Debbie Medina-Gach

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back, everyone, to the Tron podcast. This is your host, Rashad Woods. Today I have a very special guest today, a entrepreneur, business owner in Arizona by way of Chicago, and very compelling story to tell. Debbie Medina Gage. Thank you very much. [00:00:13] Speaker B: He's so nice to meet you. Thank you for the invite. I'm excited. Let's get started. [00:00:18] Speaker A: I'm pumped. You know, you have a lot of conference. I had to write them down. So first of all, you're. You're a business owner, Women, minority owned with business owner, founder of Senor Ria Tequila. I'm very excited. Well, first of all, where that name come from? [00:00:29] Speaker B: Well, senor Rio means Mr. River, and it's dedicated to my father, his nickname, and it stems from my maiden name, Rivera. [00:00:38] Speaker A: Got it. [00:00:38] Speaker B: So instead of Senor Rivera, it was Senor Rio. And so my late husband and I, who founded the company, decided to dedicate it to my dad because it's a family process that he showed us. Three generations old. So that's kind of how the name came to be. [00:00:51] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah, that's one of those things I was very curious about. So please tell us more about the company. And you're the CEO of Jalisco International Import. Is that the company that is in charge of the parent company of your tequila company? [00:01:04] Speaker B: Yes. So the brand is Senor Rio Tequila, and the corporation is Jalisco International Imports, which owns the brand. [00:01:11] Speaker A: I butchered that. [00:01:12] Speaker B: And it was founded by myself and my late husband, Jonathan. He'd be here, but unfortunately he passed seven years ago. And you know, cancer does not discriminate. So he's watching from above. And so the tequila is really a labor of love. And as I mentioned a few moments ago, it's dedicated to my dad, Senorio. So we decided to bring it to the marketplace and started selling one bottle at a time. And it was May 2009. So actually, 16 years this tequila has been out there, but only available at Total Wine and More stores. I don't know if you've been inside a Total Wine and More store, but it's a huge retail store. Almost like a Toys R Us for adults. [00:01:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:01:51] Speaker B: All different types of liquors. [00:01:52] Speaker A: No, I haven't been inside of one. But I saw that on one of your previous podcasts that you episodes that you were doing when you were doing that and talking about your book. And you also have. I have various questions about this. First of all, how did you actually get into, you know, tequila making? And obviously, more importantly, condolences for your late husband as well too. [00:02:10] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:02:11] Speaker A: Of course. [00:02:11] Speaker B: Thank you. Well, that's why the book is out now, because people would always ask me, hey, debate, how'd you get in the tequila biz? Because, you know, most brands come from a big corporate boardroom or they are celebrity owned, endorsed. And this is not. This is a tequila that's really born out of family, born out of love and on a shoestring. So I got in the business because I had gone down to Mexico to see my father, who I had not seen in 30 years. And Jonathan and I traveled to see him, almost like a little family reunion. And. And during that visit, he pulled out a bottle of tequila. No label, very simple bottle. And we started drinking it with him. It brought us together because tequila has a funny way of helping you connect more and talk more. And he explained how he was making this tequila. It was a family process that went back three generations, and it was just for family and close friends and never had the means or desire to bring it to the marketplace. And so Jonathan and I had the craziest idea because it was all natural. And, you know, back then, it wasn't a lot of all natural tequilas. And so when we came back to Arizona, where we live, we just thought, what if. What if we could follow this process? And we kind of created our baby, we called it. And the book, One Bottle at a Time, A true love story. 