Hard work, dedication and love are not the only things that get Pierce College student Angela Rodriguez through her 16-hour days working for her family’s catering company.
It’s the pursuit of running her family’s business one day.
Rodriguez is an 18-year-old business major at Pierce.Throughout the last few months, she has been working on movie and TV show sets.
“I love that we are a Hispanic owned company and I feel that helps us thrive,” Rodriguez said. “Since our business has been the same since my uncle started it in the 1980’s, I feel there are things we can improve upon, but they don’t listen to me.”
Rodriguez said she spoke with actress Kristen Bell who suggested they use biodegradable/eco-friendly materials while on set.
“I feel that investing in biodegradable materials, adding more of my female cousins and being more creative will really take our catering company to the next level,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez’s ideas to help her family’s catering company do not go completely unnoticed. Her cousin, Carolina Rodriguez, said that Angela’s imagination and creativity helped them grow up and still does to this day.
“Angela is the first person my family goes to,” Carolina Rodriguez said. “Whether it is business or life, they always go to her. She is just so good at planning things out, doing things correctly, and getting the job done.”
Carolina Rodriguez said that because of Angela Rodriguez’s ambition, working with her feels fast-paced.
“She wants things quick and right now,” Carolina Rodriguez said. “Our parents love things done ahead of time, so there is time left over as Angela strives and takes leadership.”
For most students, the last year has mainly been work and school from home, but for Angela, it includes work and school from different set locations.
“I love it so much,” Angela Rodriguez said. “Every day is something different. There is always something to do.”
Angela Rodriguez’s childhood friend, Sara Garcia, said she is inspired by Rodriguez’s hard work and dedication.
“She is so smart and hardworking,” Garcia said. “It’s inspiring when she’s doing school full-time and helps with the catering company. She is on set for 12 hours a day and still attending a Zoom class.”
Angela’s family-owned catering company is now working on the second season of Netflix’s original series “Gente-fied.” The story, ironically, is about three Mexican-American cousins chasing the American Dream with their family-owned taco shop.
“Angela is just getting started,” Garcia said. “I am confident she will make their family’s catering company bigger than it already is.”
