We had the good fortune of connecting with Pia Lara Namdar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I was born and raised in Mexico. My family moved to the US when I was a junior in high school, so at that point everything I thought I’d be when I “grew up” changed. My dad is an entrepreneur at heart, and when we moved to the US, he and my mom dove into small business ownership in Dallas, Texas, where I’ve lived ever since. Through my family’s business, I learned of the possibilities of being your own boss in the US. After college, I worked for my family’s business and then started my own journey in Corporate America as a Compensation Professional and earned my MBA in Finance.

A few years ago, my now-husband started a candle, home decor and art business, and I got to also see a different side of entrepreneurship and craftsmanship, of the day-to-day moments behind owning your own business. At the same time, I was learning to navigate through the Corporate world, which hasn’t been an easy journey. Corporate America is an unknown among immigrants and first-generation Americans, and I felt that I needed to share my knowledge with others like me – there’s a reason why there are so few Latino executive and middle-management leaders, and I wanted to help bridge that gap.

The more I learned, the more I longed to help my surrounding Latino community by sharing my knowledge and experiences in finance and small business ownership. I wanted to create a company that would allow me to help other Latinas in Dallas, and to be in a position to create initiatives in our community with the collaboration of various stakeholders. So I started Adelante Texas.

I strongly believe that more people in our community should know about personal finance, especially in these times of economic uncertainty.  I also met wonderful members of our Latino community in the DFW metroplex and wanted to share their stories to bring more light to a community that tends to be overlooked.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Adelante Texas focuses on empowering our community in various areas, including personal finances, supporting emerging artists and the arts, and creating a network for Latinas to create professional and business relationships. This has been an encouraging and inspiring journey so far, and the biggest challenge has been keeping up with all the opportunities in Dallas! Balancing my days can be challenging, but I remember to create time for myself as well. I am inspired by all the Latinas I’ve met in Dallas, and I’m encouraged by the resilience and strength I see in them. We have some exciting projects in the works, so follow us on Instagram to be the first to know once we have those details!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I think I’d have a hard time picking something to do because of the wide variety of restaurants and activities in the area.  There’s always something to do in Dallas! I love trying out new, authentic restaurants – and you can never go wrong going to a taqueria and a cute coffee shop. There are also a lot of festivals and events going around the metroplex during the weekends. Instagram is a great way of finding out what’s going on each week in Dallas!

To be more specific, I’d get tacos at El Come Taco or Mario Bros Tacos – those are my favorite spots – and then I’d go eat some churros at Churroland Cafe in Garland. Now, if my friends and family from Mexico were visiting, I’d take them to Babe’s Chicken Dinner House or to get some good Texas Barbeque.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my husband, who has supported me all along the way and without him I wouldn’t be here today. I also encourage all the readers to follow me on Instagram (@AdelanteTexas) because I always like to highlight local Latino business owners (everything from food trucks to boutique shops) – I love supporting local businesses and using my platform to give them additional recognition and exposure.

Website: adelantetexas.org

Instagram: @adelantetexas

Image Credits
Adelante Texas

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