{"id":1907,"date":"2018-06-29T09:00:41","date_gmt":"2018-06-29T13:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1907"},"modified":"2018-06-26T23:02:50","modified_gmt":"2018-06-27T03:02:50","slug":"clara-cedeno","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1907","title":{"rendered":"Clara Cedeno"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding Yourself with Food\u00a0<\/em><\/h1>\n

By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alexis Emm<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI never see anything that I do as a waste of time,\u201d Clara Cedeno said, \u201cbecause once you start seeing things as a waste of time, you start having all these regrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can learn something from every experience, she explained.<\/p>\n

Clara\u2019s journey brought her from a financially secure career in technology to the world of small business ownership. She plans to open a Latin-American restaurant, La Patria Caf\u00e9, at 115 Green St. in the Hawley-Green Historical District later this summer or early fall.<\/p>\n

Though Clara moved to Syracuse in 2012, the New York City transplant didn\u2019t truly get to know the city for a few years. Running global partner services for a technology company, she was working from home or traveling most days. So, she was slightly reluctant to embrace her new hometown, and not quite sure what to embrace, she remembered.<\/p>\n

As time went on, passion for her job began to wane.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found myself in this place of having almost an existentialist crisis in some form or fashion,\u201d Clara said.<\/p>\n

She began wondering what her purpose was.<\/p>\n

As a single mother, her daughter had been Clara\u2019s driving force and motivation behind her hard work in the technology field. Each time a potential promotion came up, she faced fear; but she had a daughter to provide for, Clara explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs females, it\u2019s very easy for us to find our purpose in our families, in our children,\u201d she said. \u201cWe sometimes forget that we have a life to live for ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

She found herself wondering what she wanted to be when she \u201cgrew up,\u201d Clara joked. She felt she needed to reconnect with herself.<\/p>\n

In the midst of this existential quandary, she applied for Syracuse University\u2019s online MBA program. Furthering her education might help her technology career, she thought. It might awaken a renewed spirit and purpose.<\/p>\n

The process was difficult. She had to juggle competing priorities of family, work and online coursework. Not wanting to disappoint herself or anyone around her, she didn\u2019t give up. All the while, a dream was simmering on the back burner.<\/p>\n

The idea of running a restaurant had been on Clara\u2019s mind for a long time. She\u2019d enjoyed working in restaurants in New York City. As she climbed the corporate ladder
\nin technology, though, it never grew to be anything more than a dream. It was a pleasant thought \u2014 she\u2019d always loved entertaining \u2014 but she didn\u2019t think of it as more than a hobby.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, then, as it started to continually creep up, all of the sudden, it was at the forefront of my mind,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I was like, \u2018Oh, this is what I want to do.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The prospect of leaving her comfortable and reliable career in technology terrified her, though.<\/p>\n

Before long, Clara found herself browsing potential properties online. She found a few options, but then one jumped out: 115 Green St. in Syracuse, across from Laci\u2019s Tapas Bar. It belonged to Laci\u2019s owners, Laura Serway and Cindy Seymour. As a customer at Laci\u2019s, Clara was familiar with the local business owners, but didn\u2019t know them well.<\/p>\n

The location intrigued Clara, so she made an appointment to see the space. She invited her boyfriend \u2014 now fianc\u00e9 \u2014 to come along. After seeing the space, she asked for his feedback. He admitted he didn\u2019t see anything positive about the space.<\/p>\n

While Clara wasn\u2019t completely sold on it yet \u2014 \u201cthe fear was still there,\u201d she remembered \u2014 his response crushed her.<\/p>\n

The next day, Clara knew she needed some alone time to clear her mind. She got in the car and started driving. She had no particular destination in mind, but found herself back in the Hawley-Green District at Laci\u2019s, asking if Laura or Cindy was available. Laura came down and recognized Clara as a past customer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat transpired next, I would have never, ever imagined happening,\u201d Clara said. \u201cShe brought me across the street. We sat out in the back. I told her what my concept was, and she said, \u2018I love it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura told her to think about funding and make an offer. Then she added, \u201cI will tell you right now that you have to have skin in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, in my opinion, there\u2019s no other way to do anything than to have skin in the game,\u201d Clara replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll mentor you,\u201d Laura said. \u201cWhatever you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura and Cindy have stayed true to their word, helping Clara with everything from reviewing her business plan to making neighborhood introductions and connections to advising on financials.<\/p>\n

Once she worked out the financing, Clara made an offer and closed on the property in late October.<\/p>\n

Since then, it\u2019s been \u201ca hell of a rollercoaster ride,\u201d Clara said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

