How a Non-Drinker Built an Award-Winning Mezcal Brand in Just 1 Year | Alejandra Flores

A mezcal brand can be more than a label and a flavour profile. We’re joined by Alejandra Flores, president and owner of Mayu Mezcal, and her story hits on culture, craft, and a mission that reaches back to Oaxaca and forward to real community impact. She built Mayu to honour her Indigenous grandmother, a woman who never learned to read or write yet still became a fearless businesswoman and lifelong inspiration.

We get practical about what separates authentic mezcal from marketing: why organic mezcal certification matters, what “artisanal mezcal” actually means, and how espadin agave and production choices shape a spirit you sip slowly rather than shoot. Alejandra also breaks down mezcal vs tequila, from the regions and agave varieties to the traditional serving ritual with orange slices and sal de chapulín, the famous grasshopper salt from Oaxacan cuisine.

If you’re curious about entrepreneurship in the spirits industry, this conversation goes behind the curtain on licensing, distributors, and the relationship driven grind of getting bottles into bars, restaurants, casinos, and retailers like Total Wine. Alejandra shares what it’s like to be one of the few women mezcaleras, how she keeps momentum through slow growth, and why her long game includes a foundation to support elderly people and stray animals in Oaxaca. Listen, share this with a founder friend, and subscribe plus leave a review so more people can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome To Vegas Circle Podcast

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to Vegas Circle Podcast with your hosts, Paki and Chris. We are people who are passionate about business, success, and culture. And this is our platform to showcase people in our city who are making it happen. And on today's podcast, we have just that. Let's welcome to the circle a special guest who's the president and owner of Mayu Mescal. Let's welcome to the circle, Miss Alejandra Flores. Welcome, welcome.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

Thank you so much for having me today. So happy, so excited to be here and tell you all about my mezcal.

SPEAKER_03 0:27

Yeah, we've been getting a getting the whole flavors and the whole nine, man. So wish our listeners could could taste this, you know, through the camera. But let's jump right

A Grandmother’s Legacy Becomes Mezcal

SPEAKER_03 0:35

in, man. So what your your brand is is rooted from your grandmother, right? Absolutely. So your grandmother's legacy. What's the story most people don't know about your grandmother and your family?

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Yeah, exactly. I'm Mexican. My grandmother is originally from Oaxaca. She was an indigenous woman. She's always been my hero. She never learned how to read or write. So I always admire her because she was a great businesswoman, believe it or not. So to me, she was being my hero for so long that one day I say, I would like to do something to honor her. So one good day I was here in Vegas and I saw this van next to me on a stoplight. And it was Mezcal Tres Amigos, and I go, wait a second, they're not Mexican. They're not Mexican. And second, it's like, why not Mezcal? Mezcal is originally where my grandmother is from. And I started that. So that's how it started. I started kind of investigating, researching, and I really thought like it would be like a dream. But then years after that, like probably less than a year, it happened. You know, it happened and I could not believe it. So I think I truly believe that my grandmother from heaven was guiding me because I wanted to honor her. I wanted to show the world what her land has to offer. And secondly, the other thing that kind of motivates me is like, I want to make money out of my Bescal, but not for me. I want to eventually open the foundation, Mayu Foundation, which is going to help destroy stray animals in Oaxaca as well as the elder people. There's a lot of elder people in Oaxaca that are left behind in the mountains. The children kind of like immigrate to bigger cities or they immigrate to other countries, and they're left behind with no medications, with no services, with no food. That's what I want to do. That's what I want to achieve. So I always said that I want to make money, but not for me. I want to help others. So that's how the story happened. And thanks to God. I mean, I was at the right time, at the right place, and things happened. The first shipping that crossed the border, I was crying. It was like having a new baby. I was like, oh my God, I cannot believe it. So here we are.

