Reclaiming Your Hue: A Podcast for Women Rediscovering Themselves in Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

Ep. 111 with Zoraida Márquez | Owner, Zoraida's Kitchen

• Kelly Kirk • Season 1 • Episode 111

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From Culture Shock To Chef

Nothing tests your identity like moving to a new country with a baby and realizing even the chicken tastes different. We sit down with Zoraida, a Venezuelan chef, mom, and the founder of Zoraida’s Kitchen, to talk about culture shock in Minnesota, how the kitchen became her safe place, and why “breaking bread” is more than a saying. If you care about family dinner, healthier weekly meals, and food that feels like home, this conversation lands with heart.

Zoraida shares the real path behind her private chef and catering work in Edina and the Twin Cities: starting in business school, making a brave pivot to culinary school, supporting herself through major life change, and learning the messy middle of entrepreneurship. We get practical about what it takes to run a service business end to end: menu planning, shopping, staffing, rentals, client expectations, pricing, and the constant pull to say yes to everything.

Then the story expands. During COVID, she launches a second company, Ministry of Clean, alongside her mom, creating jobs and a safe environment for immigrant women. We also talk self-care that actually holds up under pressure: yoga, therapy, walking, sleep, boundaries, and the mindset shift that turns fear into forward motion.

If you’ve been waiting to feel ready, let this be the nudge. Subscribe, share this with a mom building something, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re bringing to your own table.

Connect with Zoraida:

Zoraida's Kitchen  IG: @zoraidaskitchen Website: https://zoraidaskitchen.com/

Ministry of Clean  Website: http://www.ministryofcleanmn.com

Contact the Host, Kelly Kirk:

  • Email: info.ryh7@gmail.com

Get Connected/Follow:

Credits:

  • Editor: Joseph Kirk
  • Music: Kristofer Tanke 


Thanks for listening & cheers to Reclaiming Your Hue! 

Meeting In Person

Kelly

Good morning, Z. How are you? Good. How are you? I am doing so well. It's so wonderful to meet you in the flesh. Same. I was, um, I want to share this with the listeners, and they're probably getting, they'll probably get sick of me saying this, but nothing, I repeat, nothing is better than when you get to officially meet somebody in person and everything like I didn't really know exactly what you look like, and probably same. You're like, I don't know who this woman is. And we're doing all of this communication either via email or text message. Yeah. But I'm just so grateful that you're here. And I'm I'm even more grateful for how this was facilitated. So I'd love for you to share how it is that this is even happening. Like I always like to ask the guests, how is it that we got introduced? But our our circumstance is a little bit different than just like somebody who knew both of us and made the introduction.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. So that person um told you about me. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I guess we have the Idina mom's uh group in Facebook, and that's how yeah, this person connects me.

Kelly

Yeah, so her name is Brie Williamson. Uh, for the listeners, shout out to Brie. Um, and Brie is somebody who I know personally. Um, we are families, um one of her boys and then one of our boys are really close friends. They play sports and stuff together. And because I had actually put uh kind of like a call to action out on social media on Instagram specifically for a woman in the Edina area that was like a private chef and also a mother.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

Kelly

Because I wanted that individual to be on the podcast. And also, and now you know this a little bit further. I used to do break breads with some of the women who had been on the podcast. I would bring, I would invite them back to the house, four individuals from the podcast, and I would cook them a meal and we would break bread together. And I'm like, I want to bring that back, but I don't want to do it myself. And so Brie was like, hey, and she shared your information with me and was like, um, you know, you also have so you have two businesses, and we'll get into this here in just a moment. Um, but she she was like, This is how I know her, and um also this is the other business that she has. Here you go. And so I sort of like took it upon myself to, I think I reached out to you through like your contact on your website initially.

SPEAKER_02

I think was that was it a test message or so in Instagram?

Kelly

It was I went to your website, yes, and I went to like contact us and just sent like a hey, my name is Kelly Kirk. I have this podcast, I interview mothers who are entrepreneurs, I'd love to have you on. Here's my cell phone number to make it more simple. And then I got a text from you and I was like, yay, it went through because you know, half the time you're like, is this actually going somewhere? Like the contact me, like, is it gonna go anywhere? And so I was like, okay, here we go. It's it, I I sent it and and now here you are in person. So normally to Z, I

How We Got Connected

Kelly

will do like a Zoom conversation with somebody because it's it initially starts on like text message and stuff, but you were like, Yeah, let's do it. And I was like, Okay, we're gonna do it. So I'm not I'm I'm open. Yeah, you're here, and you're here in Edina too. So, well, I would love for you to share with the listeners first the name of your business, what you do, and then what came first for you? Was it motherhood or was it entrepreneurship? Of course.

SPEAKER_02

Um, well, I'm from

Moving From Venezuela At 21

SPEAKER_02

Venezuela.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Uh, I'm a chef, and my business um is Soraidas Kitchen. Um is a catering uh company where I offer um private chef at home, weekly meals, um all of that related with amazing food. Yes. Um and yes, motherhood came first. Okay. Um I was just 21 years old when I had my daughter, Maria.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

And at the same time I was moving to Minnesota. So when you are 21 years old, you're trying to figure out who you are. Uh so I was trying to do that, and at the same time, I was a young mom in a new country navigating everything for the first time. The weather, I came the weather. I came to this country like two days before Thanksgiving. Yeah, okay. In 2003, and I remember it was the coldest winter I ever experienced. Well, I never experienced any winter anyway, so I didn't even know what to wear. Um all I knew is I had to keep my daughter warm. Yes, yeah. Um, so it was it was hard in the moment, but then it was like also fun. I love to um know new things and experience new things. So um being a young mom um at 21 um was uh amazing and hard. So in some ways I Maria and I grew up together. Um but the kitchen was always like my safe place. Yeah um I immediately started thinking, and I didn't even know this, but when I came here, I sat baby food in containers. Um and I was like, I never seen this before. I'm gonna cook a meal for my daughter. I'm gonna, you know, give her avocados and potatoes and uh do you know homemade meals for her. Um I couldn't believe what I was seeing, which is, you know, I totally respect that as the culture. But for me, it was like I'm cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for my kids. Yeah, yeah. Um because that's how I grew up. Um and I actually it's so funny because I will like never eat pizza, I will never eat a sandwich, like a cold sandwich, yeah. Um mac and cheese or chicken was something that didn't taste the same.

Kelly

Yeah. Oh so it was hard.

SPEAKER_02

So I had to like discover many things with my daughter in a new country. Yeah. Cold winter.

Kelly

Talk about um, well, one, I just think the term that we're probably talking through right now is a culture shock, right? There's such a huge culture shock that comes with, and and listen, I visited Italy when I was a um sophomore in college, the summer going into my junior year of college. We went over to Italy. Um, and it was a fantastic experience looking back on it. But in the moment, I was like, oh my gosh, is this so much different than the United States? It's so different just from the food, right? How you're how you're having dialogue with people, like the communication, the language barrier. And so I I understand, and and when I say I understand, it's like to just a little degree, right? Like you have completely immersed yourself into the culture of the states now and had to shift how you approach being in the kitchen and how you serve your family, yes, and then how you're going and you're serving other people as well, yes, and that doesn't come without its own set of challenges. She's laughing. Agree, agree. So this was um when you came here, it was was it just the two of you or was it and my husband and your husband.

SPEAKER_02

My husband was at the time from Minnesota.

Kelly

Okay. So did the two of you meet?

SPEAKER_02

In Venezuela.

Kelly

Really?