When deciding on La Patria Caf\u00e9\u2019s concept, she knew she wanted to stay true to her roots. Her family is from the Dominican Republic and Clara was born in the United States. She\u2019s a proud Latina and proud American, she said. Her first hometown was New York City, and now she\u2019s falling in love with Syracuse.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, how can I bring all these things together?\u201d she asked herself.<\/p>\n

Clara immediately decided she wanted to open a Latin-American restaurant, to entertain her fellow Syracusans and introduce them to flavors they might not know yet, \u201cin an environment and ambiance that is casual yet elegant; fun yet social,\u201d she said. She\u2019s planning to use her own recipes. Guests can expect primarily Latin-American and Latin-Caribbean dishes, such as ceviche, Cuban sandwiches and black bean soup.<\/p>\n

In the process of creating her new business, Clara\u2019s partnered, brainstormed and collaborated with a number of people in the area, including CNY Latino\u2019s Marisol Hernandez and Hugo Acosta, members of the Hawley-Green community, the city of Syracuse and the WISE Women\u2019s Business Center.<\/p>\n

As she\u2019s waited on approval from the city for various pieces of the project, Clara\u2019s worked on whatever details she can herself, from painting to landscaping to sanding the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a small business owner, you start to learn what your level of commitment truly is to the business,\u201d she said. \u201cYou learn that it is tiring. It\u2019s frustrating. Then, you have to figure out \u2014 how do you keep the dream alive while not overtiring yourself to the point where you hate what you\u2019re doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s learned to switch things up and be flexible, Clara said. For example, she added, she\u2019s had to prioritize competition of certain restaurant spaces over others and arrive at her ideal place in a different way than she\u2019d first anticipated.<\/p>\n

As she\u2019s gleaned knowledge from her entrepreneurial experiences thus far, Clara\u2019s moved\u00a0closer to determining an opening day, but she\u2019s remaining flexible on the specific date at this point. At the time of publication, she\u2019s anticipating opening La Patria Caf\u00e9 in late summer or early fall.<\/p>\n

The most recent lesson she\u2019s learned is one the world of technology introduced her to: the importance of sense of urgency.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody else is going to have the sense of urgency that you have,\u201d Clara explained. \u201cYou have to make it come across in one way or another to get people on board with you, to get what you need in a timely fashion. It\u2019s your concept. It\u2019s your business. It\u2019s your passion.\u201d SWM\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Want to follow Clara\u2019s entrepreneurial journey and get updates about La Patria Caf\u00e9? We\u2019ve got you covered! Follow Syracuse Woman Magazine on social media! Connect with us today at facebook.com\/SyracuseWomanMagazine<\/a>.<\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Finding Yourself with Food\u00a0 By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alexis Emm\u00a0 \u201cI never see anything that I do as a waste of time,\u201d Clara Cedeno said, \u201cbecause once you start seeing things as a waste of time, you start having all these regrets.\u201d You can learn something from every experience, she explained. Clara\u2019s journey…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[156,645,637,644,133,262],"class_list":["post-1907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-alexis-emm","tag-clara-cedeno","tag-july-2018","tag-la-patria-cafe","tag-lorna-oppedisano","tag-syracuse-woman-magazine"],"gutentor_comment":1,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/SWM-MAG-5-11-18-Alexis-Emm-Photo-6.jpg?fit=5200%2C3477&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1985,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1985","url_meta":{"origin":1907,"position":0},"title":"Jenniffer Benedetto","author":"Staff","date":"August 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Teaching Education Appreciation By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alexis Emm\u00a0 \u201cEveryone has a story and everybody has gifts. That\u2019s how I try to teach,\u201d Syracuse City School District teacher Jenniffer Benedetto said. \u201cI educate and inspire with that mindset, with love and determination.\u201d Jenniffer didn\u2019t always dream of being\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/SWM-AUG-Alexis-Emm-Photo-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/SWM-AUG-Alexis-Emm-Photo-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/SWM-AUG-Alexis-Emm-Photo-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/SWM-AUG-Alexis-Emm-Photo-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/SWM-AUG-Alexis-Emm-Photo-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":962,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=962","url_meta":{"origin":1907,"position":1},"title":"Purpose Farm","author":"Staff","date":"July 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Living with a Purpose By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alexis Emm \u201cMy earliest memory in life is riding a rocking horse nonstop. 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Marilyn and Debbie\u2019s sons started\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/AEP-SWM-NOV-4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/AEP-SWM-NOV-4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/AEP-SWM-NOV-4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/AEP-SWM-NOV-4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/AEP-SWM-NOV-4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1907"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1944,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907\/revisions\/1944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}