50 Tequila craft cocktails tells the story. So I bring you on the journey of the very beginning, and each story is crafted with a beautiful cocktail. So we like to say you can mix it up as you turn your pages, have a cocktail or two, and enjoy the ride, because it has been quite a roller coaster of ups and downs, as you can imagine, as a business owner. [00:03:51] Speaker A: Oh, of course. Listen, you know, I've always. I've said this to numerous guests, like, I'm not smart enough or intuitive enough to create what you all do. I'm just fortunate enough to be able to talk to the people who are the real creators, you know, I really am, you know, because it requires the dedication, the lonely nights, you know, the taste test. How did you. Now you're making a tequila, and obviously it's a family affair, you know, from generations of children. But you also have to get outside people to say, because you may think it tastes great, right? You know, just like, I'm a terrible cook, but I think I'm the best cook in the world. Right? So how did you. How did you end up getting enough samples to where this was viable enough to go to the market? How does that process work. [00:04:30] Speaker B: A lot of hard work. So, you know, when we were creating our baby, we'll call it Rio, it was, you know, designing the bottle, perfecting the aging process and getting a warehouse and all of the logistics and all of the licensing and trademarking and, you know, a lot to have a brand. And so when all of that was finally done, and it was actually Cinco de Mayo, which. Yeah, so ironic. Cinco de Mayo 2009, when we were filling our bottles at the distillery in the little town of Tequila, Mexico, and then the truck came up and had to cross the border and go through customs and approvals, and we had a little warehouse in Gilbert, Arizona. And so now we've got all these cases, and it's like, well, okay, we better go out and sell. Yeah, Self distributing is what we did. We were licensed to be wholesalers as well. [00:05:21] Speaker A: Beautiful. [00:05:21] Speaker B: And just went into establishments. Anybody that had a liquor license. Restaurants and bars and liquor stores and country clubs and strip clubs. [00:05:30] Speaker A: Right, right, right. [00:05:31] Speaker B: Just kind of going, hey, how are you today? Something in my suitcase I want to show you. And it truly was the door to door sales. [00:05:38] Speaker A: Got it. [00:05:39] Speaker B: And we. We would, you know, really sit there and kind of say, all right, well, this is the blanco, and this is how we make it, and the reposado and the anejo. And we just had the three bottles, and after we would pour and let them taste it, we were just, you know, inside praying, oh, my God, please order. [00:05:54] Speaker A: Please order. [00:05:55] Speaker B: Because we have all these bottles to sell, of course. And so literally, it was the restaurant owners, the bar managers, you know, the spirits directors that embraced us and said, you know, this. This is good. This is. This is smooth. It's clean, like, okay, yeah, we like it too. So. So, yeah, we started to get our orders, and we opened up about 100 accounts and then eventually went to a distributor, because, as you can imagine, it's a lot of work to go out and do the sales and do the distributing and then do the promotions and whatnot. And we're just two people, Right. And we really didn't have any experience to speak of in the liquor industry other than Jonathan worked in a liquor store during his college days in New York. But anyway, it was a lot of fun, but a lot of hard work, too. Oh, my goodness. [00:06:44] Speaker A: But see, the thing is about it, because you were passionate about it, and your late husband was passionate about it, it resonated into a very good product and success from it. So you knew exactly what you wanted to do. You knew the process that it needed to take. Take place. And you, more importantly, you knew the customer base you were looking for. Right? So that's why you're here today to talk about how far you've come with your, with your brand. And I've seen some videos and I've seen obviously you have a wonderful partner as well as, and a co, co owner as well, too. So very, very props to you for that. [00:07:13] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. You know, as fate steps in after Jonathan's passing, I'm. I'm running the company. And people thought, she's not going to be able to do it. She, she. That, that tequila thing, it's over now. And I thought, I don't think so. You know, I'm sure going to try. So now, seven years later, I meet Joe Montagna through a mutual friend and I explained to him about the Tequila company. And I also have a nonprofit that every bottle we sell, we help children with special needs. It's called We Care Crusade. And you know, I just said I really would like someone like yourself that could create more awareness for the brand, be a part of the business and also help grow the foundation. Because, you know, special kids that, you know, they, I always say it's a blessing to have a child, but when you have a child that has some type of a special need, it's. It's their gifts from God. And so Joe kind of really listened and understood because he has a daughter with autism. My granddaughters have angel man syndrome. They're identical twins, nine years old, non verbal. Anyway, he just thought, wow, I want to get involved. And so he kids and goes, you know, Deb, it's not my day job. But he's