SPEAKER_02

He went there to study abroad, and uh I was studying English in the same university that he went to study. Okay, and that's how we met. Beautiful. I had my daughter in Venezuela, and then we moved over here. Okay. I never look at the map, by the way. I didn't know it was gonna be this cold over here. Which I love right now after 22 years, 22 and a half years living in Minnesota. I love it. You appreciate it now. I appreciate it. I grew up over here.

Kelly

Yeah, yeah. Because you have you now spent more time here in the states than you did in Venezuela? Yes. Okay, that's interesting too.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, half of my life, more than half of my life. Yeah.

Kelly

So wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow. At what point? So you you're coming here to the states. You have uh, she's was she two at the time? About six months. She was six months. Six months. Oh my gosh. Yeah. So she was six months old. You're coming here. You have always loved being in the kitchen, and we're we're talking way back when, right? 20 24 years back, right?

SPEAKER_02

20 20 years back.

Kelly

20 years back.

SPEAKER_02

Well, right now, yeah. I was I came here for uh 22 and a half years ago.

Kelly

Okay.

The Kitchen As A Safe Place

Kelly

So you're coming here and you're going, all I know is like I feel I feel safe in the kitchen. I this is like where I shine. Yes. And when was the turning point for you and in going, I love this, I love doing this and pouring this into my family. Let's make it bigger.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Well, I when I first came, I actually went to business school. You did in Minnesota, yes. And I thought, you know, I wanted to follow that path of corporate work. Um, but then one day I was sitting in my business classes, and I had this massive realization that I didn't want to be sitting behind a desk for the rest of my life. I want to be a chef. Yeah. And because being in the kitchen and cooking brings me so much joy, I'm like, this is what actually makes me happy. And I love cooking. I from when I was eight years old, I started cooking. I was that little girl in the kitchen all the time asking all the questions. So then I see myself sitting in this class and I'm like, well, I'm not wasting my time because I can actually put the two together.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And why not just go ahead and be a chef? Yeah. So I make that turn and I went to culinary school. And it was it was something, you know, I was afraid of it, but I was also like, I love challenges in my life, and I love to, you know, you have a daughter that I want to be a model for her. I want to be a good example. And I want her to see her mom chasing her dreams and her passion. So I was like, if I don't do it, how can I tell my daughter to go out and do something for me?

Kelly

Follow your dreams.

SPEAKER_02

Um, follow, you know.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I did it, and yes, I was afraid. I went to culinary school, um, supported myself 100%. Um at the same time, I was going through a divorce. Oh, okay. Uh, so it was uh very challenging. Um I I was working in restaurants. Um, I worked for like the best chefs in Minneapolis at the time.

Kelly

Why does this not surprise me about you?

SPEAKER_02

I I was there knocking all those doors. Like I was like, I need to work over here. I am going to, you know, culinary school. Um, I wanna learn, I wanna learn, and so I did. And then I graduated, and then I went ahead and worked for catering companies in Minneapolis um for many years, where I learned a lot. Like I am so thankful for all of those people that um taught me, and you know, I learned many things, so I kind of published all those traditional techniques that I brought from my childhood, yeah. And then I um added all the business experience that I had, and then the professional training that I got, and that's how Soda's Kitchen was born.

Culture And Ingredients That Matter

Kelly

Um I love it, it's so it really is beautiful. One of the things that I am very curious about is, and you just touched on this a little bit, is taking what you know from your culture, right? And infusing that into all of what you had learned here from the United States and how that operates, right? What are like what are some of those things that have stuck with you from your culture that play into your business?

SPEAKER_02

Well, I was raised by very strong women.

Kelly

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

I was hanging out with my grandma, my mom, my aunts, and in my country it was so organic. We um well never open a can of beans. Okay. Never it was never had white eggs, it was all brown organic eggs. Yeah. So all of that stuff, uh, and see them, you know, cooking three meals a day, gathering people around the table, it was what they wanted to do every day. Um back in in Venezuela, you know, life is different, um, culture, uh everything is different. So somehow the woman is always in the kitchen cooking and taking care of everybody.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, so for me, I carry that for the rest of my life. Like the kitchen was that place where I heal, where I don't feel lonely, where I can bring my culture to my daughter and teach her how I grew up in a certain way.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That it was so important, you know, it doesn't matter what you make if it's just scramble eggs, but you're making it with love for somebody that you love. Yeah. And so that was something very important to me to like teach my daughter. Yeah. To like bring that with me everywhere I go. And every like even working for caring companies and to working for these big chefs, like, which I have a lot of respect for, I knew that what will mark or make me different was my passion and my background of like I wanna, I wanna learn. Tell me, teach me, and if I do it, run, tell me again, and tell me, and I'm gonna just do it.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And um, I love it.

Kelly

That's so it really is fun to hear a very different approach to incorporation of culture into what you're doing in business. Frankly, most of the women that I've had on here are are were born and raised in the States. And so, like when you're talking about white eggs versus like brown eggs, I'm like, yep, I have literally in my head had to like consciously make a shift to like, wait, this isn't this this doesn't seem right. A white egg doesn't seem right. Like, and as you start to educate yourself more and more too about the system that we're living in here in the states, you start to realize, like, oof, how can I start to actively make a shift towards consciously living a healthier lifestyle? Yeah, which means that you're not opening up a can of something. So it's for me, sometimes it's in it's inevitable having the younger kids and just culturally how we were raised here in the States. Um, but as much as humanly possible, we focus on um moving from the you know fast food and like having it right away to like pouring love and time and energy into making a meal and sitting down together and having having it be round table and breaking bread together, which is just like I love that term.

What Breaking Bread Means

Kelly

And I would actually love to hear what breaking bread means to you at a heart source.

SPEAKER_02

It means everything. I again when I was a child, sitting on a table was like the epicenter of my life. Like sitting at the table, first of all, you had to have so many manners. Like, you're not talking over the adults, you gotta wash your hands, you gotta eat everything they put in your plate. And so sitting at the table for me means a lot. It gives me a lot of memory, good memories of my grandparents, my family that I don't have now. Um, my grandparents, all of them passed away already. Um, but that warmth hospitality, that love that was around that table. That knowing that every piece of that meal was made with so much love and sacrifice, yeah. Because I I didn't grow up rich or um food, you know, like you, you had to, the the dad or the mom had to work hard to bring that meal to your table. So having that plate in front of you was like, Thanks God I have a meal today.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, and so I was so thankful for that. And I try my best to still be that way. Um, we try right now to have like Sunday meals. My daughter now is away in Chicago. Um, but every time we go to the cabin, uh we try to sit down and have a meal, all of us together. Yeah, and it's so important. For me, it's something it's love. It's and hopefully she carries that with her when she has her family.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Because I feel like we're losing that. You know, in America, mom and dad are so busy. Sometimes life is so busy, sports, routines. Yeah, it's like nobody has time to be in the kitchen cooking anymore. And that's where my the one side of my business, the the weekly meals, comes and they're made with love for those families that don't have that time. Yes. Because it's not on purpose that you don't have the time. It's like this is how life is right now. It's busy, it's fast. And so to pay attention to that healthy meal is. A little hard.

Kelly

Yes. You're speaking truth into me right now. Like this is hitting hard. Because I mean, it's I think so many moms, especially here in the United States, are they're grasping for this. Like, I want my family here. I also want to be able to cater to them in a specific way, and that's healthy meals, right? And then you're looking at the system that we live in, which is frankly has is working against us. Yes. You know, like the the meat that we have now is different. And you you spoke to that. Like when you came over here, and this was 20 years ago, right? Like you're like the chicken is different.

SPEAKER_02

It is, it's still different.

