Wing Lam, the founder of Wahoo's Fish Taco, describes his family's journey from Brazil to the US and the eventual creation of Wahoo's.
Wing Lam, the founder of Wahoo's Fish Taco, shares his family's incredible journey. In Wing's childhood, his father sought new opportunities in California, when they stumbled upon a Mexican restaurant for sale in Newport Beach. It was slow at first, but then a chance encounter with John Wayne turned their luck around. The restaurant became a hit, and Wing's family moved to the US to help out.
Wing talks about how his background in action sports and connections to surf brands like Billabong and Quicksilver shaped Wahoo's surfer vibe. He even became the president of the US Snowboard Association without being a US citizen! Wahoo's became a hub for athletes and enthusiasts, and they supported up-and-coming talent through sponsorships and events. Wing also shares some of the challenges he has faced, like racism and the ever-changing restaurant industry.
Looking to the future, Wing sees AI and changing consumer tastes as major factors in the industry. He's also interested in crypto and believes in its potential. Overall, it was inspiring to hear how Wing and his family embraced their unique background and created a successful brand that's still going strong today.
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:15) Moving to America
(00:08:37) The First Wahoos
(00:12:59) Brazilian Influence
(00:14:32) Surfing & Tacos
(00:17:02) How to Keep Momentum
(00:19:20) More Marketing
(00:21:11) Moving in to Snowboarding Partnerships
(00:24:03) Events and Contests
(00:27:07) Hansens into Monster
(00:30:00) Part of the Culture Now
(00:31:45) How Did You Finance The Growth?
(00:34:46) Overcoming Obstacles / Trading Swag
(00:38:07) Staying Cool
(00:40:40) Experiencing Racism and Sports
(00:50:21) Restaurants Are Hard
(00:54:39) Future Forward - AI Automation
(00:57:06) Where Is Human Value?
(01:00:14) Thoughts on Crypto
(01:02:23) Evolving Brands
(01:05:29) Action Sports Changing
🎵 Music Produced by Chris "Big Duke" Malloy during "Secret Sauce Session" with Neil Alonzo.
🎥 Produced by @vocalvisualcoBrandon Don Heath and Neil Alonzo
