What we talked about
Jose Herrera is a creative force whose journey spans cultures, industries, and decades of storytelling. Born in Eureka, California, raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, and later building his career in San Jose, Jose embodies the spirit of bridging worlds. From his early days producing at Telemundo, Univision, and CBS, to founding MiO Productions, he has spent over 25 years telling powerful stories through video, events, and digital media.
Show notes
Jose Herrera sketched the concept for Corazón Musical on a fabric napkin at a San Francisco restaurant, and then went out and beat Telemundo’s corporate newscast in local ratings with a two-person crew. Sixteen years after that napkin sketch, he is now in his tenth month running an outdoor billboard company that has operated for 60 years, applying the same cultural fluency he built through two decades of Spanish-language media production.
What we covered
- Corazón Musical was born after Jose watched a woman conducting street interviews on Avenida Las Vegas in Guadalajara and realized he could bring the same concept, positive, apolitical, community-focused entertainment, to the Bay Area’s Latino audience. The show ran on Azteca America from 2003 to 2005.
- Jose describes nostalgia as the commercial superpower he brought from Guadalajara: understanding what people from Zacatecas, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Oaxaca each miss about home, and using that emotional connection to make commercials and content that actually resonated. A single ranch commercial he shot on a client’s camera lasted three years on Telemundo’s air.
- One of the biggest culture shocks after leaving CBS and NBC to go back to Spanish-language media was discrimination, fielding calls from people who assumed that “Jose” was calling about landscaping or construction rather than professional media production. He changed his name back from “Joe” to Jose specifically as an act of professional reclamation.
- Building Corazón Musical taught him that a production company cannot have two bosses giving contradictory direction. An external consultant he hired to diagnose why the team was deteriorating came back and told him the problem was Jose and his co-producer, they were giving conflicting instructions. He handed full operational control to his producer.
- Jose is now nine months into running Adco Outdoors, a 60-year-old family-operated billboard company in California where he walked into an industry conference and found he was almost the only Latino in the room. He describes outdoor advertising as a largely hidden but lucrative business that the Hispanic market has barely touched.
- His closing advice: don’t hire employees, build a team. He notes that if he called any former employee today, they would come back and work with him, a track record he attributes to treating people as teammates rather than staff and delegating full ownership of departments rather than micromanaging.
About Jose
Jose Bernardo Herrera is the founder of MiO Productions, a San Jose-based media production company that has operated for nearly 25 years, and currently serves as a senior leader at Adco Outdoors, bringing fresh commercial strategy to one of California’s longest-running outdoor advertising companies.
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-bernardo-herrera
- Website: https://mioproductions.com
Episode 53 of the PreVetted Podcast.
Full transcript
Federico Ramallo (00:00) Welcome back to the Priveted Podcast where we spotlight extraordinary people and remarkable talent reshaping our world. Our guest today is Jose Herrera. He’s a creative force with deep roots in Guadalajara, Mexico, and a thriving career in San Jose, California. From producing for Telemundo Univision and CBS to founding Mio Productions, Jose has spent over two decades
Jose Bernardo Herrera (00:13) you
Federico Ramallo (00:27) telling stories through video, events, and digital media. He’s also the mind behind Corazon Musical Escuchalo en tu Corazon, a production that celebrated Latino music and culture connecting audiences across borders. So in our conversation today, we’re going to explore his journey from Guadalajara to California, the cultural bridges he’s built, and the lessons he learned along the way. Welcome, Jose, to the show. How are you doing today?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (00:55) Good, everything’s good. Thank you for having me. You’ve had an equal like everything has to say that right? Thank you for having me. But yes, do you notice that everybody says that? I was like, alright, so I have to see it too. So thank you for having us. Yeah. Yeah, it works. I I just gotta say so that’s out of the play one out of the line.
Federico Ramallo (01:02) Hahaha ⁓
Yeah, it’s a cliche, yes, but it works.
Great. So tell us about Corazón Musical. How did you know, how did you decide to launch that production? you know, how did it serve a bridge between Mexican roots, the Latino community in California?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (01:30) So I’ll tell you and it’s funny because before Corazon Musical we used to do lot of commercials, TV spots, 30 seconds, 30 seconds. Then Azteca came into the Bay Area and they didn’t have productions. So then we were doing all their productions. So we were making, I think there was like 34 commercials a week with two guys. And this is after I left Telemundo.
Federico Ramallo (01:51) Wow.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (01:55) So then Asteca came in and gave me all kinds of work. And then he said, well, we need you here in the base because we can’t outsource this anymore. So I’m just like, I don’t want to drive to San Francisco every day and I have other clients. So I was like, well, I don’t think it’s good for me. So I was like, I’ll pass. I don’t want that job and I don’t want to be unemployed because I left that corporate world.
because I know I can grow more faster. So then I said, you know what? I’m gonna lose this great income that I had or great opportunity with a stack of because they needed somebody there on their offices because they had a big office now and they had to do production and they wanted to put the finger like, no, I want this to be changed. I’m like.
So it’s 45 minutes from here to San Jose to San Francisco and get the time and then 45 minutes back. it’s like, you know, going back and I was like, no, I already had an office. I had everything ready. So I was just like, no. It went down to two months and he comes back to me. Roberto Pineda is a great guy. One of my, we just talked a couple days ago and he’s like, hey, I needed a local TV show. You think you can have it? I was like, yeah.
because they didn’t have a news, a local news. And everybody has, the Devondo, the Unicción had a local news and local news brings income and tells you about, you know, local and the community so they can apply. But Azteca America didn’t have, or Azteca didn’t have, yeah, they just came in and they had the biggest broadcaster. But then Azteca.
Federico Ramallo (03:24) US, right?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (03:31) didn’t have anything local. So they’re looking for a local program. So Roberto Pineda came in and he says, hey, I need a meeting with you. I’m like, all right. We go to San Francisco, we go to a restaurant, and then we start talking like, hey, well, I need this to be produced. Can you handle it? I’m just like, I’m young. I’m like.
I mean, I think I’m in my 30s and I go, yeah, okay, have it. Like, all right, well, this is what I need. I need something local. I need something fun. I need something to have it, but no news. And I was just like, all right, well, yeah. And we tried and we talked to the waitress, like, can we get a napkin? And I still have a napkin somewhere around here. And it was a…
Fabric napkin. And we took out a pen and we started drawing on the napkin, not the paper one. And we go in and we’re just like, all right, so like, listen, we have to make a Latino. It’s like, all right, well, corazón, you know, that emblem that has the corazón all the time. It’s like, all right, let’s make a corazón. And then it’s like, yeah, but I need banda, I need something that is local. And then it’s like, all right, well, corazón musical. And then there and then we made the presents. After that, then I just started
to build my team and we were competing with Telemundo Newscast, that is corporate. I was right about here. And every time I got my friends that I was working with before, like, dude, what are you doing? I was like, I don’t know, like why? Like on the ratings, you’re beating us.
