The Global Latin Factor Podcast

Crispin Valentin
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Documentary
  • Updated Weekly

The Global Latin Factor Podcast celebrates Latino culture, identity, and the global impact of our community. Through conversations with entrepreneurs, creators, leaders, and changemakers, we share real stories about heritage, immigrant journeys, business, community, and the experiences shaping Latino life today. Each episode highlights the voices, values, and contributions that continue to move our culture forward. Our mission is to honor our roots, amplify Latino voices, and create a space where stories from our community are heard, respected, and celebrated. Follow and join us for conversations that inspire pride, connection, and a deeper appreciation for the power of the Latino experience.  “Here to Participate"

  1. 5d ago

    La Catrina Mexican Shop Owner on Immigration and Business

    Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn a candy stand in a nearly empty mall into a full Mexican gift shop with a loyal following? Giovana, owner of La Catrina Mexican Shop, walks through exactly how she did it — and the identity questions she had to work through along the way. Giovana was born in Tuxpan, Zacatecas, and crossed into the U.S. with her family as a toddler. She grew up in Haltom City, Texas, spent five years working in human resources at Canales Furniture, and never planned on entrepreneurship — until her father, a former Dr. Pepper Hispanic market manager, started his own distribution business during the pandemic and asked for her help. That request turned into La Catrina Mexican Shop, which opened inside Ridgmar Mall in November 2023. The strongest story here is how little of it was planned. The shop started as a straightforward candy store. Customers kept asking for gift baskets, pottery, and trending items they'd seen on TikTok — like chamoy pickle kits — and Giovana adjusted the business in real time. She also talks openly about being told for most of her life that she "doesn't look Mexican" or "doesn't sound Mexican," and why she's chosen to speak proudly about being an immigrant instead of downplaying it. This conversation is for anyone thinking about turning a side hustle into a storefront, anyone who has felt caught between two cultures, and anyone curious about what it actually takes to build trust at vendor markets and turn strangers into regulars. What You Will Hear How a father-daughter distribution business turned into a full retail storefrontWhy the shop's original name didn't work and how "La Catrina" was chosen insteadThe vendor-market mistakes that cost her sales, and what she changedHow social media and TikTok trends directly shaped what she stocksWhy she sources pottery and artisan goods directly from families in Mexico rather than through wholesalersTopics Discussed Crossing the border as a child and the years-long path to citizenshipGrowing up bicultural in Haltom City and navigating questions about her identityHer father's career at Dr. Pepper and his pivot into his own distribution business during the pandemicLeaving a human resources career to help run a family businessHow the name La Catrina was chosen and what it representsTurning a candy store into a full Mexican gift shop based on customer demandLessons learned from vendor markets, including what not to bringSourcing artisan pottery and goods directly from MexicoHosting her own pop-up markets to support other small businessesWhat she'd tell her younger self about building a businessGuest Information Guest: Giovana Professional Title: Owner, La Catrina Mexican Shop Business/Organization: La Catrina Mexican Shop, located inside Ridgmar Mall, Fort Worth Website:  Website:  https://lacatrinamxshop.com/ Before You Go Follow The Global Latin Factor Podcast so you never miss an episode, and if this story moved you, leave a rating or review — it helps other listeners find these conversations. Share this episode with someone building a small business of their own, and go connect with Giovana at @lacatrina_mxhop. For another Fort Worth small-business story, check out our episode with Eddie "Mr. Picoso." Follow the Global Latin Factor Podcast for more conversations with Latino entrepreneurs and community leaders. Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    La Catrina Mexican Shop Owner on Immigration and Business

  2. Jul 10

    De limpiar casas y vender salsas a construir alianzas entre México y EE. UU. La historia de resiliencia y reinvención de Mayela García, de Chihuahua a Fort Worth

