Margarita Womack (EMBA’19) receives Ernst and Young 2022 Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award
A versatile on-the-go product, combined with fresh ingredients, an influx of Hispanic culture, community, and sustainably driven values is at the heart of what Latin Goodness Foods LLC is really all about.
The company, which does business as ‘MasPanadas’, was founded by Margarita Womack (EMBA’19), and her husband, Andy, back in 2017. That same year, Womack was a Georgetown McDonough Executive MBA student and was heavily involved with Georgetown Entrepreneurship.
It was during her time at McDonough that Womack learned how to pitch and talk about her ideas as a food entrepreneur, especially regarding her future visions and goals for MasPanadas.
Recently, Womack was honored as a 2022 Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year for her dedication to food entrepreneurship. With modern working families in mind, Womack created MasPanadas to offer a quick, nutritious, and delicious meal option for children and adults.
According to Entrepreneur of the Year, the annual recognitions are awarded to entrepreneurs who have been selected by a panel of independent judges as “the most ambitious leaders who are building and sustaining successful, dynamic businesses around the world.”
For Womack, she said the recognition is “extremely validating” after years of navigating the ups and downs of business ownership – especially during a global pandemic.
“Several times a day you go from ‘this is great’ or ‘this is such a big win.’ Whatever it is in the moment. Then, five minutes later, it’s like ‘what am I doing,’” Womack said.
Apart from the company’s personal take on consumer packaged goods, Womack said, MasPanadas is about cultivating community and providing new opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds.
“Most of the people that work here are Hispanics. Most of them are immigrants. We’re still 75-80% female. The idea here is to elevate people and help them do better overall. So, we’re putting together a lot of programs to help our employees.”
As Womack reflects on her time at McDonough, she shared how her experiences, both in and out of the classroom, shaped her into the business owner she is today.
“I learned a lot and had a chance to really practice. To get in that groove, and get a lot of feedback, on what makes sense. Now, when I have conversations with investors, I feel a lot more comfortable overall. I would be at a very different point had I not had the opportunity to work with the entrepreneurship group.”
Jeff Reid, professor of the practice and founding director of Georgetown Entrepreneurship, attended the awards ceremony to celebrate Womack in person. Reid applauded Womack for this prestigious recognition as a business leader and Hoya alumna.
“Margarita Womack is a standout entrepreneur and is well deserving of this distinguished professional accolade. From the start of Womack’s time as an EMBA student, she’s always embodied Georgetown McDonough’s core values through her passion for helping others, entrepreneurial mindset, and dedication to lifelong learning,” said Reid. “We are proud of her accomplishments and look forward to watching her business venture continue to prosper across the entrepreneurial landscape.”
MasPanadas is already expanding, but for now, the product can be found in five flavors around the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Northwest regions. To learn more, follow @maspanadas on Instagram or @latingoodness on Facebook.