Meet Joshua Ortega | Co- Founder of Mijo Things

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

Hi Joshua, every day, we know how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
This business was created by our friend group known as, ‘ The Mijo’s’. We saw an opportunity to bridge gaps, particularly in football, where Hispanic/Latino representation is limited despite the immense passion and support from our communities.

With one of the founders of ‘Mijo Things’ — being NFL offensive lineman Will Hernandez, we decided to use our brand as a platform to uplift others, give back, and show future generations that they can achieve great things while staying true to their roots.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart is our dedication to not just excellence but community impact. From organizing football camps to visiting schools and engaging with youth, we are committed to giving back because we understand the challenges of coming from underrepresented communities. We love that Mijo Things is growing into a movement that empowers others to embrace their roots and chase their dreams.

Getting to where we are today hasn’t been easy, and honestly, we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Every challenge has been a lesson. Whether it was navigating the complexities of starting a business, building relationships, or finding ways to stay true to our mission while growing, each obstacle taught us resilience and the importance of staying grounded.

The most important lesson we’ve learned is that success is a collective effort. You can’t do it alone—it takes family, friends, mentors, and a supportive community to push you forward. We have also learned that staying authentic to your values is non-negotiable. People connect with realness, and that’s what we strive to embody every day.

We want the world to know that ” Mijo ” isn’t just a word – its a vibe. It carries our heritage blending love, tradition, and roots into something timeless.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If our best friend was visiting for a week, we’d make sure they had an epic time, filled with food, fun, and a little bit of working out (because anyone who knows us knows we love to eat ).

We’d start the week with some fresh seafood at El Wicho Mariscos, followed by tacos at Ta Carbon Tacos—gotta ease into it! Later in the week, we’d go for a comforting Italian meal at RigaTony’s and then stuff ourselves at Jin Shabu all-you-can-eat (don’t worry, we’d leave room for it).

We’d definitely squeeze in a trip to Camelback Mountain for some outdoor adventure, and of course, check out a car show (because we’ve got that fast car obsession). Then, we’d round out the week with a nice dinner at Sizzle in Scottsdale.

Throughout the week, we’d make sure to squeeze in a fresh cut at The Manner Barbershop, and as much as we love food, we’d balance it with some workouts to keep the energy up. It’s all about keeping it balanced—good eats, fun adventures, and a little sweat in between!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Sean Kugler, Rick Trevizo, and Oren Key. Sean Kugler was our head coach in college. Rick Trevizo and Oren Key were our strength and conditioning trainers and mentors till this day.

Website: https://www.mijothings.shop

Instagram: @mijothings

Facebook: @mijothings

Youtube: @mijothings