Organic Certification And How Mezcal Is Made

SPEAKER_00 2:49

I want to say that I'm one of the very few organic brands of mezcal because there's a lot of mezcal or tequilas or liquor that say they're organic, but they don't have anything that backs them up. As you can see on my bottle right here, you can see the seal that backs me up as 100% organic here in the back. So I'm a true organic mezcal that I have the backup. I am an artisanal. So what do I mean by artisanal? There's three ways to make mezcal. The first one is the ancestral one that is handmade. You know, you have the uh people actually smashing the agave, and that produces very little amounts. It's very expensive and it takes a lot of time. The next one is the artisanal, which is mine, and that is have you seen the the horse that goes around and smashes the house. That is your artisanal. Exactly. That's the artisanal. And then you have the industrial one, which is made at a factory that is made for the big corporations, the big uh commercial brands that aren't uh are nice, but they're not as authentic, I would say, like this one. So that is like the story. My mezcal, again, I would like to mention it comes from agave, just like the tequila. However, the tequila grows in northern Mexico, in Jalisco, and that is blue agave. The agave that makes the mezcal grow solely in the region of Oaxaca. And there's several kinds of agave. Mine is the call espadin, it's a young espadine. So it is kind of a very young, it's 44% alcohol. So it is heavy, but it's also very soothing. You already tried it, it's not that heavy, it's not that uh overwhelms you. You learn it, you enjoy it, you can either drink it by itself or you can do it. It's great for mixology. So to do margaritas, to do some like uh mezcalinas, whatever you want. So it's very versatile. I would say that you can make it for for by itself or you can mix it

Learning Mezcal Without Drinking It

SPEAKER_00 4:49

as well.

SPEAKER_04 4:49

Awesome. And you kind of kind of going back to that. So you kind of grew are in this region, it kind of runs in your your core of how you're at your evolution. So, how when what kind of prompted you to go into the tequila trade to begin with? Because it's because you grew up around the environment of people around the agave, you knew which type of agave was good, which type of agave did what, or how did you kind of navigate that part?

SPEAKER_00 5:09

That is gonna be the most uh interesting kind of like information I can share with you because to start with, I don't drink. I get drunk in my life, you know, never drink at all. Never, I don't drink at all. So it is so funny that I said, if I'm gonna do this, I have to learn about mezcal. So when I went down to Mexico, to Oaxaca, to choose a producer, because this is uh made tailored to me by a producer. I wish I get to the point that I can have my own fails, but not yet. So I had to learn how to taste, and now I know about mezcal, but I don't drink. But I can tell you when a mezcal is good, I am now, I cannot tell you I'm a master, but I can tell you I'm very familiar now with the mezcal. Interesting. You know, it's it's a that's very interesting. You have a look at cover and don't drink at all, man.

SPEAKER_04 5:55

That's impressive.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

I'm an expert now in mezcal.

SPEAKER_04 5:57

Is that because you know the plants? Like, is that what makes the difference between the experiences? Like, you know, uh so what so you don't drink and you can't really get into the the filter of it. Like, how do you know what makes it better? Is it because the plant material quality is better, the process is better?

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Exactly. It's actually I went an interview and I saw the process of uh about 10 a dozen producers in in Oaxaca, and I started learning. That was like five years ago, probably. And I can tell you, I have come a long way because I have learned I have the taste, I know what not, so I can tell you which mezcal is good or not. Uh so I learned also about the agavis. I mean, the agavis are different. The shape of the leaves are sometimes different. The spadding, the others that they are, they're completely different. So I have learned so much. But yes, I cannot call myself a master, but I can tell you I know my product very, very well. I know that not because it's my mescal, but I can tell you it is very, very good, you know, and it's it's interesting because we recently participated in a competition, the proof of awards, and I won two gold medals. So there was like a hundred um judges from Total Wine, from Walmart, from anything you can imagine, airlines, any industry. And I won two medals. One was a double medal, uh gold medal because of the flavor, so I can tell you it is good. That's awesome. Yeah, and the second was because of the story, what is behind the brand. So I'm very, very excited about it. So we want two gold medals, so that kind of motivates me to keep going. Yeah, that's true. Don't give up. And I know this last year and this year has been a little bit challenging, and you know, the sales aren't up there, and then with the Teresa and all that stuff, things are switching a little bit, but I'm not giving up. I just want to continue. I want people to get to know my mescal.

