Jump and a Net Will Appear, A Founder’s Story with Victor Garcia

Victor Garcia, is a well-known speaker, entrepreneur, and ice cream connoisseur. As a finance and accounting major at the University of Texas at Dallas, Victor began his career working in accounting and sales, until he realized he was unfulfilled in these roles. Victor now owns Sol Dias, an ice cream shop specializing in the flavors of Mexico.

I was born in Jalisco, Mexico. When I was around the age of three, my mom sent me down the street to buy Canela (cinnamon) from the market. Up to this point, I only knew Canela as a warm tea. When the shop owner handed me cinnamon sticks, I ran back home crying to tell my mom what had happened. “I asked for Canela but he just gave me these sticks” I cried. I think the story depicts my childhood well. Independent, learning life with mom, and stubborn. My mom says I insisted that I go to the market alone. I grew up in a very small town, everyone knew each other so going down the street for eggs every morning as part of life. Mom and I then move to LA to join my dad. The first place we moved into was a garage in Compton, CA. I have great memories of our time there, two new brothers who took their first steps there, and still remember the joy on our faces when my dad would bring us pizza every Monday. The school was close so every morning we would walk. Every Saturday, we would go to my aunt’s house to play with our cousins and do laundry. From a young age, I learned that if I wanted something I had to save up money and get it. My first big purchase was a PlayStation, I was so excited and proud I had saved $300 to be able to afford it with a handful of games.

I always knew entrepreneurship was my calling. After an awful busy season at the accounting firm, I quit and threw myself into opening Sol Dias. I had enough savings to survive a year if the business did not make it. It was a great decision, had I thought about it too much, I would’ve seen all the ways the business was going to fail.

Trust your people if you want to make something truly great. You can’t do it alone.