With a positive outlook and a warm smile that resembles the sun reflecting off the Caribbean in her native Honduras, Faride Jarufe runs her distributorship with a firm belief that if you put your customers first, good things will happen. “The key to success is to serve your clients as you would have them serve you,” Jarufe says. “Give them prices that you would want to pay and exceed their expectations in a way that you would want your expectations to be exceeded.”

Along with her husband, Martín López, and brother-in-law, Mario López, Jarufe leads Grupo Fama (asi/215405) in San Pedro Sula, a major industrial city on the northwestern end of Honduras. Being a woman in an international distributorship with some high-profile clients, Jarufe feels empowered, but she remains humble. “The promotional products industry is the perfect place for women, so I must say that I feel fortunate to be here,” she says.

Established in 1998 and currently with 12 full-time employees, Grupo Fama, (Fama is a combination of the initials of Faride, Martin and Mario), specializes in embroidered and screen-printed apparel and headwear, as well as hard goods like drinkware and office supplies. The firm has increased its sales by nearly 300% over the past three years alone.

Jarufe is quick to credit others for her success, including her father. “I call him the perfect mentor,” she says. “He showed me how to survive in life, how to be confident, and the secrets to selling anything.”

Another mentor that Jarufe relies on is Pablo Pizzichini, ASI’s executive director of distributor services. Jarufe praises Pizzichini for helping her realize the importance of being organized and maintaining a customer-first attitude. The pair have been working together since 2013, and over the years, their families have become close.

“Faride leads an impressive operation with multiple point-of-sale locations at all major shopping centers in Honduras and a state-of-the-art showroom,” Pizzichini says. “She’s been steadily growing her firm’s presence in the industry and is a leader within our international distributor members.”

Asked what advice she’d give to someone who strives to be a leader in the industry today, Jarufe’s reply is practical and concise, much like the woman herself: “Be confident, be firm and smile.”