    Send us Fan Mail De limpiar casas y vender salsas y tortas… a construir alianzas de negocio y abrir puertas para los nuestros. Esta es la historia de Mayela García. 🇲🇽💧 De Chihuahua a Fort Worth, Mayela nos abre su vida sin filtros: su niñez, el banco donde vivió un asalto, la maquila, el salto a Estados Unidos, criar a sus tres hijas, empezar de cero limpiando casas, el divorcio, y cómo la fe y el trabajo la llevaron a representar una marca mexicana de agua que hoy conquista este lado de la frontera. Una plática sobre resiliencia, reinvención y por qué toda mujer debe tener su propio ingreso. — In English — From cleaning houses and selling salsas to building business alliances and opening doors for our community — this is Mayela García's story. From Chihuahua to Fort Worth, she opens up about growing up, a bank robbery she survived, the maquila, moving to the U.S., raising three daughters, starting over, divorce, faith, and building brand partnerships. A conversation about resilience, reinvention, and why every woman should have her own income. 🔔 Sigue The Global Latin Factor / Follow for more real Latino stories. New episodes weekly. Invitada / Guest — Mayela García Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayegarciafinanzas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayela.garcia.262721 Somos sabor y sazón en esta olla. Somos un Global Factor. 🔥 Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    De limpiar casas y vender salsas a construir alianzas entre México y EE. UU. La historia de resiliencia y reinvención de Mayela García, de Chihuahua a Fort Worth

  3. Jul 3

    Carnaval de Barranquilla in Dallas: Inside the World's #2 Carnival

    Send us Fan Mail The Carnaval de Barranquilla is the second-largest carnival on the planet, and it's alive and dancing in Dallas, Texas. In this special on-location episode, host Crispin Valentine takes you inside Carnaval de Barranquilla Dallas to experience the color, the cumbia, the champeta, the food, and the warmth of the Colombian community in North Texas. Crispin breaks down why this carnival matters — its African, Indigenous, and European roots, and its UNESCO recognition as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity — then hits the ground to talk with the people keeping the tradition alive far from home: la Reina Infantil Keilani, the organizers behind Representa TFW, Natalia de Castro (Reina del Carnaval de Barranquilla 2023), champeta star Alex Dance, and the vendors serving lechona, empanadas, picada, aborrajados, piña coladas, champú, and aguapanela. This is more than a party. It's cultural preservation, community, and identity — carried in bodies, in music, and in food. In this episode:  · What makes Carnaval de Barranquilla the world's #2 carnival  · Its African, Indigenous, and European roots  · Why UNESCO calls it living heritage  · On-location interviews with reinas, dancers, organizers, and vendors  · The flavors of Colombia in North Texas If you're in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, don't miss the next one — come support la cultura. Follow The Global Latin Factor Podcast for Latino stories, culture, and community. New episodes weekly. Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    Carnaval de Barranquilla in Dallas: Inside the World's #2 Carnival

  4. Jun 26

    From Dishwasher to Award-Winning Tacos: The Los Guapos Story with Angel

    Send us Fan Mail Angel didn't grow up dreaming about a restaurant. He studied programming and computers back home in Monterrey, Mexico — but the kitchen had been calling his whole life without him noticing. On this episode of The Global Latin Factor, we sit down on location at Los Guapos off 7th Street in Fort Worth to trace the whole journey: dishwasher to line cook, the Cuban bar chef's table at Embargo, the vegan pioneer days of Mariachi's Diner inside a gas station, the bicycle taco deliveries to Martin House Brewery, and finally Los Guapos — now stacking up reader's choice awards for best tacos, best Mexican/Latin, and best international cuisine. We get into his mom's pozole and the one rule that shaped his cooking — make it taste like home — why he says you have to marry the industry, the programmer brain that turns every problem into a solution, the story behind the name, bottled aguas frescas and branded salsas on the horizon, and why he's Mex, not Tex. Plus how Los Guapos is getting ready for the wave of fans coming to town for the 2026 World Cup. This one is comfort food, community, and the Latino hustle in one conversation. Follow Los Guapos on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @LosGuaposfw. The Global Latin Factor is a bilingual podcast where we talk Latino everything — culture, identity, food, and the people building community across the diaspora. New episodes weekly. Subscribe wherever you listen. Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    From Dishwasher to Award-Winning Tacos: The Los Guapos Story with Angel