Federico Ramallo (04:50) You
Jose Bernardo Herrera (04:58) I was like, are you kidding me? I was like, yeah. So that’s how we become to say Corazón Musical, but here’s the point here, and this is going to be interesting. It came from Guadalajara, the concept that I brought to the United States. So I travel a lot to Guadalajara to visit my family. And one day we went to a bar and I see this beautiful little girl.
making interviews in the bar and this is on Las Vegas and she’s like Las Vegas is the main Avenue in Guadalajara. ⁓
Federico Ramallo (05:25) is an avenue, yes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (05:27) And there’s a bar and this beautiful girl is interviewing people with a big old camera guy and with the lights and it’s like, Hey, how you doing? And was about all built fun. And they’re trying to interview us and we’re just like, you know, like always like, ⁓ know, we don’t want to be on the camera because we’re, camera shy. But then I just said, I’m going to do it. And she interviews me, but instead of she interviewed me, I was like, wait a minute, what’s your name? It was like, my name is Tatiana, whatever. And I was like, how?
did you become a host? So I was interviewing her. She was interviewing me. like, hey, how you doing today? Are you having fun? was like, no, no, no, So I stopped her. And I was more interested in her. How did she get the job? how did she, or what’s the idea, right? And where are you going to put this on? I was just curious because coming back from background from production, from CBS and DC.
And I was more curious about how did she, what her emphasizes was. So anyways, going back to Corazon Buscani, I was like, and I remember her, and I was like, I’m going to do the same concept. I’m just going to bring everything that is fun, everything that is positive, everything that is going to be happening, which is no politics, no religion, and no sports. Everything else, come on in.
So if there was a walk of cancer, if there was a museum, if there was an event, if there’s anything that it was just positive, and I think that’s what made us happen. But my Corazón Musical was a one hour program. So there was a lot of content I had to cover. If it was a half an hour maybe. So then we were just like, all right, let’s put a music video in between. So make it like an MTV version slash Guadalajara slash our style of.
Federico Ramallo (06:57) Yes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (07:07) you know, paisa or Mexican or Chicano, whatnot. So then we would combine my expertise of being in Guadalajara almost every time and knowing about, you United States and then just kind of combine it and make it an original sound. So that’s how Corazón Musicale became.
Federico Ramallo (07:28) Wow, wow. Just for the audience to know, Corazon Musical translates to musical heart, right? That’s the direct translation.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (07:35) Yeah, and we had the, we
had the pump was like, and we had a lot of, we had a lot of crew that, and we had a Dan, it’s a long story, but that would be another interview, but let’s go to the next question.
Federico Ramallo (07:38) Yes.
Yeah,
I saw a video summary that you had on your website. You have so many stars in it, right? And there’s so much energy in it. It’s like, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, one thing, one other thing, another thing, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think that, again, for the audience, in Guadalajara, the musical culture is very big. I think it’s one of the biggest in Mexico, right? I don’t know, but you have mariachis.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (07:56) Yeah?
Federico Ramallo (08:16) So many mariachis, you know, and then you have… Yes. Yes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (08:18) So this is what Guadalajara has to give you. It’s the tequila, it’s maná,
espresso punga, tortas ahogadas, I mean there’s all kinds of stuff that comes. And from what I heard is that the fashion comes out from Guadalajara.
And anything that you want to prove to anything in the Republic of Mexico, anywhere you want to go, you start in Guadalajara. If it hits, then you can expand to the rest of the world. Because they’re really picky. That’s from what I heard. I can’t say that I’m the expert on that, if you want to put an in and outs or whatever, Burger King or something, you start in Guadalajara. And if it works, then you can go to Monterrey or everybody else.
Federico Ramallo (08:46) Right.
Ha
Yes, the audience in Guadalajara is very picky and very particular. yeah, And the, yes, yes. So for me, the Torta Ogada are great. I love it. It’s, know, yeah. So I’m from Argentina, right? So I moved here like 17 years ago. And one of the things that I did is one time, and I did this, you know,
Jose Bernardo Herrera (09:02) enough.
Yeah. ⁓
Federico Ramallo (09:28) timing-wise was the worst because I was getting a flight back to Buenos Aires, right? And I wanted to try a torta ahogada, but with 100 % chile, right? So, you know, you have the…
Jose Bernardo Herrera (09:34) Uh-huh.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
Federico Ramallo (09:42) So you should.
Yes, yes, yes.
So I said,
So I was with a taxi driver and I said, can you take me to the best tortugada in the city? And he was like, are you sure? Yes, let’s go. And we went there and I invited the taxi driver, another tortugada. And then I asked mine and I ate it. It was excruciating. And then from there, that was on my drive to the airport.
So then after eating the tortugada, you know, with 100 % Chile, I took a 17 hour flight.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (10:20) you know, we don’t want to get into details on this one.
Federico Ramallo (10:25) Yeah, yeah, yeah. mean, it
was amazing. know, nothing happened after that. So it was good. Yeah. If I can survive leche bronca, know, I can survive anything.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (10:32) All right.
He knows about the pajarites, by the way.
Federico Ramallo (10:40) Yeah,
Pajarete, that’s what I’m talking about,
Jose Bernardo Herrera (10:42) Pajarites is really famous here in San Jose on Saturdays and Sundays.
Federico Ramallo (10:49) really? You can get it in San Jose?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (10:50) But it’s all underground. There’s that like, you have to go to these ranches and there’s big lines and yeah. So there’s a lot of big cultures here in San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland. mean, California dominates the populations of Mexico and you have to adapt to, you have to think about.
Federico Ramallo (10:59) interesting.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (11:09) Everybody’s coming from Michoacan, Oaxaca, Zacatecas, Jalisco. So there’s all kinds of other states coming in. So they have to adapt to it, you know, not like Jalisco is Jalisco and you only going to be Jalicenses or Guadalajara, Tapatíos. But this is like sometimes you have to go with the Michoacan, Oaxacitas or whatever it is. But you have to go. You have to, you know, they’re Mexicans.
