Meet Jorge Granados: General Manager & Politico

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jorge Granados and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jorge, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
My name is Jorge Granados and I was born and raised here in Georgia. I came from a family of seven children, me being the second oldest. We were all raised by a single mother who worked hard to give us everything that we needed while growing up. As we got older, I began to realize that my mother was struggling a lot with trying to keep up with paying the utility bills and rent on time, but she did not give up. My mother is the reason why I work so hard and put a lot of effort in all the work that I do. I had started working a young age in construction, but as soon I had gotten older, I started applying to actual jobs in my area. Out of the many places I had applied to, only one had given me a call back, which was Bruster’s Real Ice Cream. Like the Drake song, “Started from the Bottom,” I became the General Manager for two locations. I have worked at Bruster’s for over 12 and half years now. But I did not stop there. While working at Bruster’s, I also worked other smaller jobs and going to school in between. I have worked at Panda Express for several months, at TD Ameritrade for a few years, and I have also worked with my State Representative at the Georgia State Capitol for a few years, too. I have applied my skills and enhanced them over time. I even learn more about myself and who I wanted to be. In 2019, I have decided to run for office as a State Representative. I have learned so much more about my community. Many had similar stories and backgrounds as my own. In 2020 when the primary elections had come and gone, I had lost by 800 votes. At first, I was sad that I did not win but it gave me a different sense of humility. Out of everything that I have accomplished over the past several years, I was given so many other opportunities that I did not even dream of. I stared working with the Sierra Club Georgia and Gwinnett Chapters. I am more involved with my old high school and middle school as a member of the local school councils. And I am representing my community with a local church to help and understand the needs of my community. Growing up poor, seeing my mother struggle taking care of seven children and keeping up with the bills, I have worked hard to get to where I am now. Because of her, I was able to accomplish a lot more than I could ever imagine. I have pushed myself to do a lot more and not lose focus of my future.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am the general manager for two Bruster’s Real Ice Cream locations in Gwinnett County. I have worked here for over 12 years now. What I am most proud of is how far I came along over the years. I have learned so much about managing a business, how to become a better leader, and how to handle last minute challenges. The way I arrived to my current position is by working hard and enhance my skills to make sure that everything gets done in a timely manner. It was not easy at first, because I did not know the first thing about managing, being a leader, or was given any instruction as to how to do things. The most challenging part that I overcame was trying to figure out about hiring staff. I did not have a clue as to what to look for in people. It was a lot of trail and error, until I started doing some research on my own. After that, I was able to grasp an idea of what kind of staff I needed in the business. There are many lessons that I have learned along the way. One that sticks out the most is listening and understanding the people that is working along side with you. Your staff are human beings, too. You must treat them as such in order to have a safe work environment. Over time, they will stick around longer than they anticipated and become leaders themselves.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of my favorite spots is visiting the Georgia State Capitol, especially when there is session. You get to see and meet with lobbyists and many elected officials, it gets very crowded so stay close! It gives you a lot inspiration and understanding how state politics work. There is also a museum at the top floor where you get to see the history of Georgia and the many types of ecologies that Georgia has. Next, we would go to El Rey de Taco in Doraville for lunch. They have the best tacos in the area! For a night out, I would definitely go to Loca Luna. You get to dance to live music and have some drinks, too!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother and Representative Brenda Lopez Romero

Website: https://brusters.com/indiantrailga/
Instagram: instagram.com/jorgeforga
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-granados-ga/
Twitter: twitter.com/jorgeforga
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jorgeforga
Other: www.jorgeforga.com