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Entrepreneur Files
The Flan Company
UT Connection: Claudio Bauza, MBA 69
Location: Austin, Texas
There’s an age-old adage: “when life gives you lemons; make lemonade.” Claudio Bauza, MBA 96, and his wife, Maribel Perez, came up with a slightly different version: “When life gives you lemons make ... flan!”
Claudio and his wife, co-founders of The Flan Company in the Austin area, are doing just that. After losing what he thought was his dream job at Dell as a result of corporate cutbacks, he and his wife decided it was time to give their flan business a try.
Bauza says, “I was working for Kraft in Wisconsin when my wife and I began toying with the idea of selling our desserts to restaurants. For years, our friends raved about our flan; occasionally we’d make it for events or groups, and everyone always loved it. So we thought we should try to sell it and make a little money on the side.”
Timing and health department constraints prevented them from following their dream then, but they didn’t completely abandon the idea. Three years later, when they found themselves back in Austin and without a source of income, they revisited the idea. In July 2001 they rented a commercial kitchen and began visiting area restaurants with their flan in hand; within a couple of days, they were in business.
“The flan really sells itself. It makes marketing the product easy—it really doesn’t matter what we say, as long as they just taste it,” says Bauza, who is from Puerto Rico. “I think our Latin American background really helps us in the Austin market; we use an authentic family recipe, and our clients really appreciate it.”
The creamy custard has definitely caught on. They’ve gone from three customers in July 2001 to 175, including El Sol Y La Luna, Rosie’s Tamales, Antonio’s Tex-Mex, and Enchiladas Y Mas, and are producing between 14,000 and 15,000 units of the dessert a week. Claudio and his wife handle every aspect of the business from production, sales, inventory, and planning to marketing and delivery.
Bauza attributes their success to a great team and solid management skills. “My wife and I are a well-oiled machine. The Flan Company allows us to do everything together, which can be source of tension at times, but we are a real team, and we share a common vision.”
His experience at McCombs has been a key factor to their success as well. He uses tools learned and refined at McCombs almost every day. “I felt I was well-rounded and well-balanced from the exposure McCombs gave me to all of the different issues and situations business can present. The diversity of my courses and the incredible opportunities allowed me to really strengthen my skills and grow, both personally and professionally,” he says.
The Bauzas are constantly faced with the challenge of how to continue to grow the business efficiently and effectively. “There are so many different possibilities for us right now,” he says. “I’d love to expand nationally. But we have to consider how we can do that without growing too quickly and creating problems for ourselves.”
His advice to dream seekers like himself: look for stable and long-lasting opportunities, even if they may not seem as glamorous as the industry-du-jour. “My father always said to me: ‘If you start something, give it all you’ve got and if you don’t succeed, try again.’”
For Claudio and his wife, this venture proved to be sweet success on the first try. To check out the business or to order some of their delectable treats, visit the Flan Company at www.flancompany.com.
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