So there’s when they say pajarites and you go to a place or you’re like, always go to the pajarites. So you have to adapt that. I never had a pajarite, but I was just like, you have the cabra, they’re doing the milk stuff and then they put that, you know, the alcohol and in the morning you’re like drinking it like nothing. was like, so there’s a lot of things that the culture.
Mexico is embedded here, but it’s now different because it’s all the states combined in one place.
Federico Ramallo (12:03) Interesting. Yeah, because now it becomes a culture of its own, right? Because all the merge of all the states, right?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (12:07) that.
Well, that’s the United States. mean, we got Irish, we got Germans, got everything, Italians, we got everything. the Mexicans are the only ones that they’re individual. Everybody’s like, I’m from Zacatecas. I’m from Jalisco. It’s like, you’re Mexicans, man. It’s like, just grab your Mexicans, not from every state. So, that’s it.
Federico Ramallo (12:31) Yes. So let me tell you a story about one time I almost burned a ranch. Well, we were doing pajarites. So for the audience that doesn’t know, pajarite means that you get a glass of…
Jose Bernardo Herrera (12:37) my god. What?
Federico Ramallo (12:48) So you have a cup, you put alcohol in it, depending on which one you want. Some people put coffee, some people put sugar, you have multiple options there. And then you go to the cow or goat and then you pour milk directly into the cups, right? And it makes with the alcohol and that’s Pajarete, right? So I was with a group of friends.
he has the habit of turning on the alcohol, right? He burns the alcohol, know, he put fire on the alcohol before. Yeah, yeah. So he…
Jose Bernardo Herrera (13:19) Turning? do mean turning?
⁓ yeah, he blends it in. Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen that one before. So he
makes it like more spectacular look and it’s yeah, has a sense of like smoke.
Federico Ramallo (13:37) Yeah, yeah, And then you
turn it off with the milk and it kind of gives this smoke thing and it burns the sugar. So now it’s caramel. So I don’t know. mean, he has different theories of why, but anyway. So we went a few times, he did that a few times and I wanted to help, right? So I put four or five glasses for the group, right? I think it was five, six people.
I don’t remember the number, you know, put them on the table, you know, put the alcohol on each of them. And then I turn it on, right? All of them, right? And he didn’t see me doing it. I wasn’t like hiding it, but you know, so he grabbed the bottle. It was a too little bottle of alcohol, right? It’s a coke bottle with a hole on the cup to pour the alcohol. So then he grabs that and then he puts a,
he squeezed a sprint of alcohol in one of the cups and the thing is with alcohol and daylight you cannot see the flame it’s very very difficult to see yeah it’s blue blueish yeah so what happened is that the fire walked into the bottle
Jose Bernardo Herrera (14:39) Blueish.
Bye.
Federico Ramallo (14:47) And by the time I wanted to tell him, he’s like, you know, it was an accident, but, you know, it happened so fast that, you know, and then we were like, what do we do? What do we do? And in the desperation, we tip one of the glasses onto the table. So now we have, you know, in a matter of seconds, all the table flaming up, right? And the roof was, was paja, you know, was, you know, burnable, right?
So then we don’t know what to do. So we grab the bottle and then we shove it into a pile of sand. We’re thinking, well, it’s going to turn off, right? And then what happens is that it builds up pressure and then it’s boom, it explodes, right? It goes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (15:26) Yeah, physics, yeah. You don’t think about physics when you’re panicking. You’re like, ah, ah, ah.
Federico Ramallo (15:28) Yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah. eventually we turn it off, right? But it took us a while to figure out how, because again, we didn’t know what we doing. We were kind of desperate, right?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (15:41) That sense.
Federico Ramallo (15:42) This happened many years ago, he still remembers it and every time I see him, he remembers, like, you almost burned the ranch and the ranch was, you know, the ranch of a relative of one of our friends. So, you know, the uncle, so he still remembers me, right?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (16:00) Doesn’t the history
book? Yeah.
Federico Ramallo (16:04) Yeah,
I almost got banned. She replaced the roof with a sheet of metal now. And every time he sees me, like, don’t burn my ranch.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (16:14) Yeah, I bet that’s same thing.
Federico Ramallo (16:17) Yeah, So one of the things that I learned from the Mexican culture is the spices, the chiles. have some. There are so many variants of chiles. And they are spicy on different parts of the body. So that. And then the leche bronca or.
leche caliente or a pajarete, you know. Yeah, I love that as well. That’s something we don’t do in Argentina. Yeah. And then the mariachis, I love the mariachis. Yeah, it’s an,
Jose Bernardo Herrera (16:49) It’s a great culture.
Guadalajara has so much great culture that it is, it’s unprecedented that it comes out with all kinds of, and it’s Spaniard, of course, but it’s still, it’s a lot of fun. It’s just like party, party, party and have a great time. So I brought that back from to Corazon Musical and that’s how, but before Corazon Musical,
Federico Ramallo (17:09) Right.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (17:12) We used to do a lot of production and I was doing a lot of other stuff, right? But then Corazón Musical, it didn’t end, it’s just YouTube came in.
I don’t think it’s a mistake, but I was just not ready for it. And I was trying to… I was a broadcaster. had my degree. I had everything. I was ready. And then YouTube comes in and says a little kid with his little camera says, I can do a video. I was like, wait a minute, I’m a broadcaster. know, broadcast is not going to end. you know, bringing from the culture of Canal 6, Wallahara, Channel 4 and all those.
Well, you think that just to get that opportunity, right? You’re going to have, you know, like, I’m from Guadalajara. It’s the second biggest city in the world and it has all kinds of culture. I know that. YouTube comes in and we don’t follow YouTube. We just like, no, we’re broadcasters and look at where YouTube is right now. So put that little sense into you, because if I would have followed YouTube back in the days when it came in and we would put Corazón Musicale in, it would have been a different story.
and we would have a lot of culture because we did lot of… we did… we would travel to Cancun and… was going to be the second part of it that was going to be on YouTube.
Federico Ramallo (18:23) Right.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (18:29) which was we went first to Cancun, Aguascalientes, you know Aguascalientes, Feria San Marcos is like huge. And then we were gonna go to Tijuana, and then we had everything lined up and the local Department of Tourism was paying for everything, it was getting everything. We were having all access of everything back in the days before YouTube came in.
Federico Ramallo (18:49) well.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (18:51) So we were going in and we were getting, we just needed sponsorship of, you know, airline, which is Volaris and Mexicana. And I know Mexico sponsored us because we went to Mexico también, Mexico City. So we were, we were almost having Corazon Viajero almost up to…
But it didn’t work because ⁓ there’s a family issue, I mean, a family incident in my family. So I had to kind of like stop it and then I let everybody go and said, like, just do whatever you need to do, but just get it on. But when the captain is not in the boat, what happens? sinks. We couldn’t make it happen anymore. So when I came back. But Mexico has a lot of culture.
