After years working in a nonprofit
organization, Patricio took a step of faith toward his dream of running his own
business. With constant guidance and
mentoring from Carlos, a leader in the Cuenca affiliate of Partners Worldwide,
Patricio learned business skills, evaluated the market for pizzerias, tried
countless sauces, dough recipes, and ingredients, and finally open the doors of
a pizzeria in a residential area that lacked restaurant options. He had invested over five months of planning,
and his business was already growing when we visited Pizza Nostra a mere two months after
the restaurant's grand opening.
When we arrived, Carlos went back behind the
counter to help Patricio, his wife, and their two workers finishing up
appetizers of veggies and buffalo wings.
Pizza and lasagna soon followed, the latter being a new option Patricio
is adding to the menu. While the
restaurant is still in its initial stages, Patricio has large plans for its
growth. Eventually he would like to make
Pizza Nostra a franchise with locations all over Cuenca and beyond. He is already training a nephew who hopes to
eventually run a restaurant, and Patricio is taking steps to differentiate his
product, such as offering a seafood pizza with shrimp, crab, and fish. From talking with customers, Patricio knows
that there are small improvements to make, but he is on the right track. He already has many repeat customers, and
with Carlos' continued mentoring he looks forward to implementing daily
improvements in the business.
