Jeannette Flores-Katz and her husband, Ken Katz, had a determined attitude of “failure is not an option” when they came up with the idea for Buenos Dias Cafe and Pupuseria in 2011. However, they recognized the need for financial support to kickstart their idea, which led them to seek help from Invest Atlanta. 

Fast forward to 2020, the restaurant faced challenges, particularly due to the restrictions on indoor dining brought about by the pandemic. To ensure the survival of Buenos Dias Cafe, the couple turned to Invest Atlanta once again, this time through the ATLinBusiness program. They were specifically looking for marketing help.

“We needed to figure out a new way to do business due to the changing landscape,” Katz explains.

Recognizing a need for a stronger online presence to drive traffic to their website and build online delivery services, the restaurant owners were connected with a consultant through ATLinBuinsess. This consultant played a big role in educating them about website development, keywords and search engine optimization (SEO). Their goal was to make sure the restaurant would appear in search results when people looked for Latin food in Atlanta. The collaboration between an ATLinBusiness consultant and Flores-Katz spanned approximately 10 weeks, ultimately enabling them to transition to running their business 100% online.

ATLinBusiness offers no-cost services to small businesses in Atlanta. A key feature of the program is pairing the business with a consultant who has expertise in the area the business requires assistance. Katz says the help was so valuable and encourages other Atlanta businesses entrepreneurs to use these services. He goes on to say that, while it is no-cost to the business, you have to be able to put in the work and actively participate. 

ATLinBusiness helped the Katz’ business survive the pandemic and today, they have been able to rebrand as La Bodega. The restaurant has moved to The MET ATL and has expanded to offer inside seating and a market. As the couple looks back over the past three years they say it was worth the work because it meant staying afloat during a tough economic time. 

“It’s not just a case of submitting your issue and letting someone else solve it. It is a collaborative effort. Really a partnership with the consultant,” Katz says. 

If you are a small business in the City of Atlanta and interested in learning more about ATLinBusiness, you can visit the website and begin the process of being partnered with a consultant at no-cost to you.