A Father and Son Luxury Brand
A Father and Son Luxury Brand
J.L. Rocha Collections
When I was 16 and my brother was on his way to college, my father who had always provided for us had an opportunity to engage in his passion. We had grown-up hearing stories about how my father designed footwear in Mexico, and once we had the opportunity it was time to finally take the risk and put ourselves out there wholeheartedly. My father always mentioned the sadness he felt when in his career many brands would simply remake European products without showcasing the true craftsmanship that Mexican artisans can provide. When the time was right we seized the opportunity and began J.L. Rocha collections. I’ve learned so many things from my father while growing this brand - but you may not know the other things that I’ve learned along the way. So today I feel appropriate to share with you some of the life lessons that I have learned from J.L. Rocha.
Life Lessons I’ve learned from My Father
a Father’s Day message from Jose-Noel Rocha
Your hands have infinite uses, make them good:
Our lives were drastically different, he grew up in Leon, Guanajuato - I grew up in San Diego, California. Soccer may have been one of the first things I learned, but my father made sure he taught me the infinite uses for my hands. There were the simple things, shaving and how to use a screw driver, stick shift driving and how to change gears on a motorcycle - but there was more to it than that. When I was an impetuous young man with an attitude, my father taught me self control; when I was afraid to defend myself, my father taught me to stand up; when I was unable to express myself, my father fraught me what art was.
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that your parents show you the world, once you’re exploring it on your own - that’s when you see the lessons.
Kindness and respect are things everyone deserves.
My dad treats everyone the same - always. I’ve never seen him be unkind to anyone who didn’t greet him with unkindness. I’ve always watched my dad be the same person regardless of who he’s speaking to - everywhere he goes he ready to tell you a joke or buy you a drink, he asks questions and engages, and what strikes me most is that he always smiles genuinely. In addition to my fathers constant candor, he and my mother have always run our family business together. My mom (who is one of the strongest people I’ve met) has always been a major player in our success, and my dad has always acknowledged how much she does and can still do. My father taught me a lesson that I’ve always kept close to my heart, and that we’ve endured into everything we do, including this luxury brand:
No one person is less than the other - but your personal greatness is always up to you.
- Jose Luis Rocha
It’s the equality that my father puts that the forefront of his life that challenges us to do better. It’s something that I carry with me from early childhood sports, and the lessons I’ve learned about hard work.
No matter what you do - if you work hard enough, you can be the best.
I grew up hearing phrases like:
“never stop pushing”
“don’t accept no for an answer”
“we’re mexi-CAN, not mexi-CAN’T”
and alike in everything I did growing up. Whenever I was nervous or afraid, my dad would push me to break through those feelings and try my best. Beyond the motivation, it was the perseverance to never give up that really made the biggest difference in my life. My father is a resourceful man with a creative mind, I’ve seen him maneuver life in ways that still astound me. His capacity to inspire people to believe that anything is possible, and his work ethic to prove that such a concept is viable are the reason so many people like and respect him. J.L. Rocha is a bit of a mythic figure, large shoes to fill if you’d accept the pun, but he’s always taught me that I can be the best of anything I want to be if I just work hard enough. It’s always just one foot in front of the other.
J.L. Rocha Family Portrait
Photo by Mom - (Not shown)
Closing Notes:
My dads family still lives Leon, my moms family lives in California. While I’ve grown up in kind circumstance and opportunity, I owe so much of what I am and do to my dad. He’s connected me to México, showed me my culture and capacity, and inspired me to always be better. Working with him on our dress shoes, jackets, and leather goods has been one of the best journeys of my life. My hope for all the fathers that follow us is to remind you that you always make a difference -and to inspire everyone to appreciate the lessons they’ve learned from the people who’ve molded them.
Happy Fathers Day. Thank You.