Federico Ramallo (19:26) Right.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (19:31) And that’s what I brought over here to California. And going back and forth, going back and forth, we needed that essential. there’s a lot. This is the word that need to that everybody has, like, you know, the Pajaretes that we’re talking about is nostalgia, nostalgic.
That’s what everybody wants to see. Because every time I go to Mexico, they’re like, you me tole? Meaning that it’s, you bring me, I don’t know what a tole is, but this drink that is from a farm that is, I don’t know, it’s cured or whatnot. But it’s something that you grew up with. Something like, for us, a Twinkie. For me, a Twinkie is like, wow. Or Lucky Charms or anything like that. Any brand of s***.
Golden Grounds because I grew up in United States but I went back to Ysuelja and then I went in. I’m going back and forth. So those are the nostalgic things that they miss and if I brought back to them then… So if I’m meeting Telemundo newscast that means I did something good and I have that page on there. So Mexico has a lot of things.
Federico Ramallo (20:32) Right.
The atole is like, I think it’s like liquid tortilla, right?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (20:38) I don’t like it, but they asked for me, can you bring it guess? ⁓ can you bring this? And they just want them, you know that and I remember my dad, you know from Zacatecas the cheese and every time we can try to get that cheese. I want to have it. ⁓ the cheese from the patchy. wow. And we eat it because we go from nostalgic because my dad used to give that to us. So when you’re in the United States and that.
Federico Ramallo (20:43) Yeah
Jose Bernardo Herrera (21:05) brings you the bread and butter and you understand that, then you can do commercials, you can do, and you’re bilingual, you can bring that essence to the outdoor or the public, the customers and all that stuff. So you need to understand that it’s like, if you hit that point, then you’ll be good. So the first time I worked with Telemundo, I did a commercial and it was one commercial that I did.
I shot it with the camera of the client on the weekend because it was a ranch and there was cows and going into horses and so on. And then I would edit in Telemundo. And that commercial made me explode. And everybody’s like, my God, that’s the best commercial in town. And they just repeated and reviewed. It lasted like three years on the air because it was the best one. And then we had to another one and another one and another one. So those are the things that I brought in.
from Mexico to the United States, from nostalgia, made things very precise of, I think, of what meal is right now, because meal production just brought a bunch of stuff from, how about we do this, it’s all in knowing the two cultures and combining. So then, if you understand and you’re…
Like, oh, yo no más soy de Argentina, ah, know, eso boludo, or something like that. Well, then you’re missing all the culture of Mexico, right? And you’re in Mexico, so you have to adapt, right? So I had to adapt, but I didn’t like banda, I didn’t like all kinds of other music that they play here. But then you have to adapt. That’s it. You’re in a different culture. You’re like surrounded by 32 other states here.
that is not just Jalisco. If I was saying Jalisco, then Mariachi, Mariachi and rock and Espanol, right? But then you come over here and now it’s Peso Pluma, it’s Banda, it’s Sinaloense, it’s Pacito Duranguense and all that stuff. So it’s about adapting and knowing where is the nostalgia so you can be successful with the clients that are coming in. And I think that’s what the point that we got.
and Corazón Musical because we’re aheading every single…
piece of the puzzle because we were just not the reports like, hi, we’re here in the arena and Vicente Fernandez is right behind us in the sold out. We would go in to the crowd and ask everybody’s like, hey, what is your best song of Vicente Fernandez and how long have you been a fan for him? And we would go into a cream outfit. you know, there’s this like rock and roll guys and we would go into everywhere, but we want to be the public.
not the reporters, we would go in and it was a lot of fun. It was a very lot of fun. I think it’s the part that we need to understand here is how did Corazón Musical brought in and this is 2003 to 2005 and that’s where we start growing. Because that gave us another opportunity to land in another deal that we had for entertainment and then we went on and on and on.
Federico Ramallo (24:01) Right, right, because, you know, way that I usually explain this to people, because people ask me, you know, like, ⁓ the meat is better in Mexico or in Argentina, you know, or things like that, right? Like who does better, whatever, right? And the way I explain it, you know, in particular with the meat, right? And I think that it applies for all the culture and the nostalgia, right? I can have dulce de leche from Argentina. That’s my nostalgia, right?
⁓ And I can try the dulce de cajeta, which is very common in Mexico. It’s the same. No, it’s not the same. It’s almost the same. It’s 90 % the same. But the nostalgic flavor, I get it from the dulce de leche in Argentina. Because it’s just different. Is one better than the other? No, it’s just different. That one resonates more with me. The same with the meat. I can eat an Argentinian steak, thick.
But I will not put sauce in it. How dare you put sauce into it, right? But then when I eat tacos, I have to eat them with sauce because that’s how you eat tacos, right? It doesn’t make any logical sense. is just what it is, So I can understand the nostalgia.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (25:09) You don’t put chimichurri
on your steak? I always put a little bit of chimichurri so I taste a little bit different.
Federico Ramallo (25:15) Yeah, yeah, we put chimichurri, yes. But chimichurri is a different sauce than the ones that they make in the Argentinian restaurants in Mexico. So I don’t call that chimichurri, but yeah.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (25:25) You’re cutting out.
Federico Ramallo (25:26) with the meat, the same thing happens. It’s like, if I have a Argentinian steak, no sauce. If I have Mexican tacos, I have to put them sauce, right? Because that’s how it is, right? So anyway, that’s my take.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (25:38) When you have a talk you have to
your finger up. Remember, you always have to have this finger up.
Federico Ramallo (25:41) Yeah
Yes, yes.
Otherwise, it falls apart. The taco falls apart.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (25:49) Yeah, you have to just hold it. It’s always this finger. Kind of like having a tea, know, like, you know, those British teas like, ⁓ how you do it? And it’s always just this fingers up. Same thing with the taco. We have to put this finger up and eat it like, So.
Federico Ramallo (25:57) you
Yes,
yes, and spread your legs because the sauce is going to fall out. Yeah, and I can understand how you can leverage your upbringing and your culture when you move to Mexico because the nostalgia factor is very important, right? When you go to Miranchito in the Bay Area, right? It’s a grocery store there.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (26:07) That’s how you go about it.
