Dear Rocky Point Times,

I read the article on the difficulties of doing business in Mexico, and I would like to offer a different perspective.

This letter is intended only to offer my experience.

I came to Puerto Peñasco with around $340.00. I was 28 years old. I did not know the language, I did not know anyone in this city. The only reason I had a chance to continue here was because of many amazing people from the community who showed kindness towards a stranger, foreigner, and a broke gringo muddling his way through doing business in Mexico. The people of Rocky Point are kind, they offer what they have when you demonstrate you are deserving.

I have found that usually they are not motivated by money to the same extent as the Americans. I have discovered a genuine culture of loyalty, pride, sense of duty, love and care for others. If you are going to achieve success here, you must reciprocate the same values, otherwise the relationship (as like all relationships) will not be successful.

Most people who read this article know my company, SeaSide Reservations. I started with a few properties and it has grown to an international company in 11 cities. This was all under the leadership of women. The top positions in my company have been consistently occupied by strong, unflinching, loyal Mexican women. It was never a prerequisite. It was a reflection of their merit and content of character, as opposed to being judged on their gender. That is not to take away from the amazing men who work for me. They are great as well. However this letter is in direct response to the article’s disparagement of women in Mexico. I would tell you that if it were not for the amazing and strong women that have been with my company, in most cases over 12 years, and some for 15, that I would not have been successful. It is the women who have not only helped me build the company, but were also loyal when things were terrible during the economic crash and worked tirelessly to help save a company that wasn’t even theirs. Several Americans working for me at the time did not have the fortitude or loyalty that was demonstrated by these fine individuals.

If you only take away one thing from this letter I hope it will be this: if you treat these, strong Mexican women like family, show them you will stand by them and care about them personally, show them respect and dignity, you will quickly and easily find extraordinary, dependable, hardworking and honest women in this job market.

I wanted to mention many of the women I know who stand out in this city. The only reason I abstained was because there are too many to list and I would not want to insult any of them by omitting one by accident.

I want to personally thank the AMAZING women of Rocky Point, and I want to especially thank the women of Seaside Reservations, past and present. You are a gift and a blessing to all of us.

Steve Schwab