With ‘Tres Latinas’ food truck, three friends from Venezuela live the entrepreneurial dream

“Most individuals consider all Spanish food is tacos. We get to introduce them to Venezuelan foods,” reported Dupont, who life in Dracut. “Our menu is centered close to arepas, a cornmeal flatbread cooked on the grill and stuffed with scrumptious fillings. It is balanced, gluten free of charge, and contemporary. All the things is grilled to order.”

After connecting at a Hispanic 7 days task in Lawrence, the three buddies saved and planned for years just before launching their individual foods enterprise in early 2020.

“The desire began extra than 10 several years in the past, and who would have considered that all through a pandemic that it would become a actuality,” reported Valdez, who also life in Dracut. “On March 17, 2020, we went to LegalZoom and finished the get the job done to build our company. The subsequent 7 days COVID shut down the globe — 2020 was tough. We began building gradually and now we are incredibly active, reserving properly in progress.”

“We go everywhere you go, like superwomen,” explained Dupont, who had been a graphic artist in her native Venezuela. “In one week we can be at the conference middle in Boston for an event with 400 people, upcoming serving learners lunch at Salem Condition College, and then at a brewery on a Friday night followed by a business-catered party on Saturday.”

Proudly owning a company is not simple for anybody, but additional women have the confidence and resolve to make it function. Involving 2014 and 2019, the quantity of gals-owned companies climbed 21 per cent to a whole of almost 13 million, in accordance to a report commissioned by American Express. Income from females-owned corporations rose 21 per cent to $1.9 trillion.

Valdez, who graduated from Middlesex Local community University and the College of Massachusetts Lowell, had some working experience as her father experienced run a tiny takeout restaurant in Lawrence.

The a few females begun their foods journey by executing catering jobs for friends and loved ones. With the food stuff truck, they could branch out into the community.

“We love hunting at the faces of the folks trying our food stuff for the first time,” said Dupont. “In addition to reliable dishes, we develop new dishes that unite the American lifestyle with Venezuela.”

Prospects only see aspect of what it requires to run a thriving small business. In addition to cooking, Antich-Fjeld, who has a diploma from Fitchburg State College, handles most of the accounting and company features.

“January and February are not periods for resting,” mentioned Antich-Fjeld, who lives in Lawrence. “While the cold helps make it difficult to run an outdoor meals truck, it presents time for us to strategy for the coming year. There is considerably to do throughout the winter. For illustration, each individual metropolis and city has its own allow procedure, and we are reserving particular occasions from birthday get-togethers and weddings to corporate situations months in progress.”

Yet owning their individual small business lets the girls to regulate the balance of their work and household life.

“The hours are very long and the perform can be really hard, but I get to be my very own boss and it feels superior.” reported Valdez, mom of 2-yr-outdated Sebastian. “Working close to my spouse and children agenda is vital.”

“We to start with decided to give ourselves Sundays off,” claimed Dupont. “We now consider 1 weekend a month off to be with our family members. It is vital to us to be in a position to have relatives time.”

Dupont, mom of two daughters Dani, 14, and Sami, 9, is happy to established an instance for her children.

“My daughters adore what we do,” she claimed “My 14-year-previous does assistance a minimal bit and the more youthful one will aid as she will get older. It is crucial for my daughters to see what is attainable for women of all ages.”

The Tres Latinas’ entrepreneurial spirit continues to be solid.

“Our aspiration was to have our personal cafe, an precise cafe and restaurant,” said Valdez. “That is still our dream and we continue to perform in the direction of it.”

Linda Greenstein can be reached at [email protected].