Federico Ramallo (26:28) When you go there, took a friend that he’s from a small town in Michoacan. And then he went there. He was like, I’m in Mexico again. Everything looks exactly the same. The music, the people, the smells, everything was exactly like in Mexico. So he was fascinated by that.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (26:47) There’s many many stores like that. One of our clients are the main chains that they have in California. And when you walk in, that’s what you want. This is, I know I can get, I don’t know about Tole. I mean, I can’t get Tejuino here. That’s another thing that I can’t get here. So when I go to Mexico, I always have my Tejuino. Or Pulque or whatever it is. I hear there’s certain things that you can’t find.
You know, like I opened up a restaurant for tortas ahogadas and it was fine, but you have to remember it’s just tortas ahogadas is just for tapatios. The Michoacanos not gonna eat them, Zacatecanos not gonna eat them, you know, other states. So you’re limiting yourself in just the one state. So it’s very competitive and very hard to get, just open up a, torta ahogadas. It was great because I had, you know, I had booze, I had everything else there.
but it was just not the right, you know, it was just so limited to that. Then we had to present tacos de canasta, tacos de all that stuff, you know? So it was still going because it had the same flavor of Guadalajara, but we have to go back and was like the sourdough bread is not the same because it’s only Guadalajara in San Francisco and it has…
Federico Ramallo (27:58) Right.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (28:00) I don’t know the latitude and the place and because it’s just not there that the bread is just like it’s just missing and so we had to go all the way to San Francisco or bring it from Guadalajara in a plane but then when by the time it gets here it’s like so it was it was a lot of um it was uh it was a six month good run but I was just like it’s not making enough money you know
So you have to see all these little details as like you have to be like tacos al pastor are very generic and you can sell asada, lengua, ceceo, atripas are always good here. So you’ll see a lot of those on the cuisine part of it and when you start seeing
the people from India going to taquerias is because of the pastor. You know that, right? Because the pastor comes from India. The sauce, yeah. The piña. Yeah, all that stuff. So when I saw a lot of people from India coming into tacos to eat just pastor, I was just like, is this regular? And then people are like, they love the pastor. was like, yeah.
Federico Ramallo (28:53) Really? Yeah, well, the the spoke. that’s Arab. Yeah.
Interesting.
And despite their their spices are different so we have
Jose Bernardo Herrera (29:15) No, no, because
I made a commercial for a pizza, Indian pizza. And it was so good. And it was almost like having a pizza al pastor. It had cilantro, chicken, and the salsa del pastor. And the guy, before I did the commercial, he got to try it. he was like, wait, wait, the pie, try it. was like, Jason, was like, this is ⁓ a pastor with chicken. And I was just like. So it’s something that is.
Federico Ramallo (29:24) Wow.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (29:39) So you just have to adapt to what the United States has and Mexico.
Federico Ramallo (29:45) Right. What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the US?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (29:49) discrimination. Yeah, I think it was because my name was, well, first of all, when we were up north, was my name was Joe because the big, know, when my dad worked here and all that stuff. So they had a big, didn’t have to, but it was just, you know, it was better to just believe me at Joe. And then I was Joe for a time, but my birth certificate says Jose Rafa. So then when I
Federico Ramallo (29:49) Sorry, discrimination.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (30:13) quit CBS and then I quit NBC and I said I want my roots back. I went to Univision and when I moved to work for Univision, I said I’m gonna put Jose back. I mean Bernardo because in Guadalajara my name is Bernardo but then over here in the United States, if you translate Bernardo, you’re like.
Bernardo and it’s like Bernardo and just like and it sounds very ugly and Your name is Bernardo. I was like no no just call me Jose So then I went back to Jose I changed my ID and everything like that. So I was Jose Jose Jose and then
It was totally different because if you think about it, if you’re so many cultures here, people were calling me up and say, hey, you didn’t do my lawn. You didn’t do this. And you have like you got the wrong Jose. And that’s why it was like a shocker that everybody thought that anybody that’s called Jose is a constructor or anybody from from.
⁓ Chef or anything like that. So that shot culture for me is it impacted me a lot So then I had to go out put up my picture get you know things ready is like no I’m the professional Jose and That’s where it made me a little bit difficult because I want to my name is not wrong, I didn’t choose Jose But nobody can call but now if you go to if I go to Guadalajara So there’s a lot there’s a lot of still
And I support every single way of… I’m a very big supporter because I went through that. And I’m… know, it’s… It’s not right. But it still exists. And I still get calls like, are you going to do my lawn today? Because you’re late. And I was like, no, this is Jose. Oh, I’m sorry. And then boom, they hang up. So that’s a big culture. mean, a culture for me because…
When I’m in line in the taqueria, it’s like, mira este pinche gringo no sabe que va a porque está viendo, you know, they go out in Spanish and I’m just like, hey, and I responded in Spanish and I was like, orale, where are from? And it’s like, from Mexico? It’s like, yeah, but where? From Jalisco, Malajara, Tapatilla, et cetera. And they don’t believe, you know, so that’s just because, you know, that shock that’s happening, they just don’t believe that, that, ⁓
There’s people like us, like Argentina, there’s a lot of white skin out there from your culture. So over here, that’s for me the most impacting and that drew me back a lot, like a lot. Because they thought that Jose is just a…
Mexican that doesn’t have education, doesn’t have anything, that doesn’t have blah blah blah. Which is fine, you know, but there’s some people here that they do have. There’s teachers here, there’s a lot of engineers, there’s a lot of big big big heavy guys out here and they’re not just the farm workers or the the dishwashers or the constructors and all that stuff.
We’re even with, they just don’t see the level of the ones that are educating all that stuff. So they blended in and they assumed that everybody is the same. So that is really, really what I had to fight for just to get to my position. And in February, I’m gonna turn 25 years on my meal production. So that means something for 25 years.
Federico Ramallo (33:33) Yes, yes, that means that you’re being successful with a company which is no small feat. It’s actually a great achievement. Yeah. But I can see how people in the US would put you in that box of Jose the Gardener.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (33:49) Yeah, it’s a bubble song. that’s
best. Yeah, that’s a big cult. That’s what’s a big impact for me that it was just I said no, no, but yeah, literally.
Federico Ramallo (33:57) Right. I mean, here in Mexico, I’ve seen a little bit of classism, right? But not racism, right? Yeah, I mean, but it’s mostly the issue that the… Because what I’ve seen in Argentina is that people from lower class to higher class, they are all culturally very well-educated, right? They…
Jose Bernardo Herrera (34:04) ⁓ yeah.
