We had the good fortune of connecting with Aquila Mendez-Valdez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aquila, what role has risk played in your life or career?
For a very long time I thought I would never want to own my own business because I have an extreme need for control and I like being able to predict outcomes. It was challenging at the beginning of my journey as an entrepreneur to become accustomed to the unknown, and depending on myself to make the big decisions, but the more I’ve flexed that muscle the more I’ve learned to trust my gut. I think it also helps that I watched my parents run their own business from a very young age (my parents still operate the family farm) so when I started tapping into those lessons I found my will to persevere through the unpredictability of entrepreneurship. At the end of the day, when I look back on my life, I always find it comforting to realize that even when I couldn’t control the twists and turns, everything has always turned out exactly the way it was supposed to.

.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Haute in Texas started as a blog when I was first moving to the Lone Star State, and it afforded me so many opportunities to expand my community and love for my new home. In 2014 after working for a few years for another PR and Marketing agency, I decided it was time to bet on myself and we started working with clients under the same name. Very slowly but surely we’ve grown, and now we’re a full-service agency with a team working with clients all over and in almost every industry. It’s been a slow build for us, but I intentionally wanted to scale strategically while my daughters were young. I was also very blessed to be able to choose clients that I was and still am extremely passionate about, which makes every day unique and exciting.

It was absolutely not easy, and I always tell the story about my original business plan where I laid out my first five clients I just KNEW I would land immediately, and the budget I just KNEW they could afford. That reality took years to come to fruition, but one of my favorite memories is one of those clients I first approached on day one eventually came back years later to become a client. It was a great lesson to be kind and gracious to EVERYONE, because you really and truly never know how that might come back to bless you in the long run.

In 2022 we took another big leap with our business and launched a franchise model, so we now have the opportunity to bring on agency owners in other markets across the country, so I’m back at square one in terms of building a brand new project from scratch. It’s exciting, and scary, and at times overwhelming, but I feel so passionately that we are meant to give other women a chance to build a business that is flexible, profitable, and SO rewarding.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a sucker for a good museum, so I would certainly recommend stopping by at least one based on your interests or favorite style of art. I’ve planned events for clients at Sixty Vines Uptown and think it’s such a cool space. Lastly, Imoto is also great for sushi and a cool vibe for date night or a girls’ night out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh my goodness! Where to begin? Honestly I think my husband has been my biggest supporter since day one. He often believes in me more than I do, and his advice when it comes to talking through tough moments, or lifting me up when I doubt myself, is unparalleled. I would not have been able to start my own business without his support, and he was just as proud of me when I was barely making a profit as he is now. I am so blessed to have a partner in life who is really just that, a true partner.

Website: hitpr.com

Instagram: instagram.com/hauteintexas

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aquilamendezvaldez/

Twitter: twitter.com/hauteintexas

Facebook: facebook.com/hauteintexas

Other: hauteinfranchising.com

Image Credits
All photos minus family photo Credit: David Lopez, family photo credit: April Deleon of Pure Happiness Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.