Kelly

It's different. It's and I think it actually has gotten worse. And you you feel as a woman and as a mother, you want to be able to provide, and you want to be able to provide. Now, this isn't everybody because there's still people in camps where like fast food is just their life and it ain't no shame in the game. Like that's just how it is for you. And then there are women in a camp that are going, I want healthier options for my family. And I want to be able to sit down round table with them and and break bread and give thanks and be appreciative of the meal that's actually sitting in front of me right now. Yes.

Rewriting Thanksgiving With Flavor

SPEAKER_02

And to that point, one of my favorite meals of the year, and my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving.

Kelly

Oh. If my husband was here right now, he would be hugging you. He's like, nobody gives enough appreciation to Thanksgiving. Like, we're just trying to skip over Thanksgiving and go straight into Christmas. Like, what are we doing? This is so important.

SPEAKER_02

I I love it. I love it. I it was my first big meal in America.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And I hated it. Really? I totally did. It was, you know, it was very American for me. Um, you know, we I think I tasted like green bean casserole.

Kelly

Um uh and that stuff's coming from a can, by the way.

SPEAKER_02

Some uh uh cranberry, yeah, um yeah, jelly. Um comes from a can also. The the turkey wasn't very moist. The gravy, so for me that day was I will never forget that day. And my ex-husband said, now you know how I feel when I went to Venezuela and I had to eat all the meals over there too. So it is not bad, it's just the the the culture chalk, yes, right? And so what I did, I'm like, I remember this meal, and so when I had my when I started my business, I'm gonna make Thanksgiving the most amazing meal that you can have. So I twist, so I still use the same flavor, same cranberries, green beans, but my way with my twist, yeah, and with my flavors, of course. Hell yeah, hell yeah, hell yeah. I love it. Yeah, so I do I do love using a lot of organic fresh ingredients, but also ingredients like in Minnesota, it's really hard to find, you know, during the winter to find good fresh products. Yes, and that's not secrets. So I try to work with what we have, you know, wild rice, sweet potatoes, and let's do it all. And so that's what I do.

Kelly

So now what what was uh ultimately a pain point for you, you turned it into something that was more purposeful and meaningful. Yeah. And man, can I appreciate that? I can so appreciate that. And and there is so to co to go deeper with this specific thing. This I think happens frequently with women where you encounter a pain point for yourself, whether it's in motherhood or it's in business, and you sh you shift, and it's a mindset shift, right? You have to shift your mind and go, how can I turn pain into purpose? How can I turn pain into purpose? The woman whose episode is dropping this upcoming Tuesday. Um, her name is Morgan, and she had her business is MK Aesthetics. And she was the like person who turned me on to this pain into purpose thing. And I was like writing it down ferociously and circling it. Like, remember, pain into purpose. And I'm like, I know that this is gonna come up more now that I've put energy into it, because it speaks to so much of what we as women who are mompreneurs, as I like to say, mothers who are entrepreneurs, there's always some sort of pain point for us. And we go, how can we turn this into something that is meaningful and purposeful and has a vision around it? And you have done that with Thanksgiving. Yes. Okay, so I want to shift gears, Z.

Naming The Business And Starting

Kelly

Um, and I just want to have a little chuckle with the, and it's it's really actually rude. So I wanna I want to call it out and name it. I'm calling you Z because you gave me permission to call you Z, but most importantly, because I don't know how to pronounce your name. I I literally sat here and tried, and I feel so ignorant and stupid. So forgive me for that. Soraida, you can try again. Zuraida.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, you're close. You know, you know, I am the worst person to be judging you right now. Okay, my pronunciation sometimes is not the best, so I don't care. Okay. Zoraida, whatever.

Kelly

I know you mean well, what's interesting, and I'm just gonna call out the English language here, the way that your name is spelled, phonetically, when I look at it, I I want to say zerada, right? Zereda, because of how it's spelled out. Yeah. And that's just not how like the Venezuela culture is when you are writing out and spelling. And so I am I have a hard time rolling my R's. And my older, oldest bonus son, Conrad, is like Kelly, it's not hard. And he'll like literally do it. And I'm like, I can't like my mouth just doesn't, and it's something the more you practice it, right? The better you are. But it's just calling, I'm calling out my own ignorance here, listeners. I'm calling it out. So anyways, I I want to switch gears. When did you form the business?

SPEAKER_02

My business was born eight years ago. Okay, when my daughter was going to be in her last two years of high school. Okay, and so I was working a lot in my catering companies for other people, and working so much, and so I know that I love food, I love what I do, so I was proud of my products, and so I would say, wait a minute, I am spending so much time away from home from my dogs, from my daughter, um, working for somebody that they do appreciate, maybe, maybe not, you never know. Yeah, um, so why not start my own business? Yeah, and then I can be home for my daughter a lot. I only have one daughter, I wanted to be there for everything. Bring your friends over, let me cook for your friends. You know, do I wanted to be there? And so I started my own business. Um, and I started with one family in Idina that I met long ago and when I was going to school, and then she's like, Did you go to culinary school like you told us you were going to, or you were at the time? And I said, Yes, I did. And then she's like, Oh my god, like I wanna have a chef in the house, um, you know, help me with my kids, prepping the meals, and that's how I started. Then next weekend I'm gonna have a party. Can you do this? And I'm like, Yes, and I was like, Oh my god, here I go. Like, I literally just jump into like that. Like, I was thinking about doing it, yeah, but then that day I'm like, I'm doing it. Like, sure, I don't even know how I'm gonna do it, but I'm gonna do it.

Kelly

Yeah, I want to share this with you for just a second because you said something that is gonna resonate with a lot of the listeners right now. It's like, I don't know how I'm gonna do this, but I'm gonna do it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

Kelly

Do you know who Steve Harvey is? He's a comedian. Okay. He had some pretty infamous words of like, the how is none of your business. You just do.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

Kelly

The how is none of your business because it'll happen.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

Kelly

Get into action and you'll understand what the how is. Yeah. So I love that you said that because that is very important words for other women to hear.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

Kelly

I didn't know how I was gonna do it, I just did it.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. I think as far as you love what you do, which is like my philosophy, love what you do, um that everything else will align. Yeah. I mean, we're not perfect, we're humans, and if I'm making something that doesn't turn out good, I can do it again.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I I said that and I I jump into that and I know and I trusted myself. I know I have the knowledge, I know I um I want to do this so bad. Yeah. Uh, so what can stop me from not doing it? Like, I don't know. Yeah. Um, so I put everything together, I made a menu for her, I applied all the knowledge that I have, all the love that I bring from Venezuela, and so I did it and I started with her, and then you know, she started telling her friends and her friends and more friends, and it's all over there in Dinah. And uh I started saying yes to everything, and uh then I taught myself how to open um make a website. So I did that. My husband right now is one of my biggest. Well, my husband and my daughter, they're like, you can do anything you want. You know, you want to make a website, you read about it, you do it. So they're my cheerleaders over there all the time. You can do it, you can do it, you can do it. So I'm like, sure, I can do it. Like, oh my god, this is gonna be hard for me, but I can do it.

Kelly

Your website is fantastic.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, well, lately I had a little bit of help. But you did it yourself. Yes, and so that it's like proving to myself that things are possible when you put love into it. When you know what you want, you know, there there are many ways to get there. And so that's how I everything started, and you know, there's been years where I've been really busy. Um and there are years and then I was there for my daughter, and I can pick and choose when and how and for who I work, which I'll never say no to anybody, like I'll say yes to everything. I'm actually working on that. So trying to say no to things in life because I'm like, I like to please everybody.