Federico Ramallo (34:19) They like theater, like classical music. There’s so many cultures, right? Because a lot of people came, were immigrants from Italy, some from Germany. So the culture is very diverse and rich. And what I’ve seen here in Mexico is that you have different cultures depending on which social structure you are, right? So, you know,
middle and higher class, they have a culture than lower class don’t. So most of the lower class would not go to theater. And there is exceptions, of course, but it’s not something they’re interested in. And they have different social dynamics. But I haven’t seen people being treated different by their color of the skin.
Mostly they’re treated different when they present themselves as being of a different social class, right? Because what happens is that people are lower social class, they are less studied, so maybe they’re not engineers, right? And that creates this feeling of, ⁓ then you’re not educated enough to understand something, right? So that creates, I’ve seen that
barrier here in Mexico, right? But not people being disrespectful to one another. It’s just that they talk about different topics, right? So I have friends that run companies. And when they talk with their employees that are coming from a lower social class, I can see how they
talk differently, right? They talk about different things, right? And when they talk with other people, they talk differently, right? Because they adapt to the different situations of these people, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there is a big differentiation on salaries as well. Anyway, sorry, I diverse a little bit on that, but yeah. But I haven’t seen racism as I’ve seen in the US, right? Yeah.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (36:17) Yeah,
this is sad.
Anyways So let me tell you after Corazon Musical, Neo Productions started and then went on just to finish the I’ve been in magazines. I’ve been in newspapers local newspapers As a company all that stuff, But I think one of the best and the shocker and the move and this is my my new
adventure is to go into billboards. So I met this guy that has billboards all over California and he sees and he tells me and he goes and just like I think you’re the right fit because you know the industry you know this this and that and I need somebody that has you young blood young but
He gives me this job and I was like, you all need a run for it? Like, yeah. So it takes me three to four months just to get it. And I had no idea. I went to a conference and there’s not one Latino or Mexican or whatnot. There’s only one Filipino, one African-American or…
I can’t even say that. And then it was me and everybody was like, so then I start talking and I moved in and nobody knows about this industry and it starts to spread the word out. It’s like,
Jose Bernardo is not working on the industry of this. It’s like, are you kidding me? How did he get that job? And it’s like, well, you know how he does everything. So if we go back from meal productions, para su musica, meal productions, doing entertainment, and now doing billboards, and between 25 years of business, but it’s just…
It’s just the thing that it’s like you have to adapt to every single thing and just start learning. So right now the industry at Billboard is something that nobody knows in the Hispanic business.
And even though, and you’ll see it from here on when you go to Guadalajara, there’s a lot of ones that says sensuals and there’s a lot of ones that they don’t have. So it’s a big industry that a lot of people don’t get into. It’s kind of like a secret, you know, business that they have and nobody gets into it, but it’s a lot of lucrative. So I’m at the point right now, I’m looking for people that want to invest in Mexico or somewhere else because they’re start selling me.
Federico Ramallo (38:17) Yes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (38:36) billboards that it’s it’s easy to sell because you have bean bowl you have all kinds of other you know people that they just want to put their names just all about branding you know Coca-Cola all those big guys out there
So when I go down to Mexico this month, I’m going to try knocking on doors to see if they are interested in selling me some billboards. And if you want some, you and I, Fede Nico, can be partners if you want. So it’s a really nice business to start with. And it’s very, very interesting company.
So then that’s where I’m at right now on the whole thing.
Federico Ramallo (39:09) That’s very interesting,
Jose Bernardo Herrera (39:12) So we started with Corazón Musicales. think it was a sport that because Mio Productions started Corazón Musicales. So if you want to think about Corazón, Mio Productions is the umbrella. And then I have several other things. had a hosting, had websites, I had all that stuff. But the end one, I think it’s I left everything on the side Mio Productions and then I did it myself in Adco, Billboards, Outdoors, which is right now. It’s amazing. It’s been it’s been
Shockers like learning curve because I had tequila’s I had you know my acroba I had all kinds of other stuff that I trying to develop and you’re like you’re when I tell her but you’re starts shooting things until it sees what happens and what hits you know, so the billboard business is really is really interesting and maybe on the next Podcast that we have we’ll go into more details about this ⁓ but
Federico Ramallo (40:02) Yes, that will be interesting.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (40:03) The
tequila that we have is like we had 12 flavors I was going to import it and it’s not the tequila but it was a fused tequila 14 % alcohol. That didn’t work because Mexico wasn’t ready but
You have to invest a lot of money. You have to change it. So there’s a lot of interesting things, but it’s just I think from my conclusion is just you have to adapt everywhere you go, but you can make things happen. It’s just it’s just that you have to learn what’s what’s coming up. And it’s going to take you a little bit of time. But if the goal is over here and you know that you’re going to make it like that, you’re interested. It’s like, you want to make this happen. I think it’s just.
You gotta learn, because I have no idea about the billboards and I learned and I went to conferences, I went all this stuff. And at that point, I know everything about billboards now and I can run any business that is a billboard business. can take over, yeah, bro, I’ll take care of this. So I think it’s just being precise and just adapt to what you’re adding into.
into your life of business, the leadership of that.
Federico Ramallo (41:11) Interesting, yeah, I heard something related to this. People are talking about these, they call it boring business, but I don’t think they’re boring, but the idea of these businesses that has been run for people that are getting old now that they want to retire and they need somebody fresh blood to…
pursue continue the business right. I’ve seen that for Landram ads for you know some chain or restaurant chains you know things like that that they are getting old and they are not finding suitable people that could take over the business right. So I’m happy to hear that you’re able to do that with with Avco.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (41:38) Right.
Yeah, well, I think in this
case and going back in, I think I didn’t mention that, but you got a good point. So ADCO has been with on 60 years, right? They’ve been in business for six years, but it was all family operator, right? And then I think there’s a word I don’t remember right now, but you favor the cousin, the uncle to take the position instead of bringing somebody that’s capable and more.
that can execute better the job but they go by families or friends and some of that and there’s a word out there but I keep clicking it so this is what’s been happening for maybe 55 years the sister took over the owner and then the friend of the friend of her friend but they have no idea about all this stuff so when they
got me in, I started doing all kinds of changes, I started doing all this stuff and it started working and everybody started making more money and we’re just like, everybody’s like, what the hell is this happening? And this is Jose, like yeah. And so it’s bringing the young blood.
Federico Ramallo (42:53) Yeah
Jose Bernardo Herrera (42:59) and somebody out of the circle of trust if you want to call it and just say like, alright you have a challenge you got six months to one year to prove to us that this is going to work out and we’re like okay so I’m on my I think I’m on my ninth month or tenth is coming up so
Federico Ramallo (43:17) Nice, nice.
