portrait · 34 years old · shopkeeper

Cecilia del Sagrario Losa Arreaga

“Anywhere is a good place for a business. As long as you treat the customer well.”

Cecilia del Sagrario Losa Arreaga

Señora Cecilia del Sagrario is a hard-working, devoted woman who has given her life to getting her children ahead. She lives in Valle de Chalco Solidaridad and has found in her business a way to provide for her family. With a permanent smile on her face, she works to give her customers the best service she can, whether renting out chairs, tarpaulins and tables or selling raw materials in her shop.

For her the most important thing is not the cost or the profit, but making sure that everyone who comes into her shop leaves satisfied. Her joking, kindly manner has made her much loved, and her sense of responsibility is admirable. She is a little scatty, but even so, her generous heart and her love for her family and her work keep her focused on giving her best.

Her family is her greatest motivation, and she works to give them a better life. With her infectious smile and her entrepreneurial spirit, señora Cecilia is an inspiration to many. Her shop reflects her personality: warm, welcoming and full of love. Señora Cecilia del Sagrario is a persevering and charismatic woman.

the interview

Extracts from the recorded interview, translated from Spanish. The talk has been tightened, never corrected.

Have you lived here all your life?

No, I’ve been here in the State of Mexico since 2009. Why did I move? Chance of destiny, I suppose.

How did you start your business?

As you can see, I’m just starting out with this raw-materials shop. Back in 2020 it occurred to me to start a small rental business, right in the middle of the pandemic. So it began there. I used to have a job, but I left my children alone too much. So I decided to go into business for myself.

And when you’re not working?

At home, doing housework as well. There, nobody pays me.

Does the business affect your family life?

No, not really, because I can bring them along for a while. But then again, safety isn’t exactly great, and since they’re small, they wander off.

What do you value most about having your own business?

My customers. Of course, you always have to value them, because that’s where the income comes from that lets you be all right financially at home.

Is Valle de Chalco a good place to start a business?

Yes, honestly anywhere is a good place for a business. As long as — and I come back to this — you treat the customer well. Because if you don’t, it can be the best spot in the world and it won’t work. Looking after the customer is what means that even in the most hidden place, you’ll still sell.

Interview conducted by the workshop participants, 2025.