How Tradition and Culture Fueled This Veteran’s Salsa Brand

Long before starting her own small business and before her time in the Navy Reserves, entrepreneurship was always simmering in the background of Estefania Villanueva’s life.

It started in a small kitchen, filled with the vibrant smells of chiles, garlic and spices.

Her mother Paty, an immigrant and single parent of three, ran a home-based catering business on top of working a full-time job. When she wasn’t at work, she spent hours prepping classic Mexican dishes to sell around their community. On weekends, Estefania and her siblings joined in—chopping, stirring and assembling, then going door-to-door to sell the food their mother poured her heart into.

“It was a beautiful experience watching that because she loved it so much. She put so much effort into something that she valued and treasured,” she reflected.

Over time, her mother’s reputation in the community grew. So much so that there was no need for official marketing, only word of mouth. Her customers followed the food.

Watching her mother build something from nothing left a lasting impression. 

Answering the call

That early exposure to hustle and hands-on work planted the seed. But Estefania wouldn’t discover what she needed to pursue her own path until she put on a military uniform.

As a first generation American, Estefania didn’t know much about the military. A career in military service wasn’t something she or her family ever considered. So, when her younger brother decided to join the Navy after high school, there were some questions and concerns. Leaning into her big sister role, Estefania decided to accompany him to the recruiter’s office. But what started as moral support quickly turned into something else.

“He and I are very close,” she says. “Once the recruiter told us about the different programs, and he decided he wanted to do it, we talked about it being [an experience] we could share together. We signed our contracts the same day.”

Estefania says their mother was a little bit shocked to learn her children wanted to join the military, but it didn’t take long for pride to replace uncertainty.

“Initially, she asked, ‘What is the Navy?’,” said Estefania. “It turned into something that led to pride for all of us. Now, whenever someone mentions the Navy, my mom talks about it with so much pride. She says, ‘I’m a Navy mom’ and wears the t-shirt.”

Building new bridges beyond service

Enlisting in the Reserves would prove to be one of the most defining choices of Estefania’s life. Her time in the military not only taught her structure and discipline—it also exposed her to so many opportunities, including a career with Navy Federal.

After completing her time in service, she held a few different jobs, unsure of where she truly fit until she walked into a branch and applied to be a teller. 

“Our recruiting office was across the parking lot from a Navy Federal branch,” she recalled. “I just remember always going into that branch and noticing everyone was so happy. One of the tellers told me she had been with the company 17 years, and I knew this was it.”

She didn’t know it at the time, but that simple decision would open the door to the next chapter of her journey, and eventually, back to her entrepreneurial roots. While working as a teller and eventually a branch manager, Estefania says she met so many small business owners—many of them Veterans. It was during those interactions that she learned about the many resources available to Veterans looking to start their own businesses. She was even more surprised to learn some of those same resources were offered by Navy Federal.

Estefania says starting and operating a business is a big part of Hispanic and Latino culture, often through small family or community businesses that aren't always formal.

“I would’ve never thought about business licenses or setting up business accounts, or anything like that,” she shared. “Seeing a lot of people with military backgrounds do something completely different than what they did in the military was like, ‘Wow’. If they can do it, I can do it for sure.”

Spicing up a family tradition

With her mother now in retirement, she wanted a way to help supplement her income and expand on the business her mother created.

Thus, the creation of Saka Moko, a salsa brand grounded in her Mexican culture and inspired by those long hours in her mother’s kitchen.

Saka Moko isn’t like the typical salsa you see at your local grocery stores or Tex-Mex restaurants. It’s Estefania and her mother’s homemade version of salsa macha, a traditional Mexican chili oil or chili crisp popular in Mexican regions like Veracruz and Oaxaca.

Inspired by a family joke, Saka Moko nods to the fiery heat of the chiles and the aftermath that often follows. Let’s just say you’ll want to keep a tissue nearby.

That signature heat doesn’t happen by accident. It’s an elaborate, time-intensive process of roasting a blend of dried chiles in olive oil and garlic, and transforming those simple ingredients into a bold, flavorful salsa.

“It’s an art,” she says. “I didn’t understand when my mother would say that until I asked her to show me how she makes it. I [wanted] to see what it looks like to [her]. I [wanted] to see what [she experiences].”

And, what she discovered was the labor of love her mother put into every jar. Estefania now puts the same level of care in her business. From sourcing ingredients to preparing the salsa, every decision is intentional and rooted in culture.

Somehow, she’s able to balance her full-time job as one of Navy Federal’s regional outreach managers and while still wearing most of the hats operating Saka Moko. She not only makes every batch, but she also handles bottling, packaging, shipping and marketing.  

While she handles most of the day-to-day operations, her mom is front and center serving as the face of the brand.

“She loves being in the spotlight. She loves doing events with me, she loves talking about [Saka Moko]. She loves to be the face. It’s so cute,” she shared.

Reinventing the approach

While she and her siblings may have sold their mother’s dishes door-to-door, today, Estefania reaches her customers mostly online but also through San Diego-area community events and vendor fairs. But word of mouth has been her strongest marketing tool, just like her mother’s business years ago. She’s garnered a customer base across the US, overseas and across Navy Federal branches and campuses.

Running her one-woman operation isn’t easy, but she credits her work ethic to the experience she gained from her time in the military.

“One of the benefits that I gained from service is they help you figure out your goal, set your mind to it and create a plan on how to achieve it,” she said. “The military shaped how I [operate my] business because you want to do so many things, but if there is no structure to it, then you have to understand where they do and don’t make sense.”

Overcoming challenges

Today, she proudly represents the growing number of Hispanic-owned and Veteran-owned businesses in the US, at 14.5 and 5.5 percent, respectively.

Estefania says she’s been able to overcome many challenges small business owners face by simply asking for help and using the resources available to her.

“In Mexican culture, there’s this thought that you can do everything yourself. It wasn’t until I had those conversations with Navy Federal members that I learned about all the resources out there. They helped me realize I could ask for help and guidance along the way,” she said.

Forging what’s next

Despite the long hours and demands of running a business, Estefania is still able to pay it forward. She currently mentors another Hispanic woman-owned business in her area, offering advice and collaborating at local events.

She hopes to mentor more women entrepreneurs and says it’s important to help small business owners think beyond side hustles.

“I think a lot of people underplay themselves,” said Estefania. “They think of it as just a side business and not a legit business. No, you’re putting in the effort. I wish I could shake [into] people that what you’re doing is not minor. Don’t minimize your efforts.”

What’s next for Estefania’s business? The small business owner says she hopes to bring her salsa brand to grocery stores around the country. In the meantime, she’s expanding the operations of the business, but still keeping it in the family by bringing her sister, Natalie, on board.

With Saka Moko, Estefania Villanueva has built more than a salsa brand. She’s created a bridge between generations, cultures and communities. Rooted in her mother’s traditions and strengthened by the lessons learned from her military service, her journey is proof that entrepreneurship doesn’t have to start in a boardroom. It can start in your mother’s kitchen or maybe even at your local Navy Federal branch.