Page 66 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2026 - Online Magazine

HONORING
SMALL BUSINESSES
Coming to
America
with Just
a Dream
Daniel Badillo
by Tom Walters
aniel Badillo was born in
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto
DRico January 24, 1979.
When he was two, his parents
moved to Bayamón, also part of
San Juan, where he graduated from
high school. He attended college
in Bayamón at the Universidad
Interamericana de Puerto Rico and
La Escuela de Artes Plásticas y
Diseño de Puerto Rico (School of
Plastic Arts and Design.) He seems
to have always had a business mind,
but he is also a dreamer.
Like many students, he started
college not knowing for sure what he
wanted to do. He thought he might
66 Lubbock Senior Link
Mano Negra
The Badilla Family
be interested in Biology or Computer With Daniel’s work experience with
Science, but that faded quickly. He Brinks, he had an opportunity to
thought of other subjects such as come to Lubbock in 2014 to work
Communications and even Political for Loomis, another armored car
Science, but nothing seemed to fit company. The couple nervously
his mindset. The fun and excitement packed up what they could and
of being in college soon turned to moved to Lubbock. Loomis
confusion about which direction to promised to pay more than what he
go. After about a year of working was making in Puerto Rico, AND
towards Computer Science, he he had heard the cost of living was
got a job repairing computers. So, lower here. As Daniel put it, “We
Daniel began his first small business took a leap of faith and moved to
repairing computers. Lubbock.”
His expertise landed him a job The job was good, and Daniel was
working on ATMs for banks. That making enough to sustain them, but
presented him with the opportunity Zaimee wanted to contribute too,
to generate debit and credit cards. so after being in Lubbock a short
Due to the bank connection, he also time, she went with a friend to apply
worked for Brinks, the armored car at Lubbock Independent School
company. District. The district appreciated
When Daniel was 27, he married that she was bilingual and offered
his sweetheart Zaimee. She had her a job. Later, Zaimee received her
already earned a bachelor’s degree certification to become a teacher.
in administration and a master’s in When they first came to Lubbock,
communication but had not been their daughter Gimena was three
able to find a job. Almost everywhere years old. Since Daniel had always
she went, they told her she was been an entrepreneur, he wanted
overqualified. The newlyweds soon to do more work “on the side”
felt the weight of the high cost of to supplement his income. So, he
raising a family and living paycheck began buying equipment to make
to paycheck. Zaimee began to sell craft sodas. He got wood pallets and
brownies to help keep them afloat. created a platform to experiment