Distributors Licenses And Selling B2B

SPEAKER_03 7:45

Yeah, where's so your Mescal's been out for is it four years, you said four years, that's four years. Four years now. So where where can people get the mezcala?

SPEAKER_00 7:53

Okay, so yes, I my goal is eventually get to the consumer, but first you have to do B2B, business to business. For that, I was gonna tell you about you have to find your uh a distributor. So the importer that I have in California, which is my hand right, uh Jose Antonio, he's my importer and my distributor. Okay, so here in southern Nevada, in southern Nevada, yeah, Las Vegas, my distributor is Franco wine. So they sell me. So they sell to bars, to restaurants, and potentially to liquor stores. He has to go through them. I cannot do it myself because I don't have the license. I have I don't have the permit. I will get it, I will get in big trouble if I was like, hey, I can sell you this and that, you cannot do that. So you have to go through a distributor. In northern Nevada, José Antonio will be in charge of doing all that because he has the licenses. And if there's a state that wants or somebody who wants to sell my product, my distributor in California will make sure that he partners with a licensed distributor in whatever state, like say in Florida, somebody wants to sell. Right now, we're talking to somebody in Tennessee who's interested in buying my mescal. He's gonna partner with somebody there. So you always have to go to a distributor. Now, the exposure I got from this proof of work competition potentially can be good because you have total wine. I know we already have an item number, but it does take a while for them to assign to assign me to which stores they want to sell my mezcal.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Got it.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

But I have the little liquor store. Like I have a very nice in England village in Lake Tahoe. They love my mezcal and they're always buying it and buying it. So it is great. You know, Mysterio Mescal also has my my mezcal. Uh, there's a new restaurant that I just started selling my mezcal, Tres Somerlin in Summerlin. Amazing restaurant. I mean, the best paella I ever tried. It's in there. So they started selling my mezcal. So it's little by little that I'm trying to do. It takes time. Yeah, it takes time. Absolutely, absolutely. Especially you, I'm a one-woman, one woman business. Of course, now I have Angela who's been amazing and is doing all this to me. So yeah, uh, it's just patient. I'm not in a rush. I want to take my time and you want to do it right, also. Exactly. We'll do it the right way. I have to do the slow step of the right steps as well. I'm not gonna rush into something because I'm a small brand. I could not go to a big distributor and say, hey, yeah, here I am. If he suddenly, they suddenly ask me for like give me a thousand cases, I don't have it out of the sudden, you know. So I have to pace myself and just uh the fact that it's getting out there, that people is getting to know it, that you're trying it right now, that's the big satisfaction.

SPEAKER_04 10:35

Yeah, and how do you find so so you have a distributor just to understand the process a little bit? So that way it's as an example. I find my distributor, I got the importation, I got the product available. Now is it up to me to go sell that product to these businesses that then connect them with my distributor so they can make your orders?

SPEAKER_00 10:50

Yeah, so it's kind of a two-way. Sometimes it's the distributor, like here, Franco Wine, they tell me, hey, there's a new restaurant that is gonna be selling your mescal because it's to their benefit to sell also my mezcal. But also myself, if I connect with somebody, I go, hey, Franco Wine, this restaurant is interested. Mysterio Mescal is interested in in buying cases of my mecal. So I refer to them, it's kind of a two-way. So we're both salespeople, we're both like they're my distributor, but I'm also the founder and the owner, but also I'm a salesperson, you know. So it's a teamwork. I think that's a good thing. That makes sense for sure.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

Yeah, and it seems like it's relationships. Everything is gonna have relationships everything.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Absolutely. Relationships are the most important thing of any business, you know. And we were just talking about it. It is nice to be aggressive in a good way. You don't want to become a pest and be after and after and after. You have to be little by little. So, you know, that's that's what I truly believe on.

Mezcal Versus Tequila Tasting Rituals

SPEAKER_03 11:46

For sure. I know we were talking a little bit offline. So, what is the difference between mezcal versus tequila? Can you kind of get that breakdown?