Kelly

Don't worry, you're in good company. I'm a recovering people pleaser myself, and I you know what I think it boils down to, and I I love that you're saying this because you're you're you're being authentic in admitting something that has otherwise been some like you have seen in saying yes, what happens after you say yes to everything, right? I like to think of it as like we've got this plate in front of us, right? Yes, and we can only have so much on the plate before the plate cracks. And I think of it like the more yeses that you say, you're just putting more on your plate, and eventually that plate will crack. Yes. And so the goal in all of that is to go, how can I spread everything out evenly enough on the plate so that I can carry it and carry it well? Not drop it in my game.

SPEAKER_02

I work on that every day.

Kelly

Yeah, don't worry, me too.

SPEAKER_02

I'm not I'm not doing so good, but I try my best.

Kelly

Yes, don't worry, me too. You're in really good company. So but yeah, I I'm curious, what did the first two years of your business look like as you were building?

The Stressful Early Build Years

Kelly

Because it that's a build phase, right? And I also think it's important that the listeners understand that yes, you have a website, and all of this that you have built has really been organically.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. The two first years were a lot of learning, many experiences. I mean, uh there were times where I cried, I there were times where I didn't even sleep because I was so worried that even though I believe and I love what I do, there's always that behind, you know, I can do it better. I can do it better than last time. And so I try to be like so perfect and every little detail that I I do drive myself crazy sometimes. It's like, oh my god, it's like midnight and I didn't eat today because I was so worried about everything, trying to um, you know, from because I do everything from the like creating the menus, shopping, yeah, uh hiring all the servers, hiring um rentals, and and bringing everything to your house, communicating with the client. Um, some clients are really nice and easy, some clients are really nice and hard, and all of those. And everything in between. And everything in between, and at the same time, you know, trying to be a mom. Uh, try trying to like, oh, my daughter is coming home from school, like having a meal for her, and but I have to go and do this, and my dogs, and so it was crazy, yeah. It was crazy, and there were times where I thought, like, oh my god, I don't know if I can do this. But then I'm like, what do you mean I cannot do it? Like, I already did something huge in my life. It was moving away from my country at 21 and having a baby, and look at what I have created. Like, yeah, you think I cannot do it? Like, I I can do anything I want now.

Kelly

What a perspective shift. Such a like you literally. There are women listening right now that are needing to get over this hurdle of victim mindset, like this is happening to me versus this is happening for me. Yeah, and in tandem with that, that we can do hard things for me, birthing a child, yeah. I mean, raise your hand if you think is easy, and everyone, nobody raised their hand, nobody is going to because it is it's not easy. And also, if it is easy for you, either you were under some really good anesthesia or you were like in third dimension, like riding a high spiritually, where it was like, I I don't know, but it's it's tough work, it really is. And that the fact that we as women, one, even go through the pregnancy phase, we're literally running a marathon during the pregnancy phase, and then actually having that that baby come out of us, whether it's the traditional way or a VS C section, like that is happening, and it's so much trauma on your body, and it's hard work even after the fact, too, in in repair repair.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's it's not, yeah, it is, you know, starting with the three first months, you're puking, you feel like yeah, crap. I mean, you feel ugly, then you're fat, then you're huge. Yeah, then you cannot even sleep, lay down, and then you have the baby, then now here comes the good times, right? Like my boobies are huge, the baby's crying all night, I cannot sleep, I'm crabby, I don't even wanna have anything to do with you, my husband. Like you put me into this yes, yeah, yes, but you know, Maria is grown now now and a college graduate, and she's my absolute proudest thing I ever done in my life. Yeah, so was it worth it to go through all of that? Of course, of course, nothing is easy, and if things were easy, then life was maybe boring, you know, and so it was hard when I started to write a skitchen. It was really hard, but at the same time, like I said before, I wanted my daughter to see me building that, being that way, cry if I had to cry, ask for help if I have to, you know, all of it. Because that's life. I don't want her to see, I didn't want her to see, like, oh my perfect mom, like the perfect, you know. Then what is she gonna think of life? Like, life is gonna be like this, so when she has a hard time or uh something bad happening, wait, nobody told me this is was gonna be this way, right?

Kelly

Right. Character is built in not the great times, right? Character is built when you're going through those really challenging moments, and how you hold yourself through that, I think, is really important. And so I'm curious, as you've continued to build, you've been in operation now for eight years going strong. You've had seasons and you noted this. You were like, I some years have been, it's like feast, right? And some years it's it depends on like what season is happening at that moment. And I'm sure your daughter's senior year of high school, you were like, I this is she's leaving. What what does my what does this season call for, right? I'm curious. Those first two years were it was building, right? And there is something to be said about going over this hurdle of two-year, three-year mark in business and being able to sustain the business, right? And you are now in like full operation, but I'm curious of one of your most challenging moments since being in business, like the alt like the valley. Does that make sense? Like the deep valley, a hard, a hard moment that you went through being a mother and also having the business in operation. Like that was like the probably the deepest valley you feel like you went through.

Dark Moments And Mindset Shifts

Kelly

Do you feel like you have had one of those moments?

SPEAKER_02

Um no while having Zoraidas kitchen. Um Well, you know, COVID was crazy, but actually brought my family we had so many good times. But if I if I had dark moments, I think I had them all when I moved here.

Kelly

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

When I was away from my family in Venezuela, my culture, my food. Um, you know, depression kind of kick in, uh, isolation. Um you know, navigating the whole new system, new language, new everything was hard. And I think those were like the the dark moments in my life. Um after that, um yes, and probably have you know moments where like I said before, like you don't think you're doing the right thing, or this is not gonna work. Because everybody has that, you know, any business you think this is a lot, or this is not working, or what if I don't do good, what will I do? Um, but I haven't have that dark moment in Suraida's kitchen and be nam together.

Kelly

That's that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02

Not good, what?

Kelly

Yeah, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

Kelly

Hmm. I I wondered if it would actually boil down to when you transitioned here to the states. I can't imagine that that was like anything else besides very challenging. So, with that being said, what did it look like once you sort of felt like you were coming up for air, right? And then all of a sudden you're like, okay, I'm just gonna, I'm gonna immerse. So, like, what did that shift look like in you where you're like, okay, I'm here, it's not changing. What needs to be different? Like, what was that shift for you?

SPEAKER_02

What what needs what needed to be different is your mindset, right? If you wake up every day and you're like, like you say before, you know, like I'm the victim, I move over here, like I feel so bad, like nothing fits, then you're just gonna be stuck in there. So, you know, I had to be strong for my daughter.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Again, she's always been my focus in everything. So if she sees me sad, she's not gonna feel good. But if she sees me good, doing good, she will be good. And I wanted to do everything possible to have a great I have an amazing life in Minnesota, in the United States. I love United States. This is my second country. Yeah, um, I'm from Minnesota, yeah. I love Minnesota. So I feel more sometimes I feel more American than Venezuelan. There are many things about my culture now that I was like, I could change this and this and that, you know. I don't know. Um I'm very, very proud from where I'm where I came from. Yeah. Um, and I also love the life I have created over here. Um, so if somebody ever goes through some dark moments like that, just know that there's light on the other side. And that dark moments need to happen for people to realize and value life and you know, see uh new all the stuff that is happening around you. Who are you doing that for? Just look around and how much you love that person. So for me, it was my daughter. Um I'm here, I'm just gonna be strong for this girl.

Kelly

Yeah, I love it.

Divorce And Modeling A Brave Life

Kelly

You had mentioned um that you had gone through a divorce, right? And we don't have to we don't have to go down that alleyway, but I'm curious when when the divorce happened and then when you remarried, and um is that person your now husband here from Minnesota too? Yes. Like okay, okay. Um, I would love to know like when that happened. Was it before it happened?

