Mariana Martinez, Alliance Paper & Foodservice Equipment

Mariana MartinezThroughout her private and professional life, Mariana Martinez has maintained one primary goal: helping others. That’s why when she graduated from college with a nursing degree, Martinez was focused on assisting anyone and everyone she could. 

After taking a position with Alliance Paper and Foodservice Equipment, though, Martinez felt her career path changing. She decided that she could still help others, but it would be in a different field. She’s been helping people as a business development manager for 11 years now.

Q: What made you stick with the foodservice industry?

A: I knew what I wanted to do was help. I just didn’t know how I could help people. With Alliance being a small company, I was able to help more one-on-one and that made me stick around for a long time. And I’m still helping others start their futures when they launch their new businesses or endeavors. 

Q: Your father has been in the industry working in the warehouse for Alliance for 36 years. What advice has he given you to help your career?

A: My dad’s favorite line is “Get the job done.” There are times when you get frustrated and things don’t go your way; he always told me to be patient and get the job done. Having that in my mind and him being in the industry for 36 years has guided me to get the job done and when that happens, the future is rewarding.

Q: You sell a wide variety of products. Is there any one product type that intrigues you?

A: Honestly, it all intrigues me a little. One product type I enjoy a little bit more its disposables. That’s because each foodservice operator has their own way of packaging something, whether it’s a cake or a piece of pie or anything to-go. From ordering samples to figuring out a solution for the customer, I think that side is the most intriguing and rewarding.

Q: How do you make sure you have the right product to meet your client’s needs?

A: There’s a process. What I do first is I talk to the customer to understand their mindset, what they want to accomplish and to learn about their vision. From there, I get my reps involved by saying to the customer, “There’s a manufacturer who makes this kind of product that could address your needs. Let’s order some samples.” The goal is the customer’s, and we want to get them what they need to achieve that goal. 

Q: You get to work with a lot of successful independent restaurants. What’s a common trait they all share?

A: What they all share is the determination to be great. I’ve been in the industry for 11 years, so I was around during the COVID times. During that time, I noticed that everyone had one goal and that was to stay alive. They had to change the way they operated and the way they did things like adding stuff to the menu that they never thought they needed or that they should ever offer. But they did it to stay afloat. I saw that throughout all my customers. If you wanted to survive, you had to have that determination to do it: Determination remains a defining trait of the successful operators today.

DSR 3-2-1

Mariana Martinez, Alliance Paper & Foodservice Equipment, sits down with Jason Wange, Foodservice Powerplant Network, to talk about being named an FE&S DSR of the Month. 

Find more episodes of DSR 3-2-1 here. 

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Presents DSR 3-2-1 is sponsored by Salvajor.