SPEAKER_00 11:52

Yeah, absolutely. As I mentioned before, they both come from agabis, which is like the cactus plant that you've seen. Tequila comes from northern Mexico, from a state called Jalisco. So the agave, there is what is called the blue agave. Okay, so is that is the plant that grows the tequila from the mezcalis with the agave, the mezcala agave that grows only in Oaxaca. And in this case, there's several, several types of agave. You have the spadin, you have the well, I can list probably at least six others, but uh, mine is on the spadin, is the basic, is a young one. The process also is what makes them different. You probably are very familiar with tequila. You can take a shot, you can like it's a strong, but you can take a shot and let's do this a shot. With the mezcal, you cannot do that. Why? Because the smokiness. You just try the smokiness. If you were to do a shot of me scalp, you could, but you have to be used to it. But if for first timer, you're gonna, it's gonna be overwhelming, and you're gonna say, I don't want to ever try that again. That's why we say the mezcal is like digestive, it's like a medicine. If the Oaxacans, they drink it for everything. My throat hurts, takes on mezcal, my stomach hurts, takes on mezcal. I I don't feel I'm I'm feeling under the weather, takes on mezcal. You take it very slowly, very slowly. Now, the other difference also the tequila, you you take it with the salt and lime.

SPEAKER_03 13:21

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

The mezcal, you take it with orange, traditionally with slices of orange, and with a sal that is made of grasshoppers. Ah, yes, grasshopper sal. Yes, yes, yes. I've never heard of it. Oh, yes, and and you know, uh, next time I'm gonna bring you some. When I go to Mexico, I'm gonna do it because it's a little bit like the tajin, uh-huh. But it's made of grasshoppers. Interesting. Grasshoppers is one of the most known foods of Oaxaca in the world. So, grasshopper, you eat it in tacos with guacamole. I never knew this. Yeah, that's interesting. Okay. It is the first time I eat grasshoppers. I was like, I'm not sure. It grows in you. Now I love it. I love it. You put it in your guacamole, you put it in your taco, I heard the grasshopper powder.

SPEAKER_04 14:09

I've always heard about that. People grind it up, put it in. It's like high protein, so really good for you.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

So it's the food of the future. Like insects are the food of the future, they have so much like nutrients that they they eventually we're gonna end eating insects, you know? So let's get used to it.

SPEAKER_04 14:26

Let's make it good, put it in guacamole.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Seriously, seriously.

Women In Spirits And Breaking In

SPEAKER_03 14:31

So, what would you say like um the biggest challenge, right? Being a men's business and you being a woman entrepreneur.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 14:38

What would you say is you know some of the adversities that you had to deal with being a woman entrepreneur?

SPEAKER_00 14:42

Well, yeah, you know, definitely, you know, it's overcoming the fact that, as I mentioned, this particular the mezcal is monopolized by men. So just going out there and saying, I'm a woman and this is my business, small business owner, that to me is a challenge, but at the same time, it's such an honor to go out there and represent my grandmother because she was also a single mother. She had like probably, I don't know, 12 children, and she raised it by herself. And she was an excellent business woman. She put like a food business, food and beverage business, like a small restaurant. She didn't know.

SPEAKER_03 15:18

And you said she never knew how to read or write.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

That's what I was gonna say. She never knew how to read and write. Oh my god, she will just be that this is a so-and-so much, is like so much, $35. And here's your change and everything. She was incredible, so smart, so clever, so passionate. She never gave up. So that is kind of like a challenge, but at the same time, it's a satisfaction, right? Also, the fact that you're right, it's about relationships because I'm a very small brand and kind of like finding the way in this humongous industry, Las Vegas, so many restaurants, right? So when my company where I worked during the day, it's a hero Las Vegas, director of sales, kind of told me, we're gonna support you, we're gonna sell your mezcal there. I was like in tears, like, thank you, thank you so much, because the fact that I was able, with not a lot of effort, introduce my mezcal at a casino hotel on the strip was amazing. And then it's just like a series of like very fortunate events because then Jose Andres, the the guy that kind of does all the drinks for them, met me and said, We're gonna support you because we support charities. You're thinking of a foundation, we support minorities, you're a woman, Mexican, we're gonna help you. So it is kind of like a challenge, but at the same time, it's a satisfaction, you know. And the fact that uh I'm not there at the point to dedicate 100% of my time to my brand, that is my dream, but I'm not there yet. Because as you know, well, you start a business and you have to wait a couple years to start kind of like seeing some revenues in there.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 16:52

Some earnings, and I'm not there yet, but I'm fine. As I mentioned, I'm no, I'm in not hurry. I'm patient, I want to do it right.

