Serving Up Success - Family Style
After 20 years in banking, Martha Valadez decided to put her business experience and love for hospitality to work with her sister, Marisol, who had created the company while Martha financed it. Through mutual dedication, trust, and shared family vision, as a family, they overcame many obstacles, all of which eventually became a lesson and another step toward being stronger and more capable business owners. And what began as a small linen rental company, Got It Covered, grew steadily into a respected catering and restaurant venue serving San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country for over 16 years.
Early on, Martha Valadez recognized the importance of aligning herself with SBA/SBDC resources, whose mentoring and assistance was critical. The SBA was instrumental in growing but also surviving. The family did not have investors, savings, or a large team to rely on so everything they built came from hard work, long hours, and a willingness to learn as they went. Managing cash flow and keeping the business afloat during slow months required constant discipline and creativity, but those efforts gave them the confidence to purchase the Grey Moss Inn, a historic Hill Country restaurant with a rich legacy dating back to 1929. The restaurant had been closed for more than two years due to COVID before Martha and her family took on the challenge of bringing it back to life—restoring not only a beloved local landmark but also an important piece of the community’s history. Besides, PPP and EIDL Loans, the SBDC helped the company secure a 7(a) SBA loan to purchase the Grey Moss Inn. They also received a Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grant that ensured jobs during the pandemic. Today it is a thriving restaurant with 40 employees.
Martha’s practical approach to business and her natural ability to connect with people have been key to her success. Through years of hard work and community relationships, she built a company known for reliability, creativity, and personal service. Beyond business success, Martha has demonstrated long-term community involvement through charitable contributions, nonprofit board service, and event support benefiting local organizations. She is beloved in the community and highly respected. Her leadership, perseverance, and ability to create opportunity for her family and others embody the values celebrated by the SBA and won her San Antonio's Family-Owned Business Award for 2026. Valadez lauds, "The SBA has been incredibly supportive of us and our story. As a small, family-owned business, being recognized by the SBA was very meaningful to our entire family. It gave us an opportunity to share what we’ve built with Got It Covered and Grey Moss Inn, and it reminded us that all the hard work, long days and challenges that come with running a small business really do matter.”