Saludos from Mexico City: The Art of Welcoming the World

Hi there,

Welcome back to Saludos from Somewhere.

This time, I’m writing from my hometown: Mexico City.

It’s funny, after moving to Yucatán in 2020, I now return to Mexico City almost like a tourist in the city where I grew up. I still have my favorite streets and the restaurants I’ll never stop returning to, but every visit reminds me how much the city has evolved.

Walking through its streets, you can feel it happening: the level of cuisine, culture, design, hospitality, and creativity now belongs in the same conversation as New York, Paris, or any other major city in the world.

But what makes it powerful is that Mexico City hasn’t lost itself in the process. Its identity is still deeply rooted in its food, its neighborhoods, its chaos, its beauty, its traditions, and above all, in the warmth of its people.

That part hasn’t changed.

The city may feel more global than ever, but its hospitality remains unmistakably Mexican.

This trip feels even more special though. Mexico City is hosting the World Cup, and the energy is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced here before. Every café, restaurant, and street corner seems to be moving to the rhythm of football.

Everywhere I go, there’s a different language being spoken. Portuguese over breakfast. English at the next table. Korean tourists walking through Roma. Argentinians celebrating in Condesa. Complete strangers sharing tables, conversations, and recommendations.

And somehow... it all works.

The city isn’t trying to become something it’s not. It isn’t performing for visitors or chasing trends. It simply opens its doors and invites people in.

Watching thousands of strangers come together, I realized something. The cities we remember most aren’t always the most beautiful. They’re the ones that make us feel like we belong.

And the best companies aren’t that different.

That thought stayed with me because, over the years, I’ve caught myself asking the same question many founders do: How do we get more people?

But perhaps that’s the wrong question. Maybe we should be asking: How do we make more people feel like they belong?

I’ve spent years building experiences through LAFS, and one lesson has become impossible to ignore. People rarely remember the event with the biggest budget, the most impressive production, or the longest speaker lineup.

They remember how they felt. Whether someone welcomed them, introduced them to the right person, made space for them and made them feel like they belonged.

People don’t buy a seat at an event. They buy the feeling of belonging to something bigger than themselves. The more I think about it, the more I believe this is true far beyond events.

The brands we love don’t just sell products; they create identity, build community and make people feel like they’re part of something.

That’s why people return.

That’s why they recommend you.

That’s why they stay.

Maybe that’s why Mexico City feels so alive right now. Not simply because it’s hosting the World Cup but because, for weeks, millions of people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds feel like they’re part of the same story.

Hospitality isn’t a strategy here. It’s part of the city’s identity.

As I walk through these streets this week, I can’t help but think that people aren’t just celebrating football. They’re celebrating the feeling of belonging to something bigger than themselves.

Maybe that’s what every founder should try to build. Don’t just build something people can buy. Build something people want to belong to.

Viva México.

Saludos,

Samantha

The Edit | 001: Mexico City

The hotels I’d book again. The restaurants worth planning a trip around. The local brands I always recommend. The neighborhoods I’d spend my time in—and the small details that reminded me why Mexico City has become one of the world’s most exciting creative capitals.

Think of it as opening my notebook after rediscovering my hometown with fresh eyes.