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Her American Dream: How Diana Tunon Went From Being Homeless To An Entrepreneur and Author

While working in a factory in Mexico City, Diana Tunon grew impatient with the lack of opportunities available to her and was desperate to create a better life. Around that same time, the factory she worked at was purchased by an American company and the new owners quickly began letting go of the workers that were not bilingual in Spanish and English. Knowing that Mexico offered few resources for learning English at a proficient level, and realizing that English was very quickly becoming a valuable skill to have in the workplace, Tunon wasted little time embarking on a life changing journey for herself and her children. “I left Mexico for the United States to find better opportunities to learn; not only for myself but for children as well,” said Tunon. “There were many immediate challenges ahead of us, and one of the biggest was just trying to maintain a good lifestyle for my children. When we arrived in America, we were homeless and alone.”

Tunon and her children were on their own in America. With no other family in the United States, she accepted the struggles they were going to face and set her mind to overcome those challenges. Tunon was quickly able to find work in Texas. She was hired for a part-time position that allowed her the opportunity to begin saving money and still be able to spend time with her children. Soon, Tunon had made enough money to rent an apartment and provide a more stable home for her family. From there, Tunon continued to work and provide for her children while seeking out the opportunities she dreamed of in America. “I was working, taking care of my children and saving money through part-time jobs,” said Tunon. “Eventually, over time, I was able to save up enough money to buy a franchise from Jani-King. I saw Jani-King as an opportunity to grow beyond my part-time jobs and build towards something greater.” Tunon found Jani-King the same way many others at that time did, through a classified ad in the newspaper. As she watched her kids play in the park one day, Tunon saw the ad and decided that this was going to be her opportunity. “Jani-King appealed to me, so I took the chance. To this day I am grateful to Jani-King because they allowed me to become the businesswoman that I am today. By having my own business, I was able to grow personally and provide opportunities for my children to grow,” said Tunon. “My primary goal was always to provide better opportunities for my children,” said Tunon. “Although I have been successful in business, the accomplishments I am most proud of today are my children. One is pursuing a PhD in neuroscience, one is finishing his college degree, and the other is a recognized singer and music writer within a variety of different music genres.” Tunon’s son, Arnulfo, was recently featured in a video produced for the University of Utah’s Neuroscience program. The video tells his families story and the sacrifices his mother made to see that he and his siblings had these types of opportunities in their lives.

While her primary goal may have been to create a better life for her children, Tunon’s story and success points right back to her willingness to risk it all for a better life. Tunon always wanted more for herself as well; she wanted more opportunity to be successful at work and more opportunity to pursue her dreams. Today, Tunon has caught up to a couple dreams and continues to chase more. She is a successful franchise owner with Jani-King of San Antonio. She is a published author and poet, with her work recognized by multiple institutions. And she is inspired to complete her Masters in Hispanic Literature. “Opportunities come in different shapes and forms,” said Tunon. “Rarely do they come when you expect them. My advice is to always be ready when opportunities come. If they don’t come to you, search them out.”

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