Hey! So nice to speak with you! Can you tell our readers a little bit more about yourself? Where are you originally from and where do you live now?

Hello, my name is Francisco Balseca. I am originally from Mexico City, Mexico. I moved to Los Angeles 13 years ago with my entrepreneurial family. I grew up seeing both my parents involved in family business roles, both in Mexico and in the US, so you could say owning a business was in my DNA!

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now?

I love LA because you can drive 30 minutes and arrive at your favorite beach, or hill to hike, where you’ll most likely get a parking ticket. Jokes aside, I think what makes LA amazing is the different worlds you can visit just by crossing cities, more specifically when you go into the local restaurants of each corner of the county. LA is a great city for people interested in the world of food, so I am grateful my parents brought me here.

Tell us a little bit more about what your company does and how it started? How does it help your customers?

Huatl began because I saw a need for marketing consulting at a smaller scale. Big agencies are too often concerned with big brands, and the small guys are left without decent marketing help. So with my love for cooking, cultures, and family businesses, I decided to dive into the food service industry. My business offers 3 things: marketing consulting, content creation for social media, and public relations at a microlevel—-specifically to restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries. My desire is to make a living off of this, and to help family businesses thrive and send their kids to good colleges. When I see my clients, I see my parents. So I really take to heart every client I take on.

If someone wants to start a business, what's advice that will help them?

I would tell them it's going to require an attentive ear, consistent research of the market they are trying to go into, adaptability to shift perspectives, and to save up because there will be expenses. Surrounding yourself with people within the industry you want to tackle will help. That way they can guide, or even recommend you. All in all, I would say you must balance reality with your dreams, and never let one tip or else you might fall.

What was one feedback from a happy customer/client that you won't forget about?

Goki Cafe really appreciated me respecting their family story and culture while I promoted them. That’s really the secret to marketing: if the brand isn’t speaking, people won’t want to walk in and buy something. As marketers we get caught up with what we think and want to say, but in reality we should listen to the market and give the people what they want: authenticity and a reason to come back.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see Huatl Marketing Consulting in the next 5 years not only as a marketing firm helping the restaurant scene in LA, but also as a trusted agency that helps Hispanic food and drink brands have a curated social media image, and a public relation presence. Consistency for any brand is key. I want to facilitate that for restaurant or brand owners wanting to tackle brand awareness in Los Angeles.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

“Social Media is the only marketing strategy a restaurant needs.” I have come to learn that a brand is pushed daily and in different ways. You post stories on Instagram, great! But are the cleaner’s employees across the street regulars? That is where I come in.

What has been one of your biggest struggle building your business and how did you deal with it?

Perhaps narrowing down my clientele. Even though there is a restaurant in every corner, not all have a marketing budget, and/or see the value in someone wanting to help bring more customers in. So my focus is now on family restaurant chains, or places that have the vision for local marketing.

What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

My favorite athlete is Rafa Marquez, he is a Mexican soccer player who made history with the Mexico national team, and is now the second coach for the national team. I liked him because he played defense like I did once upon a time, and he is just a great leader overall. In terms of music, one of my first favorite bands was Maroon 5, but now I listen to more music in Spanish.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

I would have to say my family, they have been supportive of everything I have set out to do. It goes beyond believing in me. It’s a mutual understanding in our family that whoever puts an idea on the table, that person will do it and we will all support it no matter what.

Where can our readers follow your work or learn more about your upcoming projects?

My business instagram is a great place to see the work I’m passionate about, and my website features examples of my food content as well as breakdown information for anyone interested in Huatl’s services. https://www.instagram.com/huatl_marketing/ https://www.huatlmarketing.com/