SPEAKER_02

No, it was just right when I made that turn. So I was going to business, school, and and oh, that's right. That life right, and then I'm like, okay, then I need to change stuff in my life. You know, I went through divorce. Um, I'm like, I'm gonna be a chef. So not that I how can I say it? Like, not that I my life before was bad because I love it. I love every moment, every day. My last relationship. Uh, but with what I was learning over here and the way I was feeling, and to be strong for my daughter, I needed to make that turn. I went to culinary school, I got divorced. Um later on I met my now husband. Uh he's also from Minnesota. Okay. And he's an amazing person. My biggest support. Um, he has two kids as well. So my stepson. Look at that. Yeah, so I have three kids. Three. Yes. And they are amazing. And so I guess that was another dark moment of my life when I had to like, you know, go through divorce. Yeah. You don't want that for your kids. Right. Um, you don't, it's a lot of thinking, it's a lot of like, that's another moment that you you're like, oh my god, I hope I don't mask this up for my kids. Yeah. But at the same time, I don't want to be unhappy and raising my child in an unhappy marriage because that's not what I want her to see. I want her to be happy in her life. So yeah. I don't know if that was the question.

Kelly

It was it was very beautifully stated. And the word that keeps coming to mind for me is just how amazing it is that you are keeping wanting to be a role model for your daughter and do what's best for her at the forefront.

Self Care That Keeps You Steady

Kelly

Yes. Which now we're gonna segue into what self-care looks like for you and how you take care of yourself because that's also really important too. And I think of it like in order to be able to serve anybody in life, you have to be pouring from a cup. And how full that cup is is really important as well. And so I'd love for you to share with myself and the listeners what what that looks like for you and how you how you are taking care of yourself through all of this.

SPEAKER_02

Um I love to do yoga. I've been practicing for like 17 years.

Kelly

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

I feel yoga is something where well, first of all, you're you're moving your body, right? It's a practice, is it's something that um brings you uh into your mind. It relaxes you you you get all this crazy stuff that goes through your mind out. Yeah. Um the people that you meet. Um, I love going for walks with my dogs.

Kelly

I'm right there with you.

SPEAKER_02

That's my my thing. Um, I love to, well, right now I started a garden, a vegetable garden. Oh my goodness. Um, which I love. It's very small, very small, because I know if it starts getting crazy, I'm gonna go nuts. But so I like that. I like to be at my house. I like to like sit down and have my cup of coffee, yeah. Uh look at the weather, you know, be oxide. Um, I take care of I I see a therapist, which I recommend to people.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, so I do all of those things that add to me. Yeah. Like take care of me. I try to sleep good. Okay. Um, I don't drink. Okay. I don't go out like like late.

Kelly

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I try I try all of that, you know, like when you are 44, um, it's that time where you're like, uh, just need to lay down at 9 p.m. I'm gonna watch my show. I love to be home alone sometimes, which that is a new thing. Um, and so that those little things, yeah, eat healthy, you know. Obviously, I'm not like a hundred percent organic, yeah, healthy person, but I try my best to eat good.

Kelly

80-20.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

Kelly

80-20.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, like everything in life, right? That you don't have to access.

Kelly

Well, when you when building a business, right? And even in motherhood too, like, there are moments where you're going full in, right? But then you realize, like, I've put too much on the plate here. Yes. Now I've got to like rein it, rein it in and come come back to this 80-20 rule. Like, 80% of the time, this is what I'm focusing on. I'm working to grow, I'm working to sustain, I'm working to like make this better. And then 20% of the time, it's like, I I gotta give myself some grace in this, and I have to have just a little bit of yeah. Otherwise, you're gonna you're gonna break. Yeah, you're really gonna break. Yeah, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, it's something is gonna break. Yes. It's true.

Motherhood And Business Parallels

Kelly

I am curious, and this is one of the questions that I had sent over to you, is as you've continued to be to really foster and build this business, and you made a note of this earlier in the interview, about the birth of your business. What are some of the parallels that you see in a business being born, the the growth of the business, and the parallels of that with motherhood?

SPEAKER_02

Okay, you want to have to say that again. Okay.

Kelly

So you're building your business, right? And it it is you're you're birthing something, right? And it's there's a lot of growth that comes with that. And it's there's a lot of like commonalities in what you're doing with business and and how how we are as mothers and fostering that relationship and growing a child and like rearing a child. And so I'm curious, like, what are some of the commonalities that you have seen in building a business and motherhood? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Well, again, love what you do. Um, I feel like when it comes to my business, I put all the love and the passion, tradition, memories, everything into it. Like I when when I'm in the kitchen, part of me is that child in Venezuela cooking with grandma, helping everywhere, and so I take care of that like I did with my daughter. Like my daughter was something that I wanted to, you know, I wanted that woman to be secure, to be strong, to grow up healthy, to she loves cooking, she loved healthy food, she loved to do yoga. So both of those things for me were are so important. So because my business is not only for the money, right? Yeah, yes, it's great when you get pay, but the most um how can I say it? Like, it makes me really, really happy when my clients are like, that was amazing. Yeah, that was a great meal. You did a good job, you know. Everybody loved that. And so when my daughter says, Mom, I'm so proud of you, I'm like, oh my god, this is all I need. Oh this is all I need, and she's 23 years old, and she's a tough cookie, and I was like, I did that, like I that's like my rice and chicken that tasted so good.

Kelly

Oh my gosh, full circle moment, full circle moment. Oh my gosh, I love you. That was amazing.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, so I I always have that in my I will never forget where I come from, I will never forget the love that my grandma had for me and for everybody. Yeah, you will never go to my grandma's house and not eat and not finish your plate of food either, right?

Kelly

Yeah. Oh my gosh. I love it. Okay, so something that I keep thinking about that I'm really, really curious about is what has scaling your business looked

Scaling Without Breaking Your Plate

Kelly

like? Because you you said that it started off with serving a family, right? And it was initially like, come and make meals for the family. And then that that mom, that that wife was like, hey, I'm gonna have an event. Can you also do this? But then at some point, you're like, I've I'm I have started the business, I need to bring more on to be able to sustain the business. Yeah. So I wanna I want you to talk myself and the listeners through like what has the evolution of the business looked like? And have you also so evolution of the business, but then have you also reached a point where you're like, I need to serve X amount of clients in order to make sure that this is growing the way that I want it to grow. And then also on the on the opposite end of this, like, oh, I've taken on too much. I need to like, this is the sweet spot for my business. Yeah. And you don't have to like give me numbers, see, it's like, but let's talk through the evolution of your business.

SPEAKER_02

Um when I started again from scratch, well, I didn't start from scratch because I had my background and my also professional training and my business training. So when I had the idea of having Sorita's kitchen, I uh put all of that together, right? Like the knowledge, the traditions, and so I I knew I wanted to cook for people. Um then once I started cooking for this woman, then I started seeing the needs that the families had in my community. Yeah, people will ask me for things, and people will say, like, oh, will you cook weekly meals, Blah? And I'm like, no, I don't do it right now, but of course I can. Yeah, I'll figure it out. Yeah, I'll figure it out. So when I was making my website, I needed to like I knew with my business background that I needed to put more than one thing on it, right? Like, what are my services? Like, this is what I want to offer. Um, so I put all of that over there, and then people start reaching out, people that went to my website, and then what I usually do is um I have a calendar and and a schedule where I be like, like for example, right now I was doing weekly meals. Um, I just stop for a couple weeks because of the whole the holidays and all the stuff happening, but then I have my specific clients and I try to meet their needs. So um at the same time, if I'm doing weekly meals and then I have an event on a Friday, I will still take it. Yeah. Because like like you say, I maybe in in the past I did feel my plate too much, right? Um, I guess I wanted to prove myself I can do it. I I wanted to challenge myself and I love it. It was a lot of stress, but I did it. So right now I try to balance a little bit more uh because also taking care of myself, yeah. Um so I kind of pick and choose, and there are things where you know you give people a proposal and they don't uh agree with the price, so then it comes like I have to value myself as well of what I do, and balancing all of that works very good right now for me. So that's how my business is right now. Um, this year it's been a little slow, I will say. Yeah, um, but it's also good with me. Yeah, um, I love to travel, I love to go places to taste food to try things, and um what was the other question?

