Steve Ruiz on Betting on Yourself, Puerto Rican Food, Family, and Building a Business That Lasts

<p>What happens when you spend <strong>27 years building a career in healthcare</strong>, then decide to bet on yourself and build something of your own? For <strong>Steve Ruiz</strong>, it meant leaving the comfort of a long career, trusting his instincts, and turning a passion for Puerto Rican food into a growing family business.</p><p>On this episode of <em>I&#39;m An Artist, Not A Salesman</em>, host <strong>Luis Guzman</strong> sits down with Steve Ruiz, co-owner of <strong>Mama D&#39;s Empanadas</strong>, to talk about entrepreneurship, Puerto Rican culture, family, risk, resilience, and what it really takes to build a business from the ground up.</p><p>Steve&#39;s journey is anything but predictable. Growing up in <strong>Bushwick, Brooklyn</strong>, he dreamed of playing professional baseball and even had an opportunity to try out with the Minnesota Twins. After suffering a serious knee injury and experiencing a heart attack at just 18 years old, his path took a completely different direction. He eventually found his way into the medical field, where he spent 27 years working at Hospital for Special Surgery.</p><p>But while Steve had a stable career, he and his wife, Diana, were building something on the side. What started as a <strong>food truck</strong> grew over six or seven years, introducing customers throughout New Jersey to authentic Puerto Rican empanadas and cuisine. Eventually, people kept asking the same question: Where can we get your food all the time?</p><p>That question helped push Steve and his family toward opening <strong>Mama D&#39;s Empanadas</strong>, a brick-and-mortar restaurant in New Jersey. Making that leap wasn&#39;t easy. Leaving a 27-year career meant giving up security, taking on risk, learning an entirely new industry, and figuring out how to run everything from food preparation to equipment repairs and customer service.</p><p>Steve explains why he believes <em>failing is easier than succeeding</em>. Failure can teach you what went wrong and give you another chance to improve. Success brings a different challenge: figuring out how to repeat it and keep moving forward. That mindset has helped Steve approach entrepreneurship with patience, accountability, consistency, and a willingness to learn.</p><p>A major part of the conversation is the importance of <strong>Puerto Rican culture and storytelling through food</strong>. Steve isn&#39;t simply selling empanadas. He&#39;s sharing the food, traditions, memories, and fami