Danna Guillermo is a teacher at heart, which makes her a perfect fit for the Region 2 Trainer here! Danna boasts 18 total years of experience with Taco Bell, six of which have been with us at Desert De Oro Foods (DDO).
We had the opportunity to “talk shop” with Danna at our second annual Estrellas De Oro reward trip in Cabo, Mexico, where she was celebrating a year of hard work with her daughter as her plus one. This trip marked the second consecutive win for Danna. “And I’m gonna come back next year, too,” she says. “I’m determined!”
“Desert De Oro is a great company to work for.” – Danna Guillermo, Taco Bell, Region 2 Trainer
Taco Bell Origin Story
Danna started working in quick service restaurants (QSR) when she was 16 years old, but her Taco Bell journey began in college when she was going to school for teaching and needed the income. After 10 years with the brand, she left to teach second grade — it was a detour that stretched over seven years. Becoming a mother would eventually be the catalyst for her finding her way back to Taco Bell.
After Danna’s son was born, she faced mounting medical bills that her teaching salary couldn’t touch. “Where can you go get a job that can financially take care of your family?” she asked. Enter: Taco Bell!
“It did great things for me to be able to have that work-life balance, to be able to support my family,” Danna says of her transition back to the restaurant world.
“I work for Taco Bell and I’m proud of what I do.” – Danna Guillermo, Taco Bell, Region 2 Trainer
Taking a Chance on Change
Danna was working as a Restaurant General Manager (RGM) when DDO acquired her Taco Bell location from another franchisee. She admits to feeling anxious, but as the story goes, change lies just outside our comfort zone!
“Although I was nervous, it really did award me a lot of opportunities to advance,” she shares.
And boy, did Danna advance! She moved her way up the career ladder, being promoted to Market Training Manager (MTM), Restaurant Training Leader (RTL) before assuming the Region 2 Trainer role.
“My passion truly is with training people,” she says. “It’s great to see them grow and know that you had part in their learning development.”
“If I’m gonna do something, I’m gonna give it 110%. I don’t believe in mediocrity.” – Danna Guillermo, Taco Bell, Region 2 Trainer
Rave Reviews
Danna has nothing but good things to say about the experience she’s gained in the industry. An admittedly “fast-paced person,” she loves her work and appreciates the many skills she’s learned on the job. “I’m not held to a mold,” Danna shares. “I’m able to be flexible, to continually challenge myself and build my confidence and my skillset.”
Danna’s son, 18, is a recent high school graduate with plans to join the Taco Bell fold. She views this as the perfect jumping off point thanks to the many benefits that come with the job!
“Working in the restaurant industry has really taught me customer service skills,” she shares. “You [can] apply those skills to all facets of your career.”
Not to mention the work perks! In addition to resume building skills, Danna cites scholarship programs and employee benefits as an added bonus to the job. And of course, DDO reward trips.
“A lot of companies don’t do that,” she says. “That’s why I stay with [DDO] and I’m loyal to them. Because they take care of me.”
Writing the Next Chapter
Danna plans to keep finding new ways to challenge herself at DDO. “I don’t like to be stagnant, I like to be able to grow,” she says. But she definitely aims to stay on the training side of the business — it’s where she thrives.
“To be able to mentor other people and to see their growth — that’s the teacher in me — I get a lot of gratification from that,” she shares.
“If you really want a good place to work, why would you settle?” Danna asks. Don’t settle for anything less than DDO! Search open positions here. You’ll have the support and encouragement of us, and leaders like Danna, along the way!