LOS ANGELES, (March 5, 2023) — It’s game three of the 2022 WNBA Playoffs, the Seattle Storm vs the Las Vegas Aces, in WNBA great Sue Bird’s farewell season. Kaila Charles inbounds the ball to Bird with 1.8 seconds left on the clock, Bird pivots – and scores the three. It was a critical moment for the Storm with the series tied 1-1, and Bird lived up to the occasion, refusing to crack under pressure and leading her team to victory. 

 

The Storm won that game but would go on to lose the series to the eventual 2022 WNBA Champs the Aces. In previous seasons, Bird had been the scoring leader, this time she let her leadership take a central role. Bird was the Storm’s assist leader and relied on her teammates both on the court and off. In her post-game interview, she noted she would never have been the player she was without her teammates, her coaching staff and her fans. 

 

At the 2023 ATHENA Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit, Tapatío COO Sabrina Garba talked critical moments, and critical pivots, off the court, with three other female food entrepreneurial titans: Candace Nelson, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Pizzana founder, Ellen Chen, Mendocino Farms co-founder, and Cris Patwa, FactoryMade Ventures co-CEO, for the “Powerful Pivots: Your Rise To Leadership” panel. 

 

Garba likens Bird’s leadership principles to “The Wizard of Oz,” “You have to be a good Oz. Surround yourself with people who can help you – then you’ll experience true success,” Garba said. “It’s a big part of how Tapatío has been so successful in the past year – we’ve hired a fantastic team with a fantastic skillset.”

 

Nelson echoes this sentiment and believes that part of being a great entrepreneur, and a great athlete, is understanding the importance of those around you. Leaning on her team has allowed the launch of her second business, Pizzana, to mimic the runaway success of her first, Sprinkles Cupcakes.

 

“One of the unsung qualities of an entrepreneur is self-awareness,” said Nelson. “You don’t have to be an expert at everything. Being a strong entrepreneur is knowing what you’re good at, focusing on that, and delegating where you’re not as strong.” 

 

Tapatío’s team honed in on this approach when formulating their new partnership with Chen and Mendocino Farms. 

 

“We all bring a different hot sauce flavor to the table, so to speak,” Garba said. “When we’re gearing up for a new partnership, especially one as monumental as our launch with Mendocino Farms, we have to ensure we’re putting our best foot forward, and that means letting everyone shine.”

 

To kick off the summer season on May 1, Tapatío Hot sauce, including their latest Chipotle flavor, will be available at all 47 Mendocino Farms locations across California and Texas.

 

“We are so excited to be working with Tapatío, it’s a giant business milestone and perfect for our new burrito line, but it’s also one of my personal goals – Tapatío has always been my favorite hot sauce,” said Chen. “It makes it all the better that they have an amazing team of women working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this to fruition.” 

 

Summer marks the start of an important quarter for Tapatío. In addition to their hot sauce becoming a staple at all Mendocino Farms locations, they will also begin an exciting new partnership with the YouTube exclusive interview show “Hot Ones” with Sean Evans.

 

To learn more about everything Tapatío is doing during Women’s History Month, please visit tapatiohotsauce.com/womenshistorymonth23.

 

About ATHENA Women's Entrepreneurship Summit

ATHENA brings together a dynamic group of founders, investors, and thought leaders around conversations and issues that matter to entrepreneurs at all stages. The mission of ATHENA is to increase female founders, work with women investors, and provide opportunities for capital, mentoring, and networking.

 

About Tapatío

Tapatío Foods, LLC was founded in 1971. Fifty years later, Tapatío is still a family-run business and has grown to become a staple, not only in Hispanic households but in most American households. It is the #1 hot sauce in the west, the #3 hot sauce in the USA, and is now exporting globally! Tapatio is a sauce that can be used with everything and is available in many different sizes. For more information, please visit tapatiohotsauce.com

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