Kelly

Have do you feel like you have found a sweet spot with um being able to do some of the things that you love, right? Like B Z and also sustain a business.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, I I I definitely did. Um like I say right now, so also because my daughter is now home, I have more time to pick up jobs and to do proposals or make menus and all the stuff. And so somebody reach out, and if I not if I'm not book, then I'll do that. So um I I do so I do have two businesses,

Ministry Of Clean And Community Jobs

SPEAKER_02

right?

Kelly

Yes, thank you. I literally was gonna come full circle to this. So listeners, prepare yourself because not only does she have one business that has in my head, like I go, this is such a demanding business, right? Yeah, but you've got two businesses.

SPEAKER_02

I have two. I have so Suraida's Kitchen is one of my babies, my second baby. Maria was the first one. Am I using this correctly? Yeah, over here. Yes, yeah. And this third baby is called Ministry of Clean. And uh was born during COVID. Okay. Um, and that business is a cleaning company that I started with my mom, and again, I throw myself into something that I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I do all the accounting and uh QuickBooks and payroll and booking and all of it.

Kelly

Sounds like so much fun. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Uh so it is sometimes it is, but let me tell you if I have any gray hair, it's from that business. So I I again I throw myself in there. Um, and at the same time, I'm running Sorrita's kitchen and I started that company, uh, Ministry of Clean. For my mom, uh, for the women that were coming to America, to Minnesota, Venezuelan people, uh, and to support that community.

SPEAKER_01

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

And to give them uh a safe environment uh and a job. And so that started very small, okay, and it is big now.

SPEAKER_01

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

Um, I have the help of my siblings, so they're like the the face, like they're the ones that go to people's houses and talk to them and stuff like that, and the point of contact. Okay. So I will be in Thailand with my husband. My clients are just messaging me, and I'll be like, yeah, sure. Let me send this person over there, and this is like blah blah blah, and this is the schedule. So I I everywhere I go, I have that, you know, the computer and the booking and stuff. So that it's been, I will say, hotter than Soraida's Kitchen. Wow. Because Soraida's Kitchen is something that I love, right? It's something that I grew up doing that. It for me, Soraida's Kitchen wasn't like I'm just gonna start something and it's gonna be so hard. Like, that wasn't that hard for me. Yeah, it was just what I love to do. Um, do I love to do this other business? I love the challenge for sure. There are many times where I'm like, I'm just gonna quit this thing, I don't need to do this, but at the same time, say, wait, I'm not a quitter. Like, I don't just quit. Yeah, I'm just if I study this, I'm gonna do it. Yeah, you know, that's the kind of person I am, and uh challenging, but amazing as well, because I meet a lot of women in this community, yeah. And this community, it's so amazing. Like during the whole COVID and ice situation recently, the community came together and it was amazing. Like to see people that were not even like affected by it, yeah, to come and say to call me and check on us. Yeah, how is your crew doing? How are they doing? What do they need? Wow, can we do anything to help? That was incredible.

Kelly

That's incredible.

SPEAKER_02

A shout-out for the edina moms, yeah. Like unbelievable.

Kelly

That's really incredible. And um, I am curious. Do you so do you primarily serve the edina community then, or is it beyond edina?

SPEAKER_02

Mostly edina.

Kelly

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

We like to stay in Idina.

Kelly

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

But of course, because I cannot say no, then we have houses in Mendorah Heights, in Minetonka, Minneapolis.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, but again, the business training that I got kicks in, and it's like what makes sense and whatnot.

Kelly

So yeah. Yep. I love it.

Why Edina Support Feels Different

Kelly

Something that my husband and I have talked about and in just recognition of um being in different parts of e-Dyna community, whether we're serving and and helping a buyer to get into the community or a seller to sell a property and then move to a different part of the community, is you see this an ecosystem within an ecosystem, if that makes sense. And how much this community provides for another ecosystem. Yes. To keep that running and humming. And he's like, if we ever see something funny happening with the ecosystem within the ecosystem, we know something is happening with the bigger ecosystem that is Edina. Exactly. But for now, I mean, it's like it's just a community that wants to continue to do better for themselves, but then also for the community itself. Yes. And will do and go to great lengths to make sure that the community is taken care of.

SPEAKER_02

I agree.

Kelly

No matter who, what, where, that is something that I have recognized in being in this community now. So we my husband has lived has been living here for longer than I have. And then I moved from Woodbury to Edina um in 2020 beginning of 2022. Yeah, 2022. And then we purchased our house here in September of 2022. Yes. And it was like planting the flag. Um, I had to learn a lot about how the community operates and hums, and it's it's a different kind of ecosystem for sure. Um, there's a lot of uh affluent people and um the embarrassment of riches, as I like to say, is just here and it it's humming, but it's it's also a community that's just uh super supportive.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. I I think too. You know, I started with the the school system, I love it. My dad graduated from Idina High School, yeah, and they have the best, and it's I love it. I love it all. Um I know that there are people that like look at Idina like, oh, you live in Idina, like you know, like you have some kind of negative thoughts or comments. Yep. And uh, but that's everywhere, right?

Kelly

It is anywhere in the world. It really is.

SPEAKER_02

There's always gonna be something negative about something. So I live here for many years and I love it. I love the community.

Kelly

I don't really have anything negative to say about well, any negative thoughts that I had otherwise before I moved here have been completely squashed. And it's all it's just a matter of getting to know the community better and the heart and the pulse of it versus making an assumption. Have you ever heard the um the phrase like when you make assumptions, you make an ass out of you and me? Yes.

unknown

Yes.

Kelly

I mean, literally it's spelt that way. And so I always try to keep that in mind when it comes to like having conversations with somebody or like assuming something about somebody is is really like until you really get to know them, yeah. There's always gonna be like a reason that people make decisions that they do, yeah, right. And at the core, it comes down to a couple different emotions fear, pain, fear of missing out, whatever, you know, like that's the reason people make decisions. Yeah, exactly. Is because of a very strong emotion. Yeah. And we're all like we're all human, right? We want to strive for perfection, but you know, in the meantime, you're gonna make mistakes. And it's a mistake, yeah. And it doesn't mean that that mistake is who you are as a person. You kind of move forward from it and do better, know better, do better. Yes. So you have several businesses that you're running and you're operating. And I don't love to use the word balance because I don't know if there really is true balance, but I am curious what harmonizing several businesses and being a mother, now an empty nester, yeah, as well. What does harmonization look like for you in all of that?

SPEAKER_02

It looks like my life. I know it it it looks like you know, I I think right now I have I'm leaving like the results of many years of work already. And I am only 44. 43, I don't remember.

Kelly

Um what year were you born? 82. Okay, yeah. 40. I was born in 85 and I'm 40 years old. So I'm 43.

SPEAKER_02

40, let's say 40. Okay, 40s. Yes, 40 sounds great.

Kelly

40 and thriving.