⁓
Jose Bernardo Herrera (43:19) That’s very important
to do. The young blood that you’re bringing in, just like the owner wants to retire. He doesn’t want to know about it, but he needs to know that if somebody’s going to take over his little baby for 60 years, know?
Federico Ramallo (43:30) Yes, yes. that’s the thing. It becomes something so personal that it’s hard to let go, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the… ⁓
Jose Bernardo Herrera (43:36) Yeah, gotta build trust,
gotta build numbers, sell, sell, sells, and a lot of complications because there’s a lot of history in this company that’s unraveling. So you have to take care of every single thing. So that’s my biggest challenge on this one.
Federico Ramallo (43:41) Bye.
Yeah, and the resistance for change because we’ve been doing it this way. no, no, but I wanted to do it this way, right? Whatever change it is, right? No, no, but we’ve been doing it this way. you know, look, the cousin is going to get angry, but what is the point of bringing a new CEO if they are not going to allow you to make changes? Right. So. ⁓
Jose Bernardo Herrera (44:01) yeah.
That’s
a really, really hard decision. That’s a good point we haven’t talked about, but yeah, that’s one of my biggest struggles right now.
Federico Ramallo (44:24) Yes, yes, and the.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (44:26) is having
that my way or the highway is like no I just adapt to what they want but I’m improving I think it’s a word improving better strategies to make sure that everything runs smoothly because
that guy and this guy needs to connect so I don’t have to micromanage both of them so they can take care of it. So I get that one away. Now I’m gonna focus on more and more. So there’s a couple things that I’m, know, it hasn’t been done in 15 years. I was like, why not? I was like, I don’t know. So like, no.
Federico Ramallo (44:58) Right, right. Because it’s
this entanglement of egos, right, that then the structure gets solidified and we’re doing this way because whatever agreement these two guys got or whatever, right, you know, I’m talking without knowing, so probably I’m wrong, but usually that’s what happens, right? And then it’s not about, you know, again, it’s not about your ego, it’s about what is the best for the business, right?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (45:04) Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
Federico Ramallo (45:24) ⁓
And that’s, hard, that, is a hard pill to swallow for, for, for, you know, family that has been working in a company for so many years. Right. And they were, they were able to get away with, with one particular way because they’re casting or whatever. Right. And yes, I can see that fight is. Yeah.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (45:34) Bye.
But
you know what’s the most delicate part of any business is the finance.
Federico Ramallo (45:48) Yes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (45:48) They
don’t want you to know the numbers. don’t want you to know how much they’re receiving, how much collecting, how much involved, how much is going on, what’s coming in, what’s coming out. They just want you to run and to just to make more sales and to lower your budget. they have all these, know, so the most delicate part of it is this finance and I’m good at finance too. So, but I don’t want to get involved with it. I’m just like, I want to, that would be too much, you know, but there’s certain areas, you know, project management.
Federico Ramallo (46:11) Hehehe.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (46:16) manager, operation manager and all that other, you know.
little departments that you have to understand that you have to have somebody and I told my I was talking about the owner a couple of days like you have to orchestrate all the pieces of the business and if you don’t have somebody to orchestrate all that you won’t have a music ballad because they don’t know what to do because there’s so many in the orchestra that you cannot
put it precisely like, all now I need the drum, now I need the flutes, now I need the violins and stuff like that. So it’s very important to have the CEO in charge and have the mind of every single aspect knowing that what’s going on. So that’s how I.
Federico Ramallo (46:59) The
way that I learn about that, because there is this book called the E-Myth, the entrepreneur myth, right? And why most startups fail, right? And in summary, spoiler alert, but one of the things that they talk about is this idea of business process, So document the workflow and the process so you can delegate the task to the lowest,
lowest employee possible, right? Or lowest, you know, in hierarchy possible, right? And in order to do that, you need to describe, you need to design decisions in the process, right? So that way, you know, the lowest skilled employee can follow them, right? And you give them the criteria and they follow them. So you don’t need the founder to be there for every single decision. So, but that takes, you know,
Jose Bernardo Herrera (47:27) Thank
Federico Ramallo (47:50) takes time to develop those processes, right? And if you don’t do that, what happens is that, you you were talking about the restaurant, how far can a restaurant grow? You know, the first limiting factor is going to be, you know, demand, right? Which is, you know, that’s a reality, but if you have enough demand, then if you are a solo, you know, a solo owner, know, is Jose’s restaurant, how far can it grow? How much, you know,
how much your hands can go, right? And if you’re sick one day, the whole operation stops, right? So if everything depends on you as a founder, then you don’t have a company, have a job, right? So how can you make the company work without you being there, right? And that’s where the business process coming.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (48:36) That’s funny because now that you mentioned that was Corazon Mujicar, there was a couple, I had to hire somebody to check what was going on because we couldn’t compile. were growing so fast that we had no idea where was the mistake. So I hired somebody, Maria.
And I was like, I want you to interview everybody and I want to know what’s the problem. And I want, you know, all the stuff I need to know. Why is it we’re not because we’re sound grow good, but all of a it just went, you know, and when I say my special effects is because it just started to deteriorate because we’re starting to have problems and they’re not listening and they were confused. So then Maria comes back to me and this is like, well.
I came back with the conclusion and the results and this is what I say. And then it’s like, why? And he was like, it’s you and Nancy Rosales. And we’re like, I was shocked. And I was like, and Nancy Rosales was my partner producer. I was a director, a partner.
I was like, what do mean? It’s like, yeah, so they have two bosses and you guys are not making your own. Nancy’s doing one thing and you’re doing something. So they don’t know who to follow. And I was like, are you kidding me? It’s like, yeah, it’s not the people below you. It’s you two on top of everything. And that’s when I got the shock and I was just like.
Alright, I’m macro managing. So this like, alright, so what is your suggestion? What do you want me to do? Do want me to like just leave everything to the producer or tell the producer that you’re going to be in charge of every single detail. I’m like, no, I don’t want that. I need to run the company here. I need to get, you know, all these other stuff ready, know, sales, that I was like, well, then just leave it to Nancy and she will take care of the crew. I was like.
because I would say something and then Nancy would say something and then, well, Jose told me this and, but Nancy was like, no, no, you do it this way. And it was just all, and that’s why it kind of like combines together. So then we fixed it. So it was, it was very, very, very uncomfortable knowing that you’re the one that has to fault. Like, why I’m paying you, you got to tell me I’m right. And like, no, I’m just wondering.
