[MUSIC PLAYING]
SPEAKER 1: We're here at The Taco Man restaurant
located in Ontario and the city of Montclair
to meet Israel, the founder and entrepreneur who is
an alumnus of Chaffey College.
How are you doing?
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Good.
Good.
How's everything?
SPEAKER 1: Good to see you.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Good.
Good to see you too.
SPEAKER 1: All right.
This is something that I've been waiting all day for.
Well, it's great to see you, Israel.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Great-- great to-- thank you for having us
here.
SPEAKER 1: Taco Man.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Yes, The Taco Man.
SPEAKER 1: I love how the sound--
how did you come up with that--
the name?
ISRAEL MIRANDA: The T-H-E, I think that makes it official,
somewhat I thought.
I would be the, the taco man.
SPEAKER 1: So you're the man?
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Trying to be.
I'm trying to get there.
Yeah.
[INAUDIBLE] Yeah.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
SPEAKER 1: But tell me about yourself.
How did you get started?
ISRAEL MIRANDA: I was born in Mexico City,
which people consider the taco capital of the world.
SPEAKER 1: The heart and soul.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Oh, that is it.
I said, I love this taco product.
How can I bring this to the States?
Somewhere where there's music, and people
are laughing, and talking, the food tastes much better.
And I think that's where the--
somewhat, the term, soul food.
It comes from the soul.
And you enjoy what you're eating is not just a piece of food.
It's--
SPEAKER 1: It's Mexican soul food.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Oh, exactly.
You hit it right on the nail.
I like that.
Mexican soul food.
Yeah, that is-- that's what that is.
SPEAKER 1: Yeah, OK.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: I started a catering business
in right about college time at Chaffey.
I was getting the business side.
SPEAKER 1: So you knew the food side,
but you didn't know the business side.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: The business side.
Correct.
And that's what-- you got to open the books.
You sort of got to start reading.
It's very important to know that.
And the business courses, I think I feel to this day.
I still remember a lot of the stuff--
SPEAKER 1: [INAUDIBLE]
ISRAEL MIRANDA: You have-- yeah.
You--
SPEAKER 1: To the practice.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: To the practice.
There's a lot of other factors that go in.
I think that's the most important part.
A professor at the Chaffey College in Fontana,
I think she's in Rancho, she asked
me to speak at one of her business classes.
It was a privilege for me to show them, hey,
this is the other side--
SPEAKER 1: This is the real side.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: This is the real side.
SPEAKER 1: The statement that I've done it,
you can do it too.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Oh yeah.
Definitely.
Yeah, and all of you can do it.
Yeah.
SPEAKER 1: That's fantastic.
Well, I think that is so meaningful for us
because we're preparing for entrepreneurs for the future.
And you're doing that by saying, hey, I'm an entrepreneur.
I'm successful.
You can do this as well.
And you are living, breathing proof
that it can happen for you too.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Definitely.
SPEAKER 1: That is awesome.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Definitely.
SPEAKER 1: And we are a major investment in this community
of $600 million annually.
For every dollar invested in Chaffey is a $4.00 return--
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Wow.
SPEAKER 1: Because of our students, our faculty,
and staff.
We have that value.
And you're contributing to that $600 million annually.
So tell us how you've done that.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: It's obligation.
It's-- a lot of people don't have the opportunity that
I've had for myself.
So I feel it's like a revolving door.
Two employees here, they have their kids
that go to Chaffey College.
This job was created through somebody
that attended the same school that you're going to.
SPEAKER 1: So you're creating jobs
for others who can also create jobs later on.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Later on.
And it just keeps on--
SPEAKER 1: And it keeps on spiraling--
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Correct.
SPEAKER 1: As part of the family.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Yes.
SPEAKER 1: I think it's admirable to--
I know the old Biblical statement about to much
is given, much is required.
And you're doing that.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: I mean, funny you brought that up.
I-- that's come to my head a few times when stuff gets tough.
SPEAKER 1: That's a heart thing, isn't it?
ISRAEL MIRANDA: It has to be.
Yeah.
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SPEAKER 1: Well, Israel, I rolled up one sleeve.
But let me do the second sleeve so now, let's really dig down
and eat some Mexican soul food.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: Good.
Yes.
Let's do that.
SPEAKER 1: Thank you so much.
ISRAEL MIRANDA: You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Thank you for coming.
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