Beginning life as a Restaurateur was not without its challenges. Ernesto began by assisting in the planning, concept and opening of Zocalo (a Mexican restaurant in Downtown Sacramento) and immersed himself in the building and design process. He considers it an achievement of which he’s proud, although he accomplished the work as an employee and could not get credit for his efforts. This was followed by El Patron, which he opened with a business partner. The restaurant was a huge success, but suffered from basic philosophical differences between the partners.

During the darkest days, which might have made a less driven man give up, Ernesto began the process to open Mayahuel. Undaunted by setbacks, he truly believes that every roadblock in business brings a new opportunity for success. He raised capital and demonstrated to the property owner and investors that he was worth the risk. He found the current space, which belonged to three separate businesses – a restaurant, eyeglass store and cell phone store. The vacant portion was dirty, rundown and piled with debris. The designer in him saw the potential – the space had an ideal location– and he began to transform it into his vision. There were numerous challenges with City Planning, each needing resolution before proceeding to the next step. Mayahuel was two full years in planning before the doors finally opened for the first time.

It was beautiful even without the amazing art which now graces the walls.

Ernesto credits his manager Francisco Medina for helping him overcome the challenges. Francisco’s dedication to the vision of Mayahuel and to Ernesto made it possible to realize the dream. Francisco is a natural problem solver, a man who never accepts defeat, who feels that no matter the challenge, it can be overcome with hard work and a positive attitude.

Strong ties to the Sacramento community is one of the reasons Ernesto works as hard as he does – he truly believes that bringing something worthwhile and unique to the Downtown area contributes to the betterment of the whole area. He is appreciative and generous with his team and his investors. Ernesto has never forgotten his struggles – and the satisfaction he derives from providing employment for fifty-six people who live in Sacramento is gratifying.