and candy. I would walk around my neighborhood door to door selling them. Anything I sold, I would keep the money, and my dad would ask me for his part(jokingly), and I remember telling him, “But Why do I need to pay if I did all the work!” in mind inventory was free lol.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pinulitofriedchicken.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becca_everyday/?hl=en
- Facebook: @Pinulitousa