SPEAKER_02

So I feel somehow like I have lived a long life already. For some reason. Um the, you know, I'm probably the fact that I left my country and I, you know, like we've been through so many things, like death of uh very lovely uh family members, that I haven't been able to be there, or like um the my my siblings' lives that I didn't have them all the time with me. Yeah. Um all of that made me like grow up really fast.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And so now I I feel somehow that I'm living like the the results of all of that hard work that I put into things in in my life. Um, everything I done so far is it has a purpose, right? It's it was either for my daughter, it's either for my family, for my siblings, for them to have a safe and successful future. Yeah, you know, and now I am trying to take care of myself. Um I work out every day. I I try my best, I go for walks, I I try to like things that were really hard before, like taking decisions about work, I know that I they don't have to be that hard anymore. Because at the end of the day, everything is gonna work out. Uh there's a result at the end of the day, right? No matter how hard you beat yourself, or it's good there's gonna be the same result at the end of the day. So I try to take things a little more easy. Um not worry so much about the outcome because I am secure of what I have built. Yeah, I know there's gonna be a good outcome at the end of the day. With the right as kitchen, I know that whatever I do because I'm doing it with love, it's gonna be good. My clients are amazing. Like, I I love them, they are the best, they're like what makes me my clients are my family, are the ones that are like, I want to cook again for you. Yeah, yeah. We're looking up uh next week, the 4th of July, and we go to the cabin, and my stepson and my daughter, they're like, What are we cooking? Can we make those carnitas again and that taco bar because it's so good? And and I'm like, I love it. I love to hear that. That is like the the best thing you can hear when you work so hard for something, right? And so in Ministry of Clean, again, when people said somebody sent you over, somebody gave me really good uh reference of your business and your team, and that's like wow, that is actually good. Yes, you know, so every day I feel like I'm extremely lucky to have this privileged life because um again, I still have family in Venezuela, and as you know, it's a country that is really struggling, yeah. So for me to be here, I'm like I'm I feel grateful every single day. So whatever comes after that, I try my best to not have that Latina in me to like be, you know, or freaking out or trying to have everything, you know, perfect. I try more to be more calm and everything's gonna work out good, and uh just cross your fingers. Every day is a new day, and I just leave a day at

Faith As Doing Good Daily

SPEAKER_02

a time.

Kelly

That pre that actually begs this question. Like, you're talking about something that is very meaningful to me. Um, and it's it's a word called faith, having faith that things will work out the way that they need to. And so I'm curious what faith has looked like for you in all of this. I mean, you've you really have already spoken to testaments of like having faith that it is all gonna work out, but is there anything that um we're not talking through that is meaningful for you in the term faith?

SPEAKER_02

So I grew up Catholic, okay, right? Um my grandma and my grandpa will always be the higher power that I have besides God. Okay. Um I had a really nice childhood going to church, having faith in that way, they taught me all of that, right? Like they they um taught me going to church, talking to God, again, gathering around the table, family. That was always my core. That that's something I have inside of me. I do not go to church right now, like I I'm not gonna say like I should, yeah, but like probably like some people in my family will think I should. Um I kind of have a different approach when it comes to faith.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, I don't need, in my opinion, and I'm sorry if anybody feels disrespectful, but I don't need to go to church to prove that I believe in God. Yeah. Um, I know that somebody's looking over me all the time. I know for sure my grandma and my grandpa are looking over me. Uh I do good every day. Yeah. Um and that's what that's how I live my life. If you do good, I believe that good things will come. Yes. I don't believe there is heaven or health. Hell, no health, hell. We want health. Yeah. Health, yes. But hell, I think everybody leaves that in this earth. I don't know what happened after you die.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And uh I don't I don't even want to know, so I don't want to die. Yeah, I love it. But I know that if you do good, it will do good. And I know the people that do bad, they probably have their bad things happening to them. I don't know. I don't um, but I have faith that if I do good, yeah, everything will be good.

Kelly

I have grown through so much in my journey in faith, and um I'm a firm believer that God has his hand in a lot of things. Um, I am certainly in accord with you that like we are living in hell right here on earth, and we get to see glimpses of just amazing things that God has again had his hand over as we're living here on earth. For me, I'm like, how do I lead with love? How do I lead with love and just continue to pour love into people as much as humanly possible? That's gotta somehow, some way serve us, right? Yeah.

unknown

Yeah.

Kelly

And just do good each day. Good, love, whatever you want to call it, like good or serving others in a very specific manner through love.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

Kelly

I love your I love your response. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you.

Kelly

Well, and you know, it's interesting. Um, faith means something very different to everybody. And I always like to hear what that looks like for people. Yeah. Because we're all we're all walking a different kind of journey and path. And sometimes those paths are gonna intersect and sometimes they're gonna parallel. And um, I can appreciate what faith means to you, starting from a very early age and kind of carrying through to where you are here at age 44. I guess it's really funny. My husband, who is 41 now, will be turning 42. He's like, Wait, is he 42? See, I'm doing the same thing, Z. I'm like, wait a second, I'm gonna be turning 41, and he's a year older than me, and he's so he's 41, gonna be turning 42, 42, 42. Um, he's like, Well, how old am I now? He literally just did this. He's like, wait, how old am I? And I'm like, we have to like do the math, like on our fingers. We're like doing the math. Yeah. I think we're 41, I think we're 42, whatever. Anyways, I think we can start to we've we have covered a lot in this conversation, but I think we're ready to start landing

Advice For Younger You And Moms

Kelly

the plane. Okay, as I like to say. So I I would love for you to speak wisdom to a younger version of yourself. And so, what's a piece of advice that you would give a younger version of yourself, knowing all that you know now in your 40s?

SPEAKER_02

Oh, that actually makes me it makes me a little sad. Um because again, I never thought I was gonna move. So I will tell my young self that everything is gonna be just fine. That you're gonna be as strong as your grandma and your mom and your aunt because that's what they were they are teaching you right now.

Kelly

That's really beautiful.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, so when I think about it, again I bring those moments with me, and I will do for the rest of my life. Those women are so strong, and still some of my aunts are alive, yeah, and they are living in a country that is so tough to live, and the fact that they still standing and raising their family and being there for everybody is amazing. Yeah, for me, that is like the strongest woman. Like, I cannot believe they're doing that.

Kelly

Do you think that they will ever eventually be here? I mean, I'm certain some of them are no longer here with us, right? Yeah, but those that are, do you think that there's an eventuality that they would be able to come to the States?

SPEAKER_02

Oh no, definitely. Okay, no, okay. They they will die over there.

Kelly

Okay, yeah, proud, they're proud to be there and they have they have their lives over there.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, if they if a person that age leaves you're leaving everything behind. Yeah, it's different when you're 21, you're building your life, yeah, yeah, fair enough. At 70, for example, you already built your life.

Kelly

You you have you're you're rooted at that point. Yeah, that's that is totally fair. Yeah, totally fair.

SPEAKER_02

So I hope to go there visit them. I can't I have a lot of contact with them. Um and I hope to be. Visit Venezuela sometime soon. But yeah, I will tell my young self that everything's gonna be just fine. You have the best examples in front of you.

Kelly

What's a piece of advice you would give a woman listening right now that is contemplating becoming a business owner? And they're a mom and they're like, How am I gonna do this? Like, what's the advice that you would like if they were sitting down in front of you right now and they're like, Z, I can't do this, what would you say to them? Of course you can.

SPEAKER_02

Tell me why you couldn't. I think I will say, if this is something that you want to do, do it. And it will don't be afraid. Ask for help if you have to. Talk to people that have similar businesses. Research. Don't be afraid. And if you fail, do it again. It's easy, right? Why not? It sounds easy, it is not, but like it's it's my piece of advice. Just do it. Do it, start a small.

