BEST ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
This category awards individuals with the vision, passion and tenacity to see things through, make things happen and become an entrepreneur outside of Mexico. They are individuals who chose to be outside of their comfort zone, generating jobs, and contributing to the local economy.
PEPE BARAJAS
Established in 2011, and opening almost one company per year without equity investors, Pepe Barajas is the CEO, Founder, and Owner of seven different companies based in Whistler and Vancouver, BC. He won the Whistler Chamber’s Rising Star of the Year award in 2014 and then the Best Immigrant Entrepreneur in BC from Small Business BC in 2015, as well as the Best Entrepreneur from Latincouver in 2015, and most recently he joined the selective group as one of the best business leaders of the year for the Top Forty Under 40 award from Business Vancouver in 2017. Employing 150 people, Pepe supports several immigrants (mostly from Mexico) to establish themselves in Canada.
ROCIO OROZCO
Rocio Orozco was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico, she co-owns and currently operates with her family two companies, Zone Diet Mexico that was founded in 1999 and Nutrasource Diagnostics Laboratory in 2008. She recently moved to Vancouver in 2015 with her husband and two children, a couple of years later in 2017 together with her sister in law launched their own makeup brand, Sesasi Professional Makeup.
SONIA ZEBADUA
What began as a playful idea of moving to Canada with the dream to be a great chef in the early 2000s, 12 years later resulted in 2 successful companies and an active non-profit association in Vancouver, BC. She’s the president of Multiservices Vancouver Household Maintenance Ltd., a company she founded in 2013 and currently with 35 employees and a fleet of service cars. Sonia is also the President of the Non-Profit Association - Latinos & Amigos LGBTQ2+. Together with the team, they participate every year in the Vancouver Pride Parade, collaborate with community members to raise awareness, educate love, and create a safe space for Latinos and other new members of the community.