Post by Tammy Potter

What’s one place that doesn’t just hold memories, it holds a piece of who you became? I came across this photo today in my phone, and for a moment I wasn’t in Asheville anymore. I was a little girl walking through the doors of La Posta in Old Mesilla, New Mexico. Before we were even seated, I’d wander over to admire the exotic birds in the foyer. Then I’d make my way to the piranha tank. Those fish fascinated me as a child, and somehow, I can still picture them swimming there all these years later. Every birthday. Every Sunday lunch after church. Every family celebration worth celebrating. Endless warm tortillas. Queso that never lasted long enough. My favorite chile rellenos. Perfectly crispy taquitos. And if it happened to be your birthday, you didn’t get cake. You got an empanada with a sparkler blazing on top while everyone else reached for another warm sopapilla and passed around those little honey bear bottles. Looking at this photo today, I realized something. The memories that have stayed with me for decades have very little to do with the food. They have everything to do with how that place made us feel. Welcomed. Celebrated. Like we belonged. The older I get, the more I think that’s the real work of business development. We’re not just selling products or services. We’re creating experiences. We’re earning trust. We’re becoming part of someone’s story. Long after people forget the price, they’ll remember how you made them feel. Looking back, La Posta didn’t just serve incredible food. It taught me one of the greatest lessons in business without anyone ever saying a word. People come for what you offer. They come back for how you make them feel. I’d love to hear yours. What’s the place that instantly takes you back home? #PeopleOverPitch #RelationshipsMatter #BusinessDevelopment #ThePowerOfConnection #StoryWorthTelling #OldMesilla #LaPosta #NewMexico #ChildhoodMemories #Nostalgia #CommunityFirst #AshevilleNC #KeepTheConversationHuman #RedShoesPOV