CELEBRATING LATINA LEADERS INTERVIEWS – March 2025
Eimy Moraru, Tropico Colombian
To celebrate Latina leaders this month, we reached out to Latina business owners and nonprofit leaders to ask about challenges, inspirations, and their perspective on what is ahead.
Eimy Moraru is the founder of Tropico Colombian alongside her business partner and sister, Marcela Ruiz, and Marcela’s husband William. Together they opened their vibrant venue on January 9th, 2025 after securing a loan from LEDC.
Why did you start your business?
When we are asked why we decided to start a business, the answer always makes our hearts feel full. It all started with the love for our family, and the deep desire to provide stability for our parents and a secure future for our little ones. That love is what drove us to take the first step, to dream big and to believe that we could do something meaningful. Over time, we realized that our dream not only benefited us but also had an impact on those around us. When we began generating jobs, sharing our culture, making friends along the way, and bringing a fresh and different approach to Minnesota, it confirmed that we were headed in the right direction. But most valuable of all is seeing our family’s eyes fill with pride. That look, that genuine excitement, reminds us every day that all the effort is worth it.
What was your biggest challenge in starting and growing your business? How did you overcome this?
Our largest challenge wasn’t just the act of opening our business, but facing a long process that tested our patience, determination, and dreams. We knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but we never imagined how challenging it would be. But every obstacle taught us something valuable: how to learn, how to adapt, and most of all, how to appreciate every step along the way.
It was six months of tireless work, of long days and sleepless nights, of doubts and exhaustion, but also of unwavering faith. There wasn’t room to have regrets – we had to keep moving forward. And even though we started this journey as a family, we met people along the way who believed in us, who lent us a hand, and who reminded us that dreams are not accomplished alone, but with the support of others who believe in you as much as you believe in yourself.
Looking back, we don’t just see the challenges, but we see a journey that transformed us. And this, without a doubt, is our greatest achievement.
Who or what inspires you?
Our biggest inspiration has always been and will continue to be our family. They are our strength, our engine, the reason why we dream big and work with our hearts. We want to be their support, to repay them with love and effort for everything they have given us, and to build a path that honors their legacy.
When we combine our talents, our passion, and our faith in our creator, we know that with honesty and dedication, we will achieve all our dreams, without ever losing our essence or harming anyone along the way.
We are driven by the desire to do things well, to leave a mark with what we do, to show the world that our country is full of wonderful people who work with their hearts and believe in the power of doing good.