  5. Jun 19

    The Untold History of Rice & Beans: Indigenous Roots, African Knowledge & Latino Identity

    Send us Fan Mail Rice and beans isn't just a side dish — it's one of the most powerful cultural staples in Latino and Caribbean life. In this solo episode, Christine traces the real history behind the plate: how indigenous communities cultivated beans in the Americas centuries before colonization, how African knowledge and labor shaped rice cultivation across the Atlantic world, and how the two came together to become a daily staple from Puerto Rico to Brazil to Central America. We break down the regional versions Latinos defend with their lives — moros y cristianos, gallo pinto, casamiento, arroz con habichuelas, arroz e feijão — and why attacking someone's recipe is basically attacking their abuela. Plus, the actual nutrition science behind why rice and beans together just works. If you've ever eaten this dish without thinking twice about where it came from, this episode will change that. 🌐 Website: thegloballatinfactor.com 🎙️ New episodes weekly — make sure you're subscribed 💬 Got a favorite version of rice and beans? Let us know — we want to hear it. Topics covered: - The indigenous origins of beans in Mesoamerica and the Andes - How rice entered the Americas through colonial systems and African expertise - Regional rice and beans dishes across Latin America and the Caribbean - The nutritional science behind the combination - Why this dish became identity, not just food #GlobalLatinFactor #LatinoCulture #RiceAndBeans #LatinoHistory #LatinoPodcast Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    The Untold History of Rice & Beans: Indigenous Roots, African Knowledge & Latino Identity

  6. Jun 12

    De Bogotá a Dallas: Laura Mejía Construye TO.GATHER, una Empresa de Experiencias Artísticas para Familias Latinas | The Global Latin Factor

    Send us Fan Mail ¿Qué pasa cuando llegas a un país sin papeles, sin familia cerca, con un hijo pequeño y un sueño que no puedes explicar con palabras? Laura Mejía lo vivió — y lo convirtió en To.Gather. En este episodio de The Global Lighting Factor en Español, Laura comparte su camino desde los barrios populares del sur de Bogotá hasta los escenarios culturales de Dallas, Texas. Actriz formada en el Teatro Nacional de Colombia, emprendedora por instinto y mamá de Martín — Laura construyó una empresa desde cero, desde una mesa familiar y un cerillo. ▶ LO QUE VAS A ESCUCHAR:  — Cómo un colegio comercial en Bogotá le enseñó a vender desde los 10 años  — Por qué dejó la universidad de negocios y entró al teatro profesional  — Llegar a EE.UU. sin permisos de trabajo y lavar platos para sobrevivir  — Criar a su hijo solo, sin red familiar, en un país nuevo  — La depresión posparto que nadie llamó por su nombre  — Cómo la pandemia le devolvió su propósito  — Qué es el duelo migratorio y por qué afecta a todo inmigrante  — El origen del nombre To.Gather y por qué el punto lo cambia todo  — Sus metas: llegar a 5,000 familias en el norte de Texas este año 📲 SIGUE A LAURA MEJÍA:  Instagram To.Gather: @2gather21  Instagram personal: @lauraugm 🎙️ SIGUE EL PODCAST:  Instagram: @thegloballightingfactor  YouTube: Suscríbete aquí 👆 para no perderte ningún episodio 💬 CUÉNTANOS EN LOS COMENTARIOS:  ¿Tú también has sentido el duelo migratorio? ¿Qué fue lo más difícil de adaptarte a un nuevo país? Website: https://thegloballatinfactor.com/ Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    De Bogotá a Dallas: Laura Mejía Construye TO.GATHER, una Empresa de Experiencias Artísticas para Familias Latinas | The Global Latin Factor