SPEAKER_04 17:02

Yeah, so so say you see these like I go to Total Wine now, and there's like thousands and thousands and thousands of bottles having to get through.

SPEAKER_03 17:10

It's overwhelming, it's overwhelming, yes.

SPEAKER_04 17:12

Even to find out, like, you know, like I and most people I think stick to their brand of choice, right? For the most part, they kind of keep going through their one thing over, they don't really try out a lot, but you know, how do you kind of get to that perspective to where a company I know you mentioned you you may you have some opportunities to get those I tins inside of the some of these locations, but how do you really break into that on a national scale? Because I'm assuming these brands, even though there are thousands of them at this total wine, they have them across the nation and all of them, and so it's kind of just getting in there's like getting into Target, right? Like you're just you're you're medically blown up. Like, how does that process kind of work?

SPEAKER_00 17:44

Well, actually, it's interesting because Total Wine, we actually, my distributor kind of reaches out to the local Total Wine here. Oh, so you can just go to one. Exactly. You don't go to the corporate, you go by regions, by areas. So my distributor only reached out to the one that sells in Las Vegas, maybe Nevada. Oh, so that's way easier to be able to break in. We were talking to somebody who was in charge of the East Coast, certain like Florida and two states. So, no, Total Wine, yes, a big name, but they have regions. They have areas. That makes sense. So to me, it's easier because as I was explaining earlier, say that I go to a massive uh company. I'm saying that corporate Total Wine and say, okay, we're gonna sell your brand, but I need like 2,000 cases. So like, how my God, like how they need trouble. It's like, well, I wouldn't, I I I could do it, but I'm gonna need a couple months. You know, I have to reach out to my producer, start working really hard for getting me all this stuff, and it does take some time. And then to be honest with you, I haven't imported ever since the new tariffs. So the cost is gonna go up and all that. So it's a lot of things. Uh, but right now, with the inventory that I have here right now, I feel comfortable. I feel comfortable if somebody reaches out, reaching out to bars, to small stores, to restaurants. I mean, right now I feel comfortable to start growing and growing. Actually, we did reach out to Liquor, Lease Liquor. And that's exactly what they say. We have so many brands right now on the scout, we cannot commit to another one. It's like, well, you know, let's leave the doors open. When you're ready, please do reach out to us, and we continue touching base with them.

SPEAKER_04 19:24

That makes sense. And this is like so as an example, you have um do they buy the bottles up front from your distributor and they kind of just store them and it could be there forever? So, like until if they uh hypothetically, like yeah, like for example, Sahara Las Vegas.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

It's so funny that I am there. So sometimes I'm working with clients, and when I don't see the bottle at one of the restaurants, I immediately go to the VP of food and beverage and I go, hey, I didn't see a bottle in the reminder, and they go and order another case. A case would have six bottles of it. Oh, yeah, yeah, we're gonna buy some more. So they reach out to the distributor Franco wine and they buy from them.

SPEAKER_04 19:58

Got it. So your goal is to sell case at a case that a case and get them to keep replenishing as we kind of get through.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 20:05

How much of Maya is business and how much is personal for you now?

SPEAKER_00 20:09

Uh what what is I said?

SPEAKER_03 20:11

How much of Maya right now for your is it is is it business or is it more personal for you?

SPEAKER_00 20:17

I'm more personal at the time. I can tell you, I would say probably 90% personal because of the story.