Kelly

It's so funny. I love that you just said just do it, because I oftentimes will will be like, Nike slogan, just do it.

unknown

Yeah.

Kelly

Just do it, you know, and like more oftentimes than not, I am literally like, I'm actually saying it to myself because I have these moments where I'm like, I can't do it, or like fear just totally takes over, like a veil in front of my eyes. And then I remember that there are so many other women who have been like trailblazers or in front of me that have done it and they can look back to me and go, I mean, yeah, of course it's hard. Nothing worth living for is super duper easy. Exactly. There's always gonna be challenges, and it's just how you how you're character building, like how you're building your character through that and how you're able to sustain through the good times and the bad times and maintain a sense of like really good character, yeah, through all of that.

SPEAKER_02

So if if you're about to start a business, do it. If I did it, English is my second language, yeah.

Kelly

Definitely you can do it, yeah, believe me. Oh, and of course, I mean that that is like all of what we have been talking through is like barriers, cultural barriers that you have had to leap over.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and sometimes people put their own barriers up.

Kelly

Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_02

Right? It's sometimes it's insecurity, yep, fear, yep. Um, but I feel like realizing that that's what it is, like just go ahead and do it. Like again, ask for help, talk to people.

Kelly

Yeah. So good.

Favorite Room And Daily Rhythm

Kelly

Okay, so I've mentioned this. My husband and I are in real estate, and as we're as we are like coming alongside buyers, looking through houses and stuff, or working with sellers and they're about to sell their place, I'm starting to recognize themes with like there's always a favorite room in the house. And I'm curious, what's a favorite room in your house? Take a while, guess the kitchen? Yes, like is that really where you are spending most of your time?

SPEAKER_02

I spend a lot of in my house right now. I spend most of my time in the kitchen. I love my kitchen.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, I love my kitchen.

Kelly

What does your kitchen look like? I'm curious because if you're spending so much time in it and you love it, it has to have some sort of really nice design to it.

SPEAKER_02

It's very simple, um, actually. But it has a marble island in the middle.

Kelly

Okay. Is it is it a bigger one?

SPEAKER_02

It's a big one, yeah.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I actually sit there like my office.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And I have all my papers over there. And because I'm alone right now, my daughter is not home. I just sit there all day, computer, do my stuff in the computer. And uh when my daughter is home, I am a little more busy because I cook for her. Yeah. You know, she's what are we having for breakfast? What are we having for lunch? What are we having for dinner? Mom, mom, mom. And she has so many ideas. She's so outgoing. So I'm always like cooking. Yeah. When I'm home alone, I was just cleaning my refrigerator last night. Like, it's empty. Oh my gosh. Yeah, but she's coming home this weekend, so I gotta go to the grocery store.

Kelly

Oh, I love it. I love it. Oh my gosh. Hey, I'm curious. This just kind of came to mind. Talk to me about like what's a typical day in the life of Z look like?

SPEAKER_02

Um, when right now that my daughter is not home, I get up. I'm always connected to Ministry of Clean, sending my workers, making sure everything is okay, talking to clients, um, paying taxes, uh, drink my coffee. Um, I do yoga in the mornings. Okay. Then I go for a walk with my dogs. And then the rest of the afternoon depends. I go see my mom. Um is your mom here any dinosaur? My mom is here any dina, yeah. And my two my three siblings. Okay. Um talk to her. I don't know. Um try to be in the garden a little bit. If I have to work, I go to the grocery store. Um I'm always doing something. I'm never like there are times where I sit in the couch for the first time at 8 p.m.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So, but I'm a person that needs to be doing something. And if I don't have to work to this kitchen, I'm always at Ministry of Clean.

Kelly

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um I'm doing something all the time.

Supporting Immigrants Where You Live

Kelly

Is there anything that we haven't covered in our conversations that you would want the listeners to know?

SPEAKER_02

Um I don't know. I I I just have to thank the Dynak community because they support my both businesses um a lot. And um my whole family is from Venezuela, and with all of this crisis of immigration and all the stuff, we are here good. Yeah um, but I do care a lot that people support the immigrants around you. Everybody has somebody that is from another country, right? Yeah, around yourself. So I often make comments on Edelina moms and stuff like that, that you know, to be aware of that. Like there are a lot of people around us that need our support, or you know, like just be nice to them. I know no everybody can go out and help and things, but just to be aware of that. I mean, I don't know, I I deeply care about that. Um I think we have to talk about everything else.

Kelly

Like, I think that the that was a really beautiful way to like officially land the plane and just spread awareness too. And so I'm really glad that you you mentioned that because I think that there's a lot of assumption, right? And we we talked about that earlier, and I was joking about that, but this is actually more of a serious matter where it's like to make the assumptions of what that looks like and sort of like have that be a whole blanket for everybody who has immigrated here is absolute nonsense. You know what I mean? And so I'm really glad that you that you shared that and sort of publicly acclaimed that, you know, like please don't make assumptions and let's actually try to support as much as possible because everybody's a human being. Yeah, and to love that word love is really important. So um, are you currently obsessing over a book, a podcast, a TV show?

SPEAKER_02

And if so, what is I'm really bad at books, so I don't read books. I listen to books. Yeah, that's okay. Yeah, I listen to podcasts. I well, right now, actually, right this moment, I'm obsessed with the World Cup soccer. Yes! Okay, that's one of my things. Um, but I do I watch like I don't have anything in specific that I like to watch. Okay. Like I watch some reality TV shows.

Kelly

Guilty pleasures.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um one of the things that I oh my god, this is so funny. When I came to America, I'm like, oh my god, these people watch all these shows, like, you know, the housewives of this and the housewife of that, and and now they're my favorite shows to watch.

Kelly

Hey, full circle moment there, right? Yeah, so full circle moment, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

But uh other than that, I just watch things.

Kelly

Yeah, okay, wonderful.

How To Find Her Services

Kelly

I'm a woman who's listening right now, and I either am curious about how I can um utilize your cleaning services or utilize your catering services services. How can I get connected to you?

SPEAKER_02

Well, with Suritas Kitchen, okay, um, Instagram I say is always the best because you can see the the newest jobs, yeah, work. Um I also have a website. Okay. www.suritaskitchen.com. Okay. And you can see my services over there and connect with me through there. Okay. Um, and I think my phone number is over there too. So Instagram and Sorrita's Kitchen. And for Ministry of Clean, eDynamams.

Kelly

Okay. Funny.

SPEAKER_02

EDynamams is where you will connect with me. Uh you need to be able to do that. Do you guys have a website at all? We don't have a website yet. Okay. But that's something in my list to do. Okay. Which I never, like I said again, I started very small on that thing and now it's big, so now I'm like, I gotta stop.

Kelly

The marketing, the marketing c um component is being factored in. Gotcha.

SPEAKER_02

But um it's my phone number as well.

Kelly

So okay. Perfect. Well, I'll I'll make sure to drop all of that information into the show notes for the listeners so that they um, if they are here local to the eDyna community and they were not aware that they are now aware and they know how to get connected to you. Zee, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet you in person. And I hope that our our friendship continues to flourish from here. And so I want to welcome you to the flamboyance, and you may not know what that means, but I'll let you take care of like learning what that means. Okay. And I just want to say thank you and that I hope you have a great rest of the day.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you for having me. You're welcome.

Kelly

Yes, you're welcome. Have a great day. Thank you, you too. Thank you. Okay, I can edit this part out.

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Kelly Kirk

Host