Federico Ramallo (50:45) Hahaha!
Jose Bernardo Herrera (50:46) So it’s like, now you’re like, well, yeah, you got a point. There’s nothing that’s like I can do to fix this except for just to let it go, you know? So there’s certain things.
Federico Ramallo (50:47) it
It’s hard, it’s hard to let go. Yes, I’ve been there. And the thing is, when you’re running the company, you have to have this stubbornness of, we gotta do this thing this way because I know that’s going to work, but also the sensitivity to understand like, you know, what is going on, right? And it’s hard. Yes, yes. it, yeah.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (51:16) I just gotta let it go. Have everybody do their own department. And I learned that
in 2003 or 2004. And since then, I was like, that’s why right now it’s like you talk to this guy, this guy on the side. I don’t have to worry about that. That’s your job. Let me work myself out.
Federico Ramallo (51:34) And once you understand that getting into another organization, then you can make the changes to create the similar processes, right? Yes. I’m doing something similar. My wife is the co-founder of my company and she’s the CFO and she takes care of all the batches and finances and all that because, know, yeah. Yes, yes.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (51:41) Right?
And they’re good. Women are good on the money side. They’re good in
spending. They’re good to save too. But they make money. I don’t know how they do it, yeah, women are really precise. Yes.
Federico Ramallo (52:02) Yeah.
And she set me the limits, know, this is your budget, this is what you, you know, this is what you gotta do, this is what you have to report me, you know, all that. you know, and she’s doing great on that. Yeah.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (52:10) Yeah. ⁓
Women are great for that one. They’re too expensive though, right? You have to buy a new You have to give them another ring. At the end you have to give them so they can start working more more and more. They’re really precise in saving money and knowing that you don’t overspend. I think that’s one of the key parts of
Federico Ramallo (52:17) the
Hahaha
Jose Bernardo Herrera (52:34) And when somebody owes me money, I said, hey, can you help me on this one? It’s like, hey, you owe us money. They pay us right away, you know, because I don’t have the heart for it. You know, like you me money. ⁓ yeah, I’ll pay you tomorrow. then tomorrow comes and tomorrow comes and tomorrow. And we don’t get paid. And I said. female, they’re like, hey, is it today or today and we get paid today? So.
Federico Ramallo (52:41) Yeah.
And at least in Mexico, this happened in Argentina too, but I’ve seen in Mexico is…
Women can be a little bit more rude to men than men, right? So they can push them a little bit more and, you know, be rude, say, hey, you owe me money, you know, you have to pay now, right? But if, and most of men are going to be okay with that because they see, you know, they have a similar dynamic with their mothers, right? So, you know, they get scolded by their mother. So they kind of get, accept that. But if another man says the same thing,
Jose Bernardo Herrera (53:06) Yes, of course.
Federico Ramallo (53:27) Oh, it’s going to be trouble, right? It’s going to be a fight, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (53:29) Yeah, well good. Well,
our offices in Guadalajara, my cousin, you know, does the operation and Claudia, her wife, is the one that is in charge of finance and the CFO. Same thing like I think you are doing. And money’s coming in and everything’s good. So.
It’s a perfect, I think it’s a perfect ⁓ business model if you have a family operated company because she’s going to look over you no matter what. And if it’s a different person, I don’t think they’ll like, just pay, pay, pay, pay and whatever, receive, receive. But that is the most interesting part is that it’s her interest because of her sons and daughters and all that stuff.
Having a wife as a CFO, you nailed it.
Federico Ramallo (54:15) Yes,
yes, she’s great. She’s great.
So we’re running out of time. Do you have any last remarks before we wrap it up?
Jose Bernardo Herrera (54:23) Well, I think this is a message to other people out there because I always help out and I’d love to help out other, you know, like.
All my employees that I had in the past if I call them up right now, they’ll come back and work for me It’s just a circumstance and everything like that But you know being a boss and being a leader is something different and you just have to know about you know Connecting with people say like hey, come on guys and From what I learned from my being by myself or being my own without the corporate world
Federico Ramallo (54:37) nice.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (54:54) It’s ⁓ that I think your team is more important, like for you, your wife and stuff like that. So you have to build a team and not hiring employees. That’s one of my things that I think I’ve been successful with is that I know that my team will get my back and will do extra for me without even asking me. So as long as you have a team with you,
It does all the finance, does the production, it the graphics, it does all that stuff.
everything else is going to be, you’re going to elevate faster. So I think that’s one of my biggest accomplishments that I’ve done with Corazón Musical and with Mio Productions. We started with two guys, Fredo and me, and we were just trying it. And he’s still with me and we still talk. And then I hired and we grew to 26. And then we went to Mio and then Adco and all that stuff. So it’s always trying to build a team.
because Lionel Messi, needs a team to make goals, right? So we need a team to make sure that if he doesn’t make it, then we have somebody else who makes the goals. It’s just like a soccer team. And we need a coach, and for being a CEO, I guess I’m the coach, and I just need to have all my…
My soccer player is just making sure that they’re happy so we can win the not that game, but the World Cup, you know, by the way, it’s coming in. so yeah. And here we have Levi. So I’m going to go back and forth. So that’s my end of the part. So that’s, think it’s just, you need to be a, not a boss, be a leader and you have the ability.
Federico Ramallo (56:16) Yes, I am Guadalajara. Yeah, I am… Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s going to be fun.
Yes, yes. So, right.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (56:35) That’s my conclusion.
Federico Ramallo (56:36) Great, awesome. Thank you, Jose, for joining us today.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (56:38) Thank you, Federico. This is great. We get more and I got more stories about every single details. I got a lot of more people that they want to talk about the birria balls and I got a bunch of all kinds of other stuff that it’ll be interesting talking about because this is an infusion of business and if we grow together, it’s all about networking. you don’t know about this? Like, no. And I’ll tell you and you know, like what’s birria balls? Well, you just put a birria ball, you sunk it in, you put me, you put water and you have birria.
Now you have to cut it. No, no, no, not anymore. And it’s good. So there’s a lot of things out there that they want me to run that company and they’re giving me 20%. I was like, no, no, no, I don’t have time for that right now into the food industry. But I’ll consider it a little bit later. A lot of things we have to talk about, Fadi. Well, thank you very much for having me again. And I have to say that. And we’ll see you soon.
Federico Ramallo (57:22) Right. Interesting.
Yes, yes, thank you.
Jose Bernardo Herrera (57:32) Right.
All right.