SPEAKER_03 20:25

Especially for your grandmother.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Yeah, because you know, sometimes I really think about it. Thank you, grandma, thank you, God, for allowing me to reach this point. If this is how far I'm gonna get, I am completely happy and satisfied, but I want you to help me a little bit further and further. So, so far, the experience, the experience that I have learned, everything I have learned so far as of today, I am so pleased, I'm so happy. And I have learned so much that I that that's priceless, right? So I cannot say, like, oh, I'm so disappointed because I'm not selling a case every day. No, I'm happy. I mean, this is how far I got because when I tell my story of being like a minority single woman doing all this, I mean, I have come a long way. So I do see I I realize I'm very realistic where I am. So if this is how far I'm gonna get, I'm fine. But no, I my nature is I keep going. I keep going. I'm gonna keep going. But if it ever happens that I couldn't do it for whatever reason, I am so happy how far I have gone.

SPEAKER_04 21:28

And we're kind of in the world right now of like boutiqueness, right? Where you can you can do these kind of different environments, but also reach a large number of exposure going in different environments. You know, as you kind of see, like it's hard to break into these brick and mortar spots a lot of times. You get to get there, you gotta sell, you gotta do this. But you see this online global footprint now that's coming online.

SPEAKER_02 21:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 21:48

And now it's getting a lot more easy to digest. Like people are able to sell alcohol and Uber Eats, they're able to sell alcohol online. You can kind of have more of a wide variety of product products, a lot more boutique environments.

SPEAKER_02 21:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 21:58

Like, do you see at some point just putting

SPEAKER_00 22:00

yourself online and saying look yes I don't I have my own inventory exactly why don't I sell it myself and kind of just brand the online presence yeah absolutely and my distributor and I am having kind of like research in like Amazon Walmart direct to consumer exactly just go there and they do have an area that is for small business to start it and everything so we're exploring that as well because the license would come from them they have the license the distributor license so it would be to sell to consumers like you go to Amazon say I want to buy two bottles of uh may you right there so we're exploring I'm learning a lot I can tell because I've always been in sales but of course hotel sales you know I'm a salesperson but this is kind of a new a new world that I'm getting myself into is different I have learned so much and I am so happy you know about it and to me the fact that as I was told you I never drank before until now I had to learn to to kind of like taste other mezcal to chase my mezcal to compare it to others and say no definitely mine is

Advice On Persistence And Relationships

SPEAKER_00 23:04

better. Yeah for sure what what advice would you have for other women that want to break into the spirits and entrepreneurship business what what would be advice for them um well I always say if you dream something and you really want to do it go for it just don't let it there because I was in that spot that I was like oh I would like to honor my grandma what can I do? Well mess out and believe me it was like at some point it's impossible. You know I'm in United States how am I gonna bring it from there and this it happened so as long as you have the the drive to go for it the drive the attitude the spirit yeah never never give up never give up I mean dreams come true and I can tell you I'm like a like the living example that it happens because I couldn't believe it. I remember that when I first started you start kind of looking for resources. The first contact I had about this is like uh I was lucky at an event I met the council of the Mexican embassy here. So I call him and I say come over for lunch let's have lunch let me tell you I have this crazy idea about like launching a brand of mezcal and I thought he was gonna laugh at me like oh that's good I mean actually I know some people in Oaxaca I'm gonna introduce you to that they may be able to help you. So I started talking to them at the same time things start kind of like evolving then I went to the trade show that I mentioned to you in Madrid and I was lucky to meet the governor of Oaxaca and we made that connection and he was a great support. So when you have like a good energy we were just talking about it good energy comes back to you. So never never give up always have like I have met a couple friends professional colleagues that they're like that age like okay I'm about to retire I'm getting a bit depressed I don't know what to do and when I tell them my story it's like oh my god it's like just do it think of something you want to do go for it you know don't think that the age don't think because you're not like 20 something just go for it and do it and if you decide to retire you're gonna have that second project that is going to take over absolutely get it I want to make a circle vodka pod I want to try to make it let's make it happen we can have her be the head of it market it yeah no but you're you're so right you know you're so right when you what you're saying on there is continue to keep going for it yes absolutely and most people like we've had so many people come on the pod that they just you you don't want to build it yeah you know what I mean you have a dream and you have all this stuff and then you get scared of the capital and all that so yeah I was just curious you I know we're talking a little bit about this before but how long did it take like you were saying it took about a year right for you to get it yes get it situated and actually get it to the states. Exactly okay so to be honest with you I've been told that I was extremely lucky because the people do I that I have in Mexico that helped me kind of like processing the license and everything they told me normally it takes about two to three years to be able to have the shipment the bottle the permit and everything and I did have some challenges to be honest with you because I was of the the one of the luckiest ones that I did it in less than a year. I couldn't believe it and actually the people in Oaxaca because he's a consultant that kind of helped me Pablo told me oh my God it's amazing that you did it so fast because I'm I think he's also I'm a little bit aggressive we were just talking about that I'm a little bit aggressive in the good way but I need to follow up I need to talk if it's gonna be a no I need to know soon so I can look for another route another way to do it and all that.

