Brokenhearted Dad on Brink of Closing Bakery. Then Daughter Saves Business with Video
Running a business can be tough. Capitalism teaches us that if we just work hard enough with a good product, we can succeed.
Oftentimes, though, the actual results are different. Sometimes, good people work hard only to barely make it.
Local and small business can suffer under the weight of corporations that can afford advertising most small businesses can only dream of.
The same is true with social media. A tweet can barely get noticed or it can change your life.
Jacqueline Garza had watched her father work hard her entire life. Now in his 70’s, he had been baking since he was 12 years old.
She had often turned to social media to promote the business. After Hurricane Harvey, her father’s business was the only one left open in their neighborhood.
The sales, though, were going downhill. “It hurt because he made everything himself and for him to just give up like it didn’t matter, it sucked,” Garza said.
Garza turned to Twitter, imploring her followers to support the business.
Sharing a video of him making pan dulce, as well as images of other dishes from his menu, her video went viral when singer and actress Paulina Rubio retweeted it to her 11.5 million followers.
Sales began to boom. A few days after the retweet, Garza’s father was having trouble keeping up with demand, selling out of his now-famous pan dulce.
A photo Garza posted on facebook shows her father cheerfully heading to the supply store to stock up.
Now the store has its own Twitter and the Yelp reviews are pouring in.
It is important that we support small and local business. Supporting local business allows us to help preserve, continue, and evolve the local identity of a region or neighborhood.
By directing our money toward these businesses we are telling our neighbors we see and believe in them and we stand with this thing we call the American dream.
As for young Garza, she is hoping to major in business marketing. I truly hope that the skills and success she had helping her father will help her in her future and encourage small businesses all over the world.
If you are in Houston, check out La Casa Bakery and Café over at 1002 Hogan Street. I doubt you will regret it.
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