The Last Taco
10,000 TACOS®
As I wrap up this podcast, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support throughout our episodes. This podcast has been a reflection of my life, my family, and the lessons learned in our taco truck days. A special thanks goes to Stanford Florence (Flobama), Patrick Owen, and José Ralat, as they all helped me on pivotal paths to achieve many of these episodes. My siblings, Martha, Jose, Victor and Mike have not only contributed to the richness of our podcast but also profoundly shaped my identity as the proud son of taqueros. Though my parents no longer run the...
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Inappropriate Motivation
10,000 TACOS®
Recently, when I heard some white girl call her salsa ‘restaurant style home-made’ I was triggered to make a reaction video to call her out on her use of ‘catchy’ words to attract an audience. When I think about social media's influence, I wonder if I would have taken to promoting our food like so many do today, claiming we had the best tacos. On today’s episode, I tell you about what I call inappropriate motivations – when guided by bad intentions, you will likely yield negative results. I often reflect on the role my mother's fiery salsa played in our taco truck. Late-night...
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Five Dollar Crisis - REPLAY
10,000 TACOS®
Episode Summary Thinking back four years to when the pandemic began is like rewatching a tough episode because it reminds us of how hard things were. Many people lost loved ones during that time. But it's also important to see that we made it through and are moving forward. Even though we still face challenges from the pandemic, if we stop and ask ourselves, "Are things better now than during the pandemic?" I believe a lot of people would say yes. It's like looking at how much we've improved since then and feeling hopeful about the future. We went through...
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Cilantro is a Choice
10,000 TACOS®
Episode Summary In this episode, I express my deep love for cilantro and its essential role in creating real tacos. To me, a taco isn't complete without the fresh burst of flavor that cilantro, along with onion and salsa roja, brings to the table. But my affection for cilantro goes beyond its culinary necessity. It symbolizes a profound sense of gratitude for my journey to the USA. Growing up in my parents' taco truck exposed me to the art of chopping cilantro, a skill that laid the foundation for my success today. This simple herb embodies the sacrifices my parents made, igniting a flame of...
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Peace, Love and Tacos: Taco Truck rules to live by!
10,000 TACOS®
Episode Summary In this special episode, we honor my dad on his birthday by sharing the invaluable lessons I learned from him that shaped his success as a taquero. These lessons, which I call "Taco Truck Rules to Live By," are not just for running a taco truck—they are principles for living a fulfilling life. Key Points Today is my dad’s birthday. Honoring him by sharing the "Taco Truck Rules to Live By." Taco Truck Rules to Live By: 1. Don’t be late – Always be punctual. 2. Be courteous – Treat everyone with respect. 3. Be...
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Authenticity's Myth
10,000 TACOS®
Authenticity used to be a word with significant meaning, but I think it has now become subjective and often exploited as a marketing tool. I once tweeted, "The closer you come to making it from scratch, the more authintic it will be." And that tweet reflected my beliefs at that time. The belief in the value of effort and craftmanship. Howeveer, a friend's perpective, based on the "abuelita principle," has challenged my assertion. Or at least that's how it felt when he replied, "Authenticity is a myth!" His point was valid. He argues that what we consider authentic is deeply personal and...
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Microwaved my Tortillas
10,000 TACOS®
Today on the show, I want to share a recent internal conflict that inspired me to create a reaction video on TikTok. The video featured a Mexican lady making tacos, but they weren't just any tacos; they were White People Taco Night tacos. This stirred feelings of sadness and internal conflict within me. However, this experience also led me to some podcast therapy. During this episode, I was reminded of the struggle encapsulated by the phrase "Ni de aquí ni de allá" (not from here nor from there). I came to realize that Mexicans making white people tacos isn't a bad thing; it should be...
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Change Dispenser
10,000 TACOS®
Today on the show, I delve into personal stories and the life lessons I learned from my dad, especially as he faced dementia. We'll explore the profound impact these lessons have had on my life and how they've inspired positive changes. Join me as I reflect on the question, "Who are you?" and share how this journey has influenced my self-discovery and growth. But we start with a confession and how that’s leading me to question my growth on some social platforms. Finally, I tell you of the little device my dad used to use to dispense change and how I’m trying to use that device...
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The Power of Tacos
10,000 TACOS®
Today on the show, I want to share with you the extraordinary power of tacos. Now, this is a kind of force that isn't visible to the eye. I remember as a kid, when I looked up the definition of work, it said, "Work is the ability to produce power!" Well, the power of tacos definitely requires some work, and this work manifests in numerous ways. It's a force that's somewhat elusive, hard to put into words. But I'm going to give it my best shot. I'll do so by sharing a recent experience that allowed me to take a step back and really appreciate how the power of tacos works. And by the end of...
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La Carne Asada
10,000 TACOS®
Today on this episode I want to revisit what carne asada means, as it relates to getting together. If you ever get invited to a carne asada consider yourself special. That event is seasoned and the experience would just make it taste better. I also want to tell you what this meat, or rather the saying, “carne asada” really means to me. How my experience moving to the United States helped shape how I see this meat and more importantly, how it has helped shape my life. Carne asada just makes everything better. _________________________________________________ TAQUOTE: “When...
info_outlineRecently, when I heard some white girl call her salsa ‘restaurant style home-made’ I was triggered to make a reaction video to call her out on her use of ‘catchy’ words to attract an audience. When I think about social media's influence, I wonder if I would have taken to promoting our food like so many do today, claiming we had the best tacos.
On today’s episode, I tell you about what I call inappropriate motivations – when guided by bad intentions, you will likely yield negative results.
I often reflect on the role my mother's fiery salsa played in our taco truck. Late-night customers, often a drunk off their assess, would line up for tacos, and we kept the extra spicy salsa separate to enhance their experience and possibly sober them back to reality. While there was no concrete evidence that the salsa sobered them up, their reactions—sweating and cursing yet still enjoying their food—indicated it was doing something right.
My parents operated with humility, believing in the power of our food to speak for itself. They taught us that confidence doesn't require boastfulness, and I realize now how effective true sincerity can be in attracting customers.
Ultimately, I appreciate how my parents ran our taco business with a focus on genuine connections and continuously improving our offerings. They instilled in us the importance of gratitude and respect, which forged lasting relationships with our customers and helped build our reputation. This understanding of authenticity in business continues to resonate with me today as I honor their legacy.
TAQUOTE: “A tortilla has two sides”
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