SPEAKER_03 26:45

So it's also I love how you said it I have to cut you out yourself if it's gonna be a no be a no I need to know soon.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

That's your sales background to be able to tell though I need you to let me know yeah I love that I'm gonna steal that from you that's good absolutely you can steal it I like that because that's that's how I am and and it's so funny because my daughter my daughter I mean I I she's like an amazing woman she has become an amazing woman she constantly tells me mom I admire you so much you are the most independent woman you never give up you always find a way I always do find a way so if you tell me no I'm gonna find the other way if I call somebody and tell me no I'm gonna find another option you know I never give up I never keep going and it's so funny because uh I also wanted to tell you my you is Mother Earth. So this in concept my mezcal is honoring not only my grandmother but all the empowered women out there actually you see that the logo there's a profile of a woman right here in the left you can see it right here. Oh yeah I didn't even see that at first yeah exactly so it's all about women it's it's all about like uh it's honoring anybody like my grandmother independent empowered strong women I consider myself one of them I was a single mother I moved here I don't have family here but I decided to keep going and going so yeah this is also honoring everybody all the women out there that are like so strong and again I'm one of the few mescaleras out there so I want to be kind of an example to all those women that maybe someday dream about oh I would like to open this business but maybe no just do it do it just find your way find the energy find the drive we all have it inside just find it inside you yeah 100% I love that I know it's starting off and I know you got a lot of vision and things along the line but let's say 10 years 10 years from now what what would you want your brand to represent oh my God I mean well I would like to be a very very kind of well positioned brand sure but that you relate it with the charity I want to do that you think of Mescal that you think that is for the women from women to the women and to help others you know to me that about the other people in Oaxaca because my grandmother is from there I want to get back to her land the helping others to me that would be the most amazing where is Oaxaca near where is in southern isn't southern so you see the shape of Mexico and the southern like you know where the Acapulco is of course yeah Acapulco the state of Guerrero where Acapulco is next to it is Oaxaca is right there. So yeah so it's in southern Mexico beautiful beaches is one of the poorest states in Mexico so you see a lot of strict animals a lot of poor people a lot of elder people and there was this lady in particular that I met in one of the main plazas in Oaxaca this lady was probably I don't know I was say close to 90 years old and she was every day coming and selling stuff she was already kind of deformed I guess from arthritis and everything and every time I had the opportunity I went there and I gave her money and said oh buy something no no it's for you no no please take something she will bless me every time she will bless me thank you for everything I felt so good so good. One day she wasn't there anymore so I asked the restaurant people where is Angela actually her name was Angela is like oh she passed away oh my God I started crying I was like I wish I could have done more for her you know so that my grandmother the other people that are left behind in the mountains because the children go to a bigger city or immigrate I don't know to the states I don't know are left behind with no food with no medications with nothing I want to help those the straight animals in Oaxaca is a big problem. You see them suffering in highways and wherever you're walking you see these like like hungry animals that breaks my heart so I would like to see my Mescala well positioned but at the same time you immediately kind of like connected to the fact that it's also to help others yeah that's awesome that's a good project to be able to have man because that's tough tough to be able to accomplish that's awesome. As far as just business and life advice what's one lesson every entrepreneur should know that's made the biggest impact on you yeah probably something that I'm doing different back is the fact that I am not a lot of companies they save a lot of money in marketing in big marketing in big uh yeah publicity and all that to me I thought that I would rather do it like a smaller boutique brand that is gonna the public is gonna be mouth to mouth you try it and you tell your friends and then you come to us. To me that is kind of an easier way to do it because I don't have the levels to start a big marketing campaign to to go and offer and promise I have like thousands and thousands of bottles. So I'm starting small sure so but I don't regret it. I mean the steps that I have like done so far I'm so satisfying and I'm so happy with it. So yes little by little and I'm I'm I'm very very I'm a true believer that you do something good with a good purpose it's gonna come back to you good. So I'm I'm just awaiting for I'm awaiting that step when I'm gonna hit the the big jacket you do it it the right way man and you do it with the right energy yeah so that's yeah it's gonna come back for full circle

