Jose Luis Valdez arrived in America and started as a dishwasher; with $14,000 he later built his own frozen-dessert business

José Luis Valdez arrived in the United States with ambitions that required years of hard work to realise. After joining his brothers in Chicago, he entered the restaurant industry at its lowest level, working as a dishwasher before gradually moving into other roles. Yet the experience he gained did not make him abandon his childhood dream of running a business of his own. Instead, it gave him the confidence to take a risk. With his wife, Lucia, Valdez moved to Kansas City and invested $14,000 in a frozen-dessert business inspired by the flavours and traditions of Mexico. The early years were difficult, and banks refused to lend them money. Family and friends helped them continue. Over time, their small business grew into a recognised company with multiple locations and its own production facility.How Valdez worked his way up from a dishwasher to a frozen-dessert business ownerAfter emigrating, Valdez joined his brothers in Chicago and entered the restaurant industry. The Kauffman Foundation reported that he began as a dishwasher before progressing through other positions, including waiter and captain. The journey was not easy. Starting at the bottom meant long days and constant effort, but Valdez gradually built his experience and worked his way into positions at leading restaurants in Chicago. The experience also changed the way he thought about his future. A successful career in the restaurant industry could provide a comfortable living, but Valdez eventually concluded that he wanted to use his knowledge and experience to build something for himself. That decision brought him and his wife to Kansas City. The weather, the local community and the possibility of growth all influenced their choice.$14,000 wasn’t enough to start Jose’s business in Kansas CityValdez and Lucia launched their business with $14,000, but the amount was not sufficient to make the journey easy. According to the Kauffman Foundation, banks were unwilling to lend them additional money, leaving the couple to rely on help from family and friends. The first store opened on Southwest Boulevard in 2004. Valdez later recalled how difficult those early days could be. At times, there was so little business that the family slept in the store and woke when they heard the doorbell. There were moments when he questioned whether he had chosen the right business concept. But rather than abandoning the idea, he continued. The company was built around the idea of bringing a piece of Mexican culture to Kansas City through homemade, Michoacán-style ice cream and paletas. Traditional flavours sat alongside options inspired by Mexican ingredients and tastes, while the business also expanded its menu to include smoothies, churros, fruit cocktails and other food.How did selling popsicles as a child shape his ambitionsValdez's connection with frozen desserts began long before he arrived in the United States. According to the Kauffman Foundation, he was only 7-years-old when he started selling ‘paletas,’ or Mexican-style popsicles, on the streets, in markets and at bus stations in Mexico. The experience gave him more than spending money. It introduced him to the idea that selling something could create an opportunity. As a child, he was able to earn money and share it with his family and friends, while also beginning to imagine that he might one day own a business himself. That early experience stayed with him as he grew older and eventually left Mexico to pursue his ambitions in the United States.Growth of a small family business from a single location to an empireThe business gradually developed from its single location into a larger operation. The Kauffman Foundation reported that ‘Paleterias Tropicana’(title of his business) had five locations and its own production facility. Its growth also brought recognition. The company was a finalist for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year Award in 2015 and was recognised as business of the year by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, according to the Kauffman Foundation. However, the expansion did not mean Valdez viewed the work as finished. He described the long hours spent at the business and the family's focus on finding ways to improve each day. The business remained closely connected to its origins as a family-run enterprise. For Valdez, the frozen desserts were not simply products to sell. They were also a way to share familiar flavours and traditions with customers in a new country.Why did Paleterias Tropicana become PalacanaIn 2022, the company announced a new chapter. According to the Palacana website, Valdez explained that Paleterias Tropicana was being renamed Palacana after 18 years in business. The name combined elements of Paleterias Tropicana into a single, new identity. Valdez described the change as an effort to give the business a more modern and fresh name while continuing the work that had begun with his family in Kansas City's historic Westside. The company also highlighted the importance of community support in its journey. The business had grown to 5 locations, with another planned, while operating its own factory to produce its ice creams and popsicles.The transformation from dishwasher to business owner was therefore not the result of one sudden breakthrough. It was built through years of work, a childhood interest in selling paletas, a willingness to take risks and the determination to continue through difficult periods. From an initial $14,000 investment and a small family store, José Luis Valdez and his wife created a frozen-dessert business that grew while remaining rooted in the Mexican flavours and traditions that inspired it in the first place.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.