When did you arrive in the United States and why did you come?

Norma: I was 7 years old when my family moved to Los Angeles in 1951 from my hometown in Chihuahua, Mexico. With a name like Los Angeles, I thought that we were moving to heaven. 

Hector: At age 15 when my father was transferred by Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the staff at the Mexican General Consulate.

Title: Chairman, Vice-Chair, respectively

Company: Orci Advertising, Santa Monica

From: Mexico

Why did you start your business in the United States instead of back home?

N: Hector and I met and married here, and, as his career in marketing unfolded, we lived in several U.S. cities. In 1982, McCann-Erickson offered us the opportunity to work together in setting up their Hispanic division in the United States.

H: After almost five years as part of McCann, we decided to venture out on our own to devote all our energy to developing the business that we so deeply believed in.  

What’s the hardest thing about starting a business here? 

N: Corporate America needed to be convinced it was a market worth seriously pursuing, and they needed to understand that Latinos were different from their traditional consumer. 

And the easiest?

H: Setting up the business itself and finding effective legal and financial consultants to assist us in doing things right. 

N: Finding gifted and talented Latino staffers eager to express every aspect of themselves in the workplace, eager to master the disciplines and skills of marketing and advertising, and most of all, eager to make a positive difference for the Latino community. 

What have been the biggest surprises?

H: The extraordinary response of Latino consumers to our messaging on behalf of our clients.

N: Since we knew and admired these consumers deeply, we were able to help them understand the benefits of our clients’ brands and how they fit into and could enhance their lives. 

Would you tell someone from your home country to start a business here or there?

H: I would advise anyone who wants to start a business on either side of the border to make sure they have the skills, knowledge of the market and the drive to make a big dream come true. They can do it!

N: Mexicans on both sides of the border are hard-working and effective, natural entrepreneurs.  

Do you go back often?

N: We have a daughter and granddaughter living in Mexico, so we go there regularly and often. 

H: One objective is to spend time with friends and family; the other is to keep our knowledge of the culture young and fresh. 

What did you know about the United States before coming here?

H: I was deeply immersed in American history, government, geography, and culture.

N: I did all my schooling here, from 2nd grade to college (Go Trojans!). I knew that I loved this country. Most Americans I came in contact with were welcoming and caring, and they enthusiastically embraced other customs and traditions.

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you as a foreign-born entrepreneur?

N: We had one client who would take out his English/Spanish dictionary to edit my copy. On one occasion, he wanted us to reassure consumers that the product was not overly spicy, but his dictionary research led him to the equivalent of “limp chilies,” which in Spanish has rather comical sexual connotations. He also had a good laugh when he understood.

– Kristin Marguerite Doidge