Félix Medina - Founder, El Capitán | Made in America
The following is the transcript of an interview between Sergio Muñoz and Félix Medina
Sergio: How do you identify?
Félix: I was born in Mexicali but my hometown is Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. I am a Mexican immigrant.
Sergio: Tell me about your childhood home at 16YO?
Félix: Two floors, a big pine tree that my brother and I planted. The house has a pale gray color. We built a high fence so that our dalmatian, Willy, couldn’t escape. A driveway for two cars. It was a private neighborhood, gated community. 2 1/2 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms. I lived there with my mom and dad and my older brother and my older sister.
Sergio: What do you think was your personal socio-economic position at the age of 16YO?
Félix: It was not something I thought about it. I was fixated on my youth. I definitely identified as middle class. Juarez was a very diverse city. I had friends that had homes made of metal sheets and cardboard. I also had friends that had farms and had big companies. I had exposure to both sides and it was easy to identify. I also had a lot of exposure to El Paso because my dad was an entrepreneur bringing semi trucks from Juarez to El Paso. We were crossing the border on a daily basis. My dad was a great bridge for this type of international business. My mother sacrificed her career as a teacher when my dad’s business got big. She saw that she was more needed at home when the business was booming.
Sergio: This concept of being a bridge between two cultures seems to have made a big impact on you. Is that right?
Félix: Definitely. I think it started when I got obsessed with American cartoons. Thundercats, Silverhawks, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, GI Joe, I loved them. I loved the language. I was so eager to learn everything about the American culture. I thought they were so cool. I collected all the figures.
Sergio: What was expected of you at the age of 18?
Félix: To start my college education and to take a seat at my father’s business. At the time, he had 15 full time employees and a nice size fleet. I had to start with the delivery people and to understand the business from the ground floor up. I attended college at the Universidad Autonoma in Juárez. You could see El Paso from the campus across the river. I got my degree in 2006.
Sergio: What is your immigrant story?
Félix: In my second year of college, I met a foreign exchange student at the same college. She was from a tiny town in Indiana called Martinsville. I fell in love with her, redhead, freckles, blue eyes, and I acted like her guide and protector. We married and moved to Indiana. Indiana and the state of Chihuahua have a lot of similarities. Especially in business. It may not be the most appealing place but they make up for it in their open-ness and flexibility in their culture. They love to learn and they are always open for business. They call it Hoosier Hospitality. We are good people.
Sergio: You consider yourself a Hoosier?
Yes, I have skin in the game. I am a Mexican Hoosier. And I have a daughter that was born in Indiana.
Sergio: Tell us about the home where you live today….
Félix: Greenery in the front, a nice flower bed, bushes, nice mulch, flowers, a pathway to the main door. One story without a basement. It does have an attic. It has a nice cantaloupe color. It’s in a quiet neighborhood with a beautiful backyard with access to a pond. I do a lot of my decisions and introspection at this pond. It is a 2 bedroom and 2 bath.
Sergio: Do you have a perspective on prosperity?
Félix: I define it as a combination of a balance between wealth, health and good experiences. This makes for prosperity and happiness.
Sergio: Who do you think is doing better, Félix at 16 or Félix today?
Félix: When it comes to business and growth, Félix today has so many opportunities. When it comes to health, we are about the same. Perhaps Mexico has better health options for me. When it comes to experiences, they are about the same. I recently went to Mexico so I think it’s a hard question to answer.
Sergio: If you are representative of being a Latino entrepreneur in the United States and what it is that you contribute to the US economy….
Félix: I think it’s a very specific spot to be in because at El Capitán we primarily help companies understand audiences that they do not understand. Just existing is an act of rebellion. Even before the southwest was a part of the US, even from those times, Mexicans have never been recognized. The fact that I have created this company to help them communicate with a 4 trillion dollar purchasing power, we are important. In 30 years, we will be 50% of the population. The majority of our prospects still don’t understand that but fortunately we have clients that do understand.
#Intelatin #Media #USHBC #ElCapitán #FIFA
Sergio’s Long Form Interview | Félix’s LinkedIn
Sergio C. Muñoz is a Mexican banker writing on Latina/o Prosperity. His work has been featured in the US Hispanic Business Council; Caló, the Los Angeles Times, the OC Register, PBS, NPR, WNYC, Revista - Harvard Review of Latin America, Studio 360, Latino Leaders Magazine, Poder Hispanic, Animal Político & ¿México Cómo Vamos?
To support my work, please consider purchasing a sample of salt from our sponsor, Santa Prisca & Co: https://bit.ly/Intelatin - Many years ago, I studied the salt exchange with Jing Tio at Le Sanctuaire. I have also done special projects with the artisans cultivating in the Sea of Cortez and the Pangasinan region. This year, after a tasting menu with the CEO of Santa Prisca, hand harvested by salineros in Cuyutlán, Colima, Mexico, I am using this salt exclusively for all my high profile culinary tasting events.
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