Vegas Food Picks And Where To Follow

SPEAKER_00 32:23

for sure.

SPEAKER_03 32:23

Just kind of transition it a little bit we always ask everybody about restaurants here.

SPEAKER_00 32:27

What's your favorite restaurant in Vegas or what do you like to eat at yeah oh my God well this is gonna sound very interesting I'm Mexican but when I want to eat Mexican food I actually wait that I go to Mexico but if you ask me about one of my favorite restaurants uh I actually like Tres Summerlin a lot and the paella which is France I love paella one of the best paellas I've tried they have the mixed one is really really nice you said it's called Tres Summerlin Tres Summerlin it used to be Tres Casuelas I don't know but they moved to North Summerlin it is really nice Angela and I were there like a month ago to have my phone uh to have some video but I mean I I I I really and I like all kinds of food to be honest with you I like Thai I like Chinese Japanese and everything I can tell you something that mezcal goes with almost everything I was very kicks it in yeah I know mezcal adapts to anything so seriously and even if you finish a nice a nice meal whatever it is Asian Indian whatever just as a digestive just like you would drink any kind of like digestive the mezcal is perfect for that yes like get the aneset you know you have the anaset it kind of breaks it down the stuff in your stomach to take your time listen you know with your friends after dinner just little by little pocket we just had a big dinner so now it's here I'm gonna leave this for you so you can finish it. So you're gonna be here all night I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 34:00

No that's that's excellent.

SPEAKER_00 34:01

Anything that we forgot that you want to leave us out on that that we forgot to ask you well you know just like people ask me what makes your mescal so special right and we already talk about this I I mostly would like to mention the fact that it's a hundred percent organic you know I already explained to you that I have the backup and I'm certified secondly the fact that I'm uh one of the very few women mezcaleras you know and third one is what we just talked about this was born out of inspiration for my grandmother a lot of business are are not like born with passion I'm born with I want money I want money this is about honoring my grandmother and as I mentioned I would love to make money but to help others and if this is how far I'm going which I'm hoping not I just want to keep growing to help others that's my vision that's what I would love to do to continue in a year in 10 years like just to be devoted to the mezcal and helping others. Yeah that's a great we support you on what you're doing what you're doing and and shout out to Angela I know Angela's in Phoenix but we appreciate her connecting you with us oh absolutely I'm so happy thank you so much for your time and I hope that uh the words are spreading out we're here my um mezcal is waiting for you is from Oaxaca to to your palate that's our motto you know so you're saying from Oaxaca to your palate I like that's a what was the other thing that you said about the kiss what did you say oh yeah the mezcal you kiss mezcal just like you kiss your woman just little by little slowly that's how you drink mezcal smooth smooth outhouses well we appreciate you what's the social handles people can check you out at is there a uh uh social handle from from oh yeah absolutely we're on Instagram we're on Facebook and we are also in LinkedIn so it's under Mayo Mescal all of that so please follow us if you are interested in purchasing if you're interested in learning more about it please visit our website there's a beautiful video there of how the mezcal is made so you can see all of it so awesome awesome that's a great stuff we appreciate your time Alejandra and and support everything you're doing and I know it's a passion project but we know it's gonna blow up so yeah definitely appreciate that definitely check us out at thevegacircle.com and subscribe with us thank you so much yeah thanks for that's awesome you guys