Her Story
About Jessica
Jessica Gonzales serves as a regional sales representative on the away-from-home team with Barcel USA, where she covers the West region and helps pioneer the integration of the company's brands into restaurants, stadiums, and other foodservice venues. She brings 14 years of experience in the CPG Foodservice industry, beginning in specialty retail at It's Sugar in Arizona, where she contributed to store openings and staff training. She later transitioned into supply chain distribution at Liberty Distribution, advancing through sales support, team management, operations, and national account sales roles during the company's merger into Vistar. Following that, she spent two years in national account sales at broker BVI, representing over 200 brands. Gonzales is passionate about mentorship and advocacy for women in the industry, drawing from her own experiences with strong female mentors. She emphasizes values of faith, grace, compassion, and mutual respect in both her professional and personal life, and she encourages young professionals to show themselves grace, learn from mistakes, and embrace the concept of failing forward.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jessica
01What do you attribute your success to?
Jessica attributes her success to the guidance of strong mentors, the support of her professional network, and her willingness to embrace change, learn from every opportunity, and continually invest in the growth of others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice Jessica shares is to not be so hard on yourself that you get in your own way. She encourages others to embrace feedback, accept that mistakes are part of growth, extend themselves the same grace they would give a friend, and remember that success comes from continually showing up, learning, and "failing forward."
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be too hard on yourself or let self-doubt stand in the way of your growth. Embrace feedback, accept that mistakes are part of the journey, give yourself the same grace you would offer a friend, and keep showing up each day—because every challenge is an opportunity to learn and "fail forward."
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Jessica believes one of the biggest opportunities in her field is expanding consumer packaged goods into new foodservice channels by building innovative partnerships with restaurants, stadiums, and hospitality venues. She also sees tremendous opportunity in mentorship, networking, and creating more pathways for women to grow into leadership positions
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Jessica values faith, compassion, grace, and mutual respect, believing that empathy, understanding, and treating others with kindness are essential both professionally and personally. She also strives to lead with self-awareness, choosing positivity and focusing on what she can control rather than dwelling on conflict.
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