July 2026

Before we won the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Veteran-Owned Business of the Year award, we were already working hard. Like so many entrepreneurs, we were building, testing ideas, taking risks, and wondering if we were moving in the right direction.

The award didn't suddenly make us successful.

It gave others permission to see what we had already been building.

For a small business, credibility is currency. Recognition opens doors that are often difficult to open alone. One introduction becomes another. One opportunity leads to another. Before long, you're no longer chasing work-you've positioned yourself to be trusted with it.

That has certainly been true for us.

Over the last year, The Colao Group has become more focused than ever. We refined our brand, clarified our direction, and aligned our work around the services where we create the greatest impact: economic development, cultural placemaking, strategic marketing, event production, community engagement, and destination experiences. Our new identity isn't simply a logo. It reflects who we've become as a company.

That clarity has translated into opportunity.



Most recently, The Colao Group served as the Official Production Partner for Centro San Antonio's Stars & Stripes Music and Food Festival at Civic Park, one of downtown's largest Independence Day celebrations with a night that included the return of fireworks to downtown San Antonio for the first time in more than fifteen years.

We've also expanded our hospitality footprint by opening our newest operation at Galen College of Nursing, where we now operate the campus café, serving breakfast, lunch, snacks, and beverages to students, faculty, and staff. It's another example of how we've diversified our business while remaining rooted in service and hospitality.

Meanwhile, Cuba 1918 continues to grow as more than a restaurant. It has become a cultural destination that celebrates music, history, entrepreneurship, and community. This summer we welcomed Chef Raul Mendoza as our new Operator and Executive Chef. His leadership is already gaining statewide recognition as he competes against some of Texas' most accomplished chefs in the Texas Restaurant Association's Lone Star Tapas Showdown and serves with the Texas Chef's Association. 

Collectively, these milestones represent something much larger than individual successes.

They demonstrate the power of relationships.

I've been a member of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2006. What began as networking evolved into mentorship, leadership opportunities, committee service, and today, true ecosystem building. The Chamber has never simply been a place to exchange business cards. It has been a place where entrepreneurs invest in one another, where partnerships are formed, and where businesses become stronger because they choose to show up consistently.

That ecosystem has changed the trajectory of our company.

As we look toward the coming year, we're preparing to cross a milestone we've never reached before: becoming a million-dollar company.

While that number is exciting, it isn't the achievement I'm most proud of.

I'm proud that our growth is creating careers. It's creating opportunities for chefs, musicians, contractors, marketers, technicians, small businesses, and community partners. It's allowing us to invest in neighborhoods, activate public spaces, and prove that business growth and community impact can happen together.

That's what this Chamber represents.

One year after receiving the Veteran-Owned Business of the Year award, we're grateful for the recognition-but even more grateful for the relationships that followed.

Awards acknowledge where you've been.

An ecosystem helps determine where you're going.

We hope to see everyone at the SAHCC 16th Annual Small Business Expo & Awards Luncheon.

Erica Rodriguez, Co-Chair SAHCC 16th Annual Small Business Expo & Awards Luncheon 2026

Partner, The Colao Group