just such a wonderful human being and a great partner to have because when he comes out to the Total Wine and more stores to meet the guests that are standing in line and sign the bottles and take pictures with them, it's a celebration. It really is something. [00:08:32] Speaker A: So do you have. So is tonal wine only in Arizona, if I could ask? [00:08:37] Speaker B: No, no, you can go to the website, which you can go to senorio.com or, you know, totalwine.com but they have been growing. They're now and I believe like 28 states. [00:08:46] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. [00:08:48] Speaker B: Yeah. So they have a big presence in Texas, California. Yeah. Like New York only has one store, but they're growing actually, you know, got Tennessee, Kentucky all over the place. Yeah. [00:08:59] Speaker A: So I'll. That's my ignorance. Right. Because I've never. Now that, you know, I need to make sure that I find one of those Locations to actually. [00:09:05] Speaker B: And where are you based? [00:09:06] Speaker A: Just outside of Detroit. [00:09:08] Speaker B: Oh yeah, they're in Michigan. No, no, no. [00:09:11] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. About an hour from there. [00:09:13] Speaker B: An hour. [00:09:14] Speaker A: Oh, absolutely. [00:09:14] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:09:15] Speaker A: Okay. [00:09:16] Speaker B: I'm headed there. My daughter lives in Michigan, so I. Wow. [00:09:19] Speaker A: Okay. Okay. So I'll have to, I fly in. [00:09:21] Speaker B: I fly into the D. Yeah, yeah. [00:09:23] Speaker A: So I'm going to have to make sure that I get a chance to pick up a bottle myself because now that I didn't know that. And again, this is. I'm not a wine connoisseur, that doesn't mean I or tequila, but I'll make sure to get a bottle of yours to support you. So that's for sure. Of course, of course. So I want to talk also about your nonprofit as well too. So we, you know, you touched on that when it came to your granddaughters and you supply wheelchairs resources to people. So I'd love to get dive deep into that as well too. [00:09:48] Speaker B: You know, when we started the company, John and I, we would get hit up by, you know, different organizations, lot, lot by emails. You know, we're having this charity event. This is for, you know, the, the dogs. This is for the cause. This is all different ones. And we would donate, we would always say, you know what if it's something that speaks to our heart, let's just give them some product or go do a tasting or something. And during COVID the big nonprofit that we were supporting was the food banks because so many people were out of work and they would just pull up and get your bag of groceries or your box of food. But when I was stuck at home, like most of us, I wasn't out in the stores because I would always be in the stores actively sampling customers, talking to the team members. And so just something spoke to me and said, you know, you've supported so many causes over the years. It's time to really do what's in your heart. And it is helping children with special needs because I know the day to day challenges that my daughter and son in law face. So we care crusade was born out of just knowing the need and what these families need sometimes. And so I said, you know, every bottle we sell now, dollar's going to go into we care crusade. And then we have on the website where families are nominated and then you know, we, we call and do a quick little interview and talk with them and ask them about their child and then just say, hey, you know what, we would like to help you. And so we're going to put a Gift in the mail and. And they don't know, you know, what they're getting. So then, you know, the check comes in the mail and it's around the holiday season and it really feels good. It's doing something that I like to say, put a smile on the people's faces that are drinking the tequila, but at the same time, put the smile on the faces that really need it. So it's one bottle, one family, one child at a time. [00:11:31] Speaker A: And, you know, and the idea that you decided to give back and it, you know, it's so personal. It ran, you know, because here I was looking at your list of accomplishments, right? And then I saw also, in addition to business owner, women, business owner, minority business owner. Then, you know, and then I'm like, philanthropist. I'm like, wow, that's amazing. You know, and I think that, you know, I didn't realize when you saw your statistic that one out of every six children has a disability, which is. [00:11:54] Speaker B: Yeah. And, you know, angel man syndrome, which is what my granddaughters have, it's one out of 15,000. So there's not a lot of awareness for that. And so the only, let's say, celebrity is Colin Farrell, who has a son that has Angel. [00:12:08] Speaker A: Okay. [00:12:09] Speaker B: And he's now an adult. So there's a little more notoriety around this syndrome because of his son. But typically the children that are born with this are at a level of like a 2 year old, and they will be at that level their entire life because they're not able to feed themselves, dress themselves, bathe themselves. So you really are a caregiver. [00:12:31] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. [00:12:32] Speaker B: And they. And, you know, you need help. Yeah. You know, even if you just need a night out. [00:12:37] Speaker A: Well, that's the thing too, Right. Sometimes. And I say this very respectfully for people. People. You know, my father passed away before he got sick. And, you know, I don't think people. There's not a lot of support for the people that are giving support. Right. So, like, and you find out like that they. They do, and they feel guilty, right. That, hey, I'm tired, Hey, I would like to at least enjoy a night out for dinner or go see a movie. So it seems like kind of a cycle where, like, they deserve to have some level. And I don't want to put their situation like it's a burden, but just a mental break, so to speak. Respectfully, like you said, to just have something where they're not stressed out all the time because who cares for them, you know what I mean? [00:13:16] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:13:16] Speaker A: And so I appreciate that. Wonderful work. Just briefly, did you have any barriers when you were a woman coming into this industry? [00:13:24] Speaker B: Oh, yes. [00:13:25] Speaker A: Okay. [00:13:26] Speaker B: Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah. I. I mean, I would just come in and say, hey, how are you today? Who does your ordering of alcohol? And, you know, they look at me like, who are you? [00:13:36] Speaker A: Right, right, right. [00:13:36] Speaker B: Because, you know, they're used to big distributing companies that have their sales reps that carry a portfolio of product, and it's like, yeah, I need some more Bacardi or Grey Goose or, you know, whatever. And, you know, I'm just coming with three bottles. But it was just being, you know, very, very polite. And when I got a no, when. When it was like, now we're busy, I say, oh, no, that's okay. Just tell me when. And to me, it was just, not now. I'll come back again. Or how about I just sit up here and have a club soda and then when you're ready, you can come see me. [00:14:03] Speaker A: For sure. [00:14:05] Speaker B: Yeah. And I don't know, I think that, you know, women are breaking barriers in a lot of industries. And in the alcohol industry, there's only a handful of women that own a spirits brand now, more involved in the wines. But at the same time, I like to say, you know what? Anything is possible. And of course, it's what's. It's what speaks to you. If it's in your heart that's something that you want to do, go for it. Yeah. Just take no as a not now. [00:14:31] Speaker A: You know, that's very powerful statement, too. You know, one of the hesitations I always had about doing this podcast was the unknown, right? Like, are you going to be able to attract guests? Are you going to be compelling? Are you going to ask the right questions? What if you bomb? Right? Like, you know, all those things go through your minds as. But all those reasons are reasons why you're not doing it. And then what I always try to emphasize to myself, today was tomorrow, which means that there is no excuse not to do things, you know. So just briefly, when you started the company, how many employees do you have? Well, what's the size of the company? [00:15:05] Speaker B: I mean, I have people that come in as contractors, so somebody that's doing the social media or helping with the newsletter or going out and sampling in the stores. So we have brand ambassadors. [00:15:16] Speaker A: Got it. [00:15:16] Speaker B: And a team of graphic designers. But it's. It's really. They're. They're people that have been with me a long time, too, the employees. It's. It's just how many people are Involved in creating the awareness for the brand. It can be, you know, 20 people, and then during holiday season, could be 30 people. So it's really people in the stores sampling customers. [00:15:39] Speaker A: Got it. Got it. And so how competitive is the actual tequila industry? Because I see some out there all the time. I'm a big boxing fan. So you always see sponsorships, you know, if you watch a Canelo fight, you know, like there's the big brands he's affiliated with. How competitive is the, is the alcohol industry? [00:15:55] Speaker B: Well, it's getting very competitive because there's more and more brands coming out. And a lot of these big brands have a lot of deep pockets. And so I always go back to the trailblazer of ultra premium tequila, because that's what Senorio