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From Digital To Analog: Food Entrepreneur Otto Cedeno Makes An Old-School Career Change

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Otto Cedeno was a director of production for LiveStream .com after graduating with a film degree from NYU. Given the rise of digital start-ups and Cedeno’s skills and experience, one might expect him to satisfy his entrepreneurial instincts in the new media space. Instead, he made an old-school pivot in 2013 to open Otto’s Tacos, a brick-and-mortar taqueria in NYC with two locations currently, a third on the way, and over 30 employees now on staff. Digital to analog. Tech to food. Employee to entrepreneur. I interviewed Cedeno about his extreme career change:

Caroline Ceniza-Levine: Why did you change careers? Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

Otto Cedeno: I feel incredibly blessed to have had worked at Livestream.  I really couldn’t be happier with my career there.  It was a privilege to have produced content for such fantastic brands and partners.  But there was something in me that wanted a new challenge.  The next chapter was always going to be something different for me.  I never imagined that I would make such a dramatic leap—tech to hospitality.

The idea of making something out of nothing has always fueled me.  So in a way, I suppose I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur.  But the urge to actually jump came somewhat recently.  It was a huge risk and step outside my comfort zone.

Ceniza-Levine: How long did it take to make the change? Did you side hustle for a while or did you quit outright, then launch? How long did you plan?

Cedeno: I had been planning Otto's Tacos in the back of my head for years.  A few ideas here, a few ideas there, but never acted on anything.  Then one day I just said, "why the hell not."  When it came time to actually do it, I wanted to have a completely clean plate…pun intended. I needed to focus 100% of my time on building and designing the brand and raising our start up capital.  So I quit my job.  I spent the next year immersing myself in the hospitality industry and looking for investors.  I worked a few freelance gigs to make ends meet, but for the most part, took up residence on my parents’ and friends’ couches to survive the early days.

Ceniza-Levine: What were the biggest obstacles in making the change?

Cedeno: Hands down: Convincing someone that I could open a restaurant in New York City with absolutely zero restaurant experience.

Ceniza-Levine: What was most helpful as you were transitioning?

Cedeno: My Parents.  They let their 27-year-old, unemployed son move back in with them to save money.  Their kitchen became our first " test kitchen.”  In fact, my mother's fryer, which I think might be older than me, was the first fryer we used to test our signature Masa Fries.

Ceniza-Levine: Did entering the food business require any special certifications or other training? Did you enroll in any small business programs or incubators or get a coach?

Cedeno: I knew I was entering unfamiliar territory.  So the day after I left my job at Livestream, I enrolled in a small culinary school to learn the basics.  On top of that, a friend of mine (who would become one of our first partners), owned a fantastic Cuban restaurant in LA.  I asked him approximately a hundred questions per day in the beginning (Thanks Mike!).  He and our other partners and investors have been incredible.  I can’t thank them enough for believing in me and advising me through the entire process.

Ceniza-Levine: What skills, habits, and/or knowledge from your previous career helped you?

Cedeno: If there’s one thing my previous career taught me it is attention to workflow.  Live video production lives and dies with efficient workflow.  And there’s no room for error.  I’d like to think that Otto’s Tacos is one of the most efficient new restaurants.  We keep the flow simple and effective, but pay close attention to detail.

Ceniza-Levine: What skills, habits, and/or knowledge from your previous career weren’t helpful or that you needed to unlearn?

Cedeno: Oddly enough, quite a few of the skills from my previous career translated over in some capacity to this new venture.  I wouldn't say I had to unlearn anything.  Instead, I had to figure out how to re-apply my skill set to the projects at hand.  I.E. I personally shoot all of our product shots for our website and social media channels.

Ceniza-Levine: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started the business? What advice would you have for other professionals with established careers to make the leap into a new business?

Cedeno: I wish I knew that everything takes twice as long as you thought it would.  My passion sometimes overpowered my patience.  Many first-time entrepreneurs think they can bite off more than they can chew.  Ultimately, you can only control the pace so much.  Try to look at that as a good thing.

The best advice I can give from my journey is to make sure you have a solid nest egg.  Especially if you're quitting your job to fundraise.  Unemployment is scary and fundraising takes time, energy, and PATIENCE.  Make sure you can survive the initial phases becoming an entrepreneur.

Ceniza-Levine: Why a brick and mortar business given the rise of all things technology/ virtual and given your background in the online space? What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs weighing the virtual v. brick and mortar choice?

Cedeno: For me it was a "grass is always greener" thing.  I spent most of my life working with cameras and computers.  So the idea of building a brand that had to do with food and a face-to-face customer experience was different and that excited me.  We are a digitally focused society, so it was nice to escape to a place that's focused on an analog, back-to-basics sort of way.

My advice to other entrepreneurs is do what you feel is comfortable.  If you feel that the digital world is where you can make the most damage, then stay the course.  But if a fresh start or any change is welcome then, hey, why not?  What do you have to lose?

My favorite takeaways from Cedeno?

Go after your dream

“I had been planning Otto's Tacos in the back of my head for years.  A few ideas here, a few ideas there, but never acted on anything.  Then one day I just said, "why the hell not."” Cedeno didn’t just dismiss his ideas. He listened and now has a thriving new business.

Use what you have

“If there’s one thing my previous career taught me it is attention to workflow.” In addition to the discipline of his previous career, Cedeno uses his technical skills to shoot his own product shots. He relied on family and friends for emotional support, advice, and his first test kitchen.

Do what is comfortable even if it’s different

“If you feel that the digital world is where you can make the most damage, then stay the course.  But if a fresh start or any change is welcome then, hey, why not?  What do you have to lose?” Cedeno was a digital expert who went analog because that’s where he felt most comfortable to launch this particular business. Comfort comes in different forms.

You don’t have to quit your job like Cedeno did to start a business. Shoe entrepreneur Tiannia Barnes is doing the opposite as she keeps her day job while the business grows. Or you can buy into a business like Mark Prygocki who went from pharmaceuticals to donut franchisee.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be profiling more career pivots. Follow my column on Forbes to catch the next ones, and take advantage of SixFigureStart® free toolkits on Negotiation, Networking, and Personal Branding, including a free download for entrepreneurs.