Meet Gabriela Cuadra | Mamma’s Dip Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriela Cuadra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriela, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I grew up surrounded by several entrepreneurs, and have always been an idea-driven type of person. So, when deciding what to major in in college, Business Marketing seemed like an obvious choice. As I began to take the introductory courses, I tried to think of ways that I could put the concepts I was learning into practice with the hopes of starting my own business and eventually become CEO. That’s where the idea for Mamma’s Dip began. I knew I had a product that was loved by anyone who tried it – a crucial first step in any business. This sizzling corn dip has been a family secret recipe for years, present at every birthday, game day and just about any other event where we would get together. All that was missing was some strategic marketing to grow the Mamma’s Dip following from our friends and family to the greater Miami area. It was then that I decided to put my knowledge of social media and the new business marketing tools I learned in school to use and sell Mamma’s Dip via our Instagram page.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Mamma’s Dip is a family business and every dip is made with Mamma’s love. As you can tell, we’re not afraid to be cheesy or corny, in fact, we embrace it. This is what sets Mamma’s Dip apart from others. From receiving an order to delivering it and receiving pictures from customers or tags on Instagram, we love to see people enjoying our product as much as we enjoy it. We are very proud of the loyal following we’ve been able to gain in the short amount of time we’ve been in business and hope to continue to share Mamma’s love through Mamma’s Dip. Despite our quick-growing and ever loyal following, there have been a few lessons we’ve had to learn along the way that have prepared us to better serve our customers. Overall it has been a smooth road and we’re lucky enough that our biggest challenge has been learning to expect last minute orders (because you just never know when a Mamma’s Dip craving will and fulfilling last minute orders, which is really not a bad problem to have.)

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a local who was born and raised in Miami, it’s so fun to get to know the best spots and share those experiences with visitors. Miami is a very cultural city with so many different things to do and it’s home to one of the best culinary and nightlife scenes – so if I planned a one-week itinerary, it would be a busy week. Also, if you’re a foodie like me, make sure you wear loose pants! We would kick off the week on Monday at Soho Beach House for a work-from-home beach day – make sure to grab a Picante as an end-of-day. The next day, Taco Tuesday would bring us to Birria tacos at El Primo in Downtown Miami, followed by one of Miami’s newest hidden gems, CH’I, located in Brickell City Centre with astonishing décor, amazing food and a great vibe. On Wednesday, we’d slow down a bit to take a yoga class at Bayfront Park overlooking the ocean. Later, we’d head to dinner at Baoli for their “My boyfriends out of town” night, where dinner and party come to life. On Thursday, otherwise also known as “Juernes” in Miami, the weekend begins at El Santo on Calle Ocho. The weekend only gets better on Friday where we’d head to Swan for dinner, followed by their party upstairs at Bar Bevy where the party continues. On Saturdays and Sundays, my favorite thing to do is brunch followed by a beautiful boat day until the sun sets. The best brunch spots in Miami are B+ Bistro (the Mexican Avocado toast is a must!) or Le Chick in Wynwood if you’re looking for a bottomless brunch. If you’re looking to stay on land post-brunch, some other good options are The Dune beach bar at the Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne, which is always a good time and makes you feel like you’re on vacation, or Kiki on the River for a riverside party that drown your “Sunday scaries”. Then… rinse and repeat, let’s do it all again.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I love that and I completely agree. My family has always been of a similar teamwork mindset that everything “takes a village,” which was instilled in me from a young age, being one of the youngest children growing up in a family of twenty, which includes my parents, grandparents, siblings and cousins. With this in mind, after any success, I believe it’s so important to recognize and be grateful to those who have helped along the way. I’m lucky enough to have this support system built into my family, and I’m especially grateful for my mother, Eli, “Mamma” of Mamma’s Dip, for her constant support, encouragement and belief that I can do anything I set my mind to. Not to mention, the Mamma’s Dip recipe is her creation – so I could not have started Mamma’s Dip without her and her expertise in the kitchen. Since the beginning of Mamma’s Dip, she has been the most amazing business partner, even bending over backwards to fill last minute orders and filling our fridge with dips during busy season.

Instagram: @mammasdip

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mamma-s-dip-miami?osq=mammas+dip

Image Credits
@snyder.media @oneman_onedrone