is. It's a top shelf tequila. And when you have that tear ultra premium, you have a higher price point because it's all about the quality, not the quantity. For instance, Patron, they would spend 60 million a year on marketing. So you can imagine, you know, $60 million goes a long way. And we were just, you know, guerrilla marketing. Everything is word of mouth. It's the old fashioned way because we didn't have those deep pockets. And so today, more and more tequila brands have that kind of backing. So, yes, to say it is competitive. They're able to do large sponsorships or whatever it is to create the awareness and endorse the brand, or where we basically grow on the merit of the brand, which is taste and presentation. [00:16:50] Speaker A: Right. [00:16:51] Speaker B: And again, I always go back to one bottle at a time because it is through one bottle that I always say, kind people help us grow. So we appreciate it very much. [00:17:02] Speaker A: Of course. Tell us. Obviously, you know, the book will tell the complete story, but can you give us some, some brief overview of what your book is all about? [00:17:09] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I can show you. Like here. Well, it's, it's, it's hardcover, so it's a beautiful coffee table style book. And it's all full color. And the forward is written by Joe Montaigne. So, you know, see what, what he pens in here. But each, each story. And I'm just on the first page here, but there's a picture of John. [00:17:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:17:33] Speaker B: He was a former. [00:17:34] Speaker A: I was just about to ask about, like, holy smokes, the guy's biceps were huge. [00:17:40] Speaker B: Yeah. People would be like, oh, look at those guns. And I. And I talk about when we first met. I rang his bell. I know that sounds weird, but I was in real estate and as a, as a realtor, you ring doorbells to go in and look at someone's house to show it to your clients. And so, you know, it starts off where that is, how we met. And then the cocktail recipe, this one's called the Good fella. Because when I saw him, he's a New Yorker living in Arizona. I'm like, oh, he's looks like a good fella. And so each, each one is going to go into, you know, the taste of Mexico different, you know, when we took the leap of faith. It's really a book that is written from the heart. Almost like you're reading my diary because I reveal all of the trials and tribulations and everything that we've gone through. And it's fun, but yet there's some parts that you're going to say, oh my God, did that really happen? [00:18:33] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:18:33] Speaker B: And then toward the end, I do talk about how our life changed when he got his diagnosis. And so it is a true love story, starting off one bottle at a time and 50 killer cocktails. So we can say, you know, read, mix it. [00:18:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:18:49] Speaker B: And it's a gift that you can open more than once. [00:18:51] Speaker A: For sure. For sure. How do you find time for all of this? To be quite honest with you? [00:18:56] Speaker B: Well, the book was actually started when John was going through chemo. We were at the cancer centers like 10 hour days. And I would bring the laptop and he'd be in the bed getting treatments. It was a clinical trial because they didn't have a cure for the type of cancer he had, which was state four, pancreatic cancer. And so, so during that time, this was all just kind of typed into the laptop and. And then I put it away because after his passing, I just focused on. [00:19:23] Speaker A: You know, the wine business. [00:19:24] Speaker B: Got to build this company. Gotta, gotta keep on hustling, gotta keep on going. [00:19:28] Speaker A: So. [00:19:28] Speaker B: So it took seven years later for me to say, you know, I think it's time to tell the story because I want people to know that there's a story behind the bottle. It wasn't something that was created just to be created, you know, just to be created. So yeah, make millions and then be sold. If that should happen, wonderful. I'd like to retire one day. But meanwhile, it truly is what I'm very passionate about. And it's all full circle because the tequila now is getting known 16 years just through retail store. The book helps to let people know the story behind it, especially the love story and then the nonprofit. It's almost like full circle this circle that is a win, win for everyone. [00:20:08] Speaker A: I think what's crazy too is sometimes people look at a final product and they think that something just came out. And I'm guilty of that too. Even if, like, just a kind of a comparison, if somebody sees a music artist and like, oh, it's the new artist on the scene and then the person's like, no, I'm not new. You just found out who