Patricia in the Mujeres Moviendo México Center in Toluca

Patricia decided to become and entrepreneur when she realized that she was no longer satisfied by her job at a marketing company. Her brother had started a business selling tamales; Patricia helped him out in the afternoons as a hobby. Inspired by this experience, she founded ZoneTamalli, her own business established in the city of Toluca. Her greatest difficulties at the beginning were lack of seed capital and competition, so she decided to use her savings and decided to face the competition.

She was one of the first women to obtain a scholarship to attend training workshops on Development of Business Skills from Women Moving Mexico (Mujeres Moviendo México). Patty says that attending these courses were a life changing decision. Patricia says that it was here where she learned to run a business, and trust her skills as a businesswoman.

Women Moving Mexico encouraged her to believe she could take her product anywhere and to add value to it. Patricia says that thanks to the program she has significantly improves her decision-making skills. Additionally, she was learned to manage her business expenses and is now paying taxes. Patricia is very proud to be paying taxes since she has learned by experience that this is how the government can help more people, especially women entrepreneurs and businesswomen.

Currently, Patricia is on the brink of receiving 80,000 pesos awarded by INADEM (National Institute for Entrepreneurs) in the 2.2. Competition. With these funds she plans to improve her business’ infrastructure by acquiring mixers and machinery. She would like to increase production levels without loosing the artisanal touch or sacrificing quality. Additionally, she was just approved as a supplier and distributer on a national scale by Liverpool, a major retailer in Mexico. This month Patricia will be travelling to Querétaro, Puebla, Veracruz, Pachuca and Mexico City with samples for Liverpool in order to have her products commercialized. She is also talking to universities in Toluca to introduce her products into their dinning halls.

Patricia has been invited to participate INADEM’s 4.4. Competition, an offer which she has to reject since she is not ready to export her products yet, even though her cousin would like to set up a franchise of her business in the United States. She is about UNADEM’s 1.3 competition to improve her marketing and receive mentorship.

Patricia admits that she is a proactive woman with a restless mind and is very happy to have been able to participate in the workshops offered by Women Moving Mexico since she has also learned to turn her thought into positive ideas for her business.