Marissa Gencarelli, Co-Founder of Yoli Tortilleria (Interview 8/100)

Marissa Gencarelli, Co-Founder of Yoli Tortilleria, is making and selling tortillas as an ode to her roots in Mexico. This conversation starts with her talking about speaking to a group at Kemper Museum about how consumers have a choice to be a buy from companies that align with your values. While others may say things like “keep politics out of my food,” it’s her view (and mine) that we can’t separate those two. The good news is that it’s clear that Yoli’s values of community, family, and the idea that “corn is life” drive their growth and sticking to those values has served them so well. 

She tells the story about how she started with cooking in her home to get her mind off the stress of life and the magic grew from there. She and her partner (both in business and in life), Mark, juggled newborn children, full time jobs, and all the hectic aspects of life as Yoli rocketed into the Kansas City market. Marissa comes from a long line of strong females and her ability to take those lessons and strengths from her family tree to educate the community how diverse and high quality Mexican food can be by making food fun. Let me tell you from my experience, she’s doing a great job of making food fun.

Her background in the corporate world helped to set the strategy and details that prepare them for all the complications and details of the opportunities for expansion that popped up, especially early on. A thoughtful structure that involves cross-training, flexible hours, and teamwork both supports the employees that keep Yoli running on a daily basis and helps those employees grow in their own careers and personal lives. Her honest view of how to run a business while being smart and intentional about giving back to the community was insightful. So many business leaders have a tough time saying no when donation requests come in, especially for those within their nonprofit neighbors. She makes a great point about considering the aligning of values and return on investments by specifically choosing to partner with nonprofits and community partners that are directly associated with the values and purpose of Yoli. They focus their partnerships on women (specifically building the confidence of young women), local farmers, and entrepreneurs to allow for a higher return on investment into the community. 

Shoutouts: 

Kemper Museum

Girls on the Run

Girl Scouts

Zero Foodprint

Angie Long, Co-Owner of KC Current

Correction: I mention that Marissa is the 3rd woman to be interviewed, but she, in fact is #4! (Shannon, Veronica, Emma, and now: Marissa).  

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