I, I was. It's they, they've been singing for 10, 12, 15 years, similar to your tequila brand. This did not just come out in 2015, you know, 2025, 2024, Etc. This is 16 years of hard work, knocking on doors, you know, of having some shut doors, sometimes having to go back around, come back to that same person. So I, I, I, I think the world of it because it's such a successful story to be in so many different stores and to be able to write a book about the experience of it. It's very inspiring. [00:20:53] Speaker B: Thank you. You know, I hope to inspire others. Everything is about follow your dream. You know, it's, it's what feeds our soul. [00:21:00] Speaker A: Yes, yes. And you know, kind of the reason I started the podcast was be able to talk to people like you. Right? So because I believe that there's a, there's a thought process that when you're young, it's okay to be curious, but when you get older, you're supposed to stop, right. You know, or it becomes awkward to ask questions. Right. And then it becomes less school based and then you're really on your own. Right. You got to really be curious about things if you really want to seek the knowledge out there. So that's one of the reasons I'm really glad we're talking because, you know, I can say with a straight face that I'm not a per se, the tequila expert, but I will be happy to purchase a bottle because I want to be connected to your story and what you've accomplished. [00:21:39] Speaker B: And it's good to keep. [00:21:41] Speaker A: Listen, I didn't say I didn't like a nice drink, right? But I'm a, I'm a low entertainment need person when it comes to like just in general. But I'll be honest with you. I need to, I need to make my way up to Ann Arbor and OVI because that's not that far. And I will personally send you a picture of my purchase, I promise you that. [00:21:55] Speaker B: You know, when people do that, because a lot of people will post on social media when they buy a bottle and you know, we, we always respond back. When I receive an email, I still answer my Emails, because I feel like, you know what, they took the time. Occasionally we will pick certain people randomly and just send them gifts of gratitude. You know, we send a real swag. And I'll just show you bottle because it's really unique. There's not a lot of bottles. [00:22:21] Speaker A: I saw that on your YouTube when you did your interview with that. I was like, what the heck bottle is that? That is so beautiful. [00:22:27] Speaker B: And, you know, the. The man with the hat is from a photograph of my dad in his younger years. So he was a bit of a caballero, which is a Mexican cowboy. And so that's etched into it. [00:22:36] Speaker A: Nice. [00:22:37] Speaker B: And we call it the chess piece. You know, it's. And there's. There's even a secret message in the bottle. I'm not going to tell you what it is, but if you look inside the bottle behind. [00:22:46] Speaker A: Yeah, I think. I think I read that. I think I saw that when I watch your YouTube video. But I'll have to purchase it to. To find out more information about it. Just real briefly. I always ask everybody, where can people find you? [00:22:57] Speaker B: Where can you find. [00:22:58] Speaker A: Where can anybody find just. Yeah, well, both. Right. Like, where can people find. About Senior Rio? Your. [00:23:03] Speaker B: I always say just senior rio.com. that's the website. SC N O R R I O. And from there you can go on to our social media. You can send an email, you can link to the Total Wine Stores. You can link to the page for the book. The book is also available on Amazon, but, yeah, senor rio.com or Instagram senor Rio Tequila. But you can. You can find us just Google Senor Rio and it comes up. [00:23:29] Speaker A: Yes, I'm very appreciative of your time. Like I said, I don't live that far from the respective stores that your tequila is in. I'm very, very honored that you carved out time out of your busy schedule to be on my little show. You know, it. Tell you one thing, I enjoy talking to people like yourself because between your business works, your philanthropy, and the challenges that you've overcome, both personally and professionally is inspiring, and I hope it inspires others to reach their better versions of themselves. [00:23:52] Speaker B: Thank you. You're one of the good guys, aren't you? [00:23:54] Speaker A: I. Listen, you got one life. You got one life. That's it. You know, there's. And the most important thing is you gravitate towards kindred spirits. You know what I mean? [00:24:04] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. You know what? It's all about being grateful. So from my heart to yours, salute. [00:24:08] Speaker A: I appreciate that. Debbie Medina Gatch thank you so much. [00:24:12] Speaker B: Thank you. Take care. [00:24:13] Speaker A: You too. Bye. [00:24:13] Speaker B: Bye.