María García-Lara: Building from the ground up, growing without limits

Through sacrifice, new beginnings, and shared dreams, one immigrant family found in the restaurant industry the path to success.

“I was 10 years old when my life changed completely,” recalls María García, CEO of the six-location restaurant group Mexico Restaurant. Born in Degollado, Jalisco, and raised in Guadalajara, María left behind her school, friendships, culture, and everything familiar to begin a new life in the United States alongside her family. What at first seemed like an adventure quickly became one of the greatest emotional challenges of her life.

Arriving in California without speaking English and struggling to adapt to a completely different culture, María remembers feeling lost and disconnected. “I remember just wanting to go back. I didn’t feel like I belonged,” she shares. Yet even during uncertainty, the values that had shaped her since childhood began guiding her path forward.

Raised in a hardworking entrepreneurial family, María grew up witnessing sacrifice firsthand. Her parents operated a fruit and vegetable stand from their home, while her father and brother sold tacos from a small cart, traveling from place to place to support the family. “From a very young age, I understood what hard work looked like,” she says.

Her father had been traveling to the United States since he was 18 years old, constantly searching for better opportunities while moving back and forth between both countries. Eventually, María’s mother decided the family needed a different future, one united under the same roof and filled with greater possibilities. Their dream was simple yet ambitious: work hard in America and one day return to Mexico to grow their business into something bigger.

Little by little, María adapted. ESL classes helped her learn the language, friendships slowly replaced loneliness, and over time she fell in love with what she now calls “the land of opportunity.” California became the place where she spent her teenage years, built lifelong friendships, and started envisioning a future for herself during the vibrant energy of the 1980s.

After high school, María pursued her dream of becoming a flight attendant by attending the International Air Academy. Although that path did not unfold as expected, she continued studying business administration at a community college, unaware that her true education would come elsewhere.

Life shifted once again when her parents saw another opportunity and decided to relocate the family to Roanoke, Virginia, to invest in a restaurant alongside relatives. Starting over for a second time was painful. “I left everything behind in California -my dreams, my plans, my life-,” María recalls. But that move would ultimately shape the foundation of her future.

In 1990, María’s brothers and relatives introduced a new Mexican restaurant concept to Richmond, opening the first location of Mexico Restaurant after investing their entire savings. The beginning was difficult, and the business struggled financially. Soon after, María and her parents moved from Roanoke to Richmond to help support the restaurant however they could.

What began as necessity slowly became passion.

With little experience but enormous determination, María immersed herself in every aspect of the business: customer service, employee management, vendors, operations, and leadership. While her brother managed the kitchen, María took charge of nearly everything else. “I always say I didn’t finish my college degree, but I earned my degree inside the restaurant,” she says with pride.

The family worked seven days a week, sacrificing comfort, time, and stability to keep the dream alive. Slowly, the business began to grow. In 1993, they opened a second location, and from there, expansion continued steadily over the decades.

Today, María serves as CEO of a respected six-location restaurant group that has served the Richmond community for more than three decades. But for her, success has never been an individual achievement. It is the legacy of an entire family.

“My parents, my brothers, and now the next generation -my nephews- are all part of what we have built together,” she shares.

She also credits much of that journey to her husband, whom she describes as her partner in every sense of the word. His support, strength, and belief in both her and the business became essential pillars throughout the years. Alongside that support, María says her children remain her greatest inspiration and motivation.

“I want them to see that no matter where you come from, no matter how many times you have to start over, if you have faith and work hard, you can achieve anything,” she says.

Faith has also been central to every stage of her journey. María openly speaks about how her relationship with God has guided her decisions, strengthened her during difficult seasons, and opened doors she never imagined possible.

Beyond business, María believes success carries a responsibility to uplift others. Through her work with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond, she helped create the Segura Initiative for Children, supporting Hispanic families in accessing educational opportunities for their children.

For María, leadership goes far beyond operating successful restaurants. It means creating opportunities, serving others, and remaining connected to the community that has supported her family for generations.

“Through our restaurants, we have always focused on being part of the community. We don’t just serve food, we serve people,” she explains.

Her story reflects the courage shared by many immigrant families who leave everything behind not to take from a country, but to build within it. “We come to work hard, to create a better life and a better future for generations to come,” María says.

From a little girl who once felt lost in a new country to a woman leading a thriving business and creating opportunities for others, María García’s journey has been built on courage, sacrifice, family, faith, and perseverance.

And if there is one message, she hopes other women remember, it is this: dream big, work hard, lead with strength, and never apologize for wanting more. Because with faith and determination, the possibilities are far greater than we imagine.

De aquella niña que alguna vez se sintió perdida en un nuevo país, a una mujer que hoy lidera un negocio próspero y crea oportunidades para otros, la historia de María García-Lara ha sido construida sobre valentía, sacrificio, familia, fe y perseverancia.

Y si hay un mensaje que espera que otras mujeres recuerden, es este: sueñen en grande, trabajen duro, lideren con fortaleza y nunca se disculpen por querer más. Porque con fe y determinación, las posibilidades son mucho más grandes de lo que imaginamos.