  7. Jun 5

    The Global Latin Factor Podcast | Carnaval de Barranquilla en Dallas, Texas 🎉🇨🇴

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when the #2 biggest carnival in the world lands in North Texas? We went live from the Carnaval de Barranquilla in Dallas to find out. In this bilingual (English/Spanish) episode, we hit the floor talking to vendors, performers, and community members who are keeping Colombian culture alive right here in DFW. 🍽️ Meet the vendors: Manarel Salsón Colombiano (Fort Worth) — 15 years serving lechona, chicharrón, empanadas, and ahorrajados at this event. A family business built with love.Cauca's Fritanga — 3 years bringing papas rellenas, rellena, and the flavors of Santander and Cauca straight to Dallas.So Freshy — Puerto Rican-inspired piña coladas with fresh ingredients and a "Vacation in a Cup" vibe hitting DFW for the first time.💃 Featured Guest: Alexander Gutiérrez aka Alex Benz — Barranquilla's own champeta dancer and cultural ambassador, sharing what it means to see Colombian culture celebrated in Texas. This episode is a celebration of roots, community, and what it feels like to find home thousands of miles away from Colombia. Visit the website for more https://thegloballatinfactor.com/ 📩 Sponsorships: info@thegloballatinfactor.com | DM "SPONSOR" for our media deck 🎬 Produced by Rebel Media House Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    The Global Latin Factor Podcast | Carnaval de Barranquilla en Dallas, Texas 🎉🇨🇴

  8. May 29

    Ep.255 | She Knew at 13 & Built It Anyway | Jenny of Pasteles Y Más

    Send us Fan Mail Jenny is the founder of Pasteles Y Más, makes custom cakes in DFW specializing in elevated Mexican-American-inspired desserts. Host Crispin Valentin sits down with Jenny to unpack her full journey — from Mexico City to Los Angeles, culture shock in Rowlett, Texas, at 17, dropping out of nursing school, working her way up through high-end Dallas restaurants, and launching her own business during the pandemic with a newborn at home. Her cakes are edible memories. Bubu Lubu, Lemon Drop, Mixed Berry, and handcrafted mini conchas are all rooted in the flavors of a Mexican-American childhood. This one is for anyone sitting on a dream they haven't started yet. IN THIS EPISODE: — Hot takes: California tacos vs Texas tacos — The first cake at age 7 that started it all — Watching Ace of Cakes at 13 — the aha moment — Dropping nursing school and telling her strict Mexican parents — Sneaking into the back of the house at Suzie Cakes — Landing a job at Nou Dallas despite full imposter syndrome — Two weeks perfecting the Bubu Lubu marshmallow fluff — The secret her conchas have that she refuses to reveal — How delivering a wedding cake confirmed this is her calling 🍰 CONNECT WITH JENNY Website: pastelesymas.com Instagram: @PastelesYMasTX Facebook: Pasteles Y Más TX 🎙️THE GLOBAL LATIN FACTOR Website: thegloballatinfactor.com Instagram: @thegloballatinfactorpodcast Collabs & Partnerships: info@thegloballatinfactor.com 🍰 Follow Jenny / Book a Cake: 🌐 Website: https://xn--pastelesyms-t7a.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pasteles.y.mas.tx/ 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556266344120 🎙️ THE GLOBAL LATIN FACTOR PODCAST We celebrate Latino stories of grit, creativity, and culture. New episodes drop regularly — subscribe so you never miss one. 📲 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thegloballatinfactorpodcast 🌐 Website: https://thegloballatinfactor.com New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find stories like this one. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalLatinFactorPodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegloballatin1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegloballatinfactorpodcast Tiktok: ...

    Ep.255 | She Knew at 13 & Built It Anyway | Jenny of Pasteles Y Más
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Global Latin Factor Podcast celebrates Latino culture, identity, and the global impact of our community. Through conversations with entrepreneurs, creators, leaders, and changemakers, we share real stories about heritage, immigrant journeys, business, community, and the experiences shaping Latino life today. Each episode highlights the voices, values, and contributions that continue to move our culture forward. Our mission is to honor our roots, amplify Latino voices, and create a space where stories from our community are heard, respected, and celebrated. Follow and join us for conversations that inspire pride, connection, and a deeper appreciation for the power of the Latino experience.  “Here to Participate"

Information

  • Creator
    Crispin Valentin
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    262
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Global Latin Factor Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Global Latin Factor Podcast