PHOTOS BY WESHOOTFILMS
Kayla Moreira, the latest cover woman of Rochester Woman Online magazine, epitomizes the spirit of ambition and achievement. A graduate of St. John Fisher College with a degree in sports management, Kayla’s journey is marked by her relentless drive and versatility. She transitioned from student to successful professional, marrying a professional soccer player and starting a family, all while carving out a distinguished career for herself. Kayla is the embodiment of a modern-day boss woman, adeptly balancing multiple roles and responsibilities with grace and determination.
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As the president of Salvatore’s, a renowned old-fashioned pizzeria franchise, and the Rochester Lancers, a storied soccer team, Kayla has demonstrated exceptional leadership and business acumen. Her strategic vision and commitment to excellence have propelled these ventures to new heights, earning her widespread recognition and respect in the industry. Additionally, she has embarked on her own entrepreneurial journey, further solidifying her status as a dynamic and influential figure in the business world.
Kayla Moreira’s story is not just one of professional success but also of personal fulfillment. She is a dedicated mother and a passionate advocate for empowering women. Her ability to juggle multiple high-profile roles while remaining deeply involved in her children’s lives makes her an inspirational role model. Kayla’s journey serves as a powerful reminder that with hard work, resilience, and a clear vision, women can achieve extraordinary feats and inspire the next generation to reach for their dreams.
In this edition of Rochester Woman Online, we celebrate Kayla Moreira’s incredible journey and her contributions to the community. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of following one’s passions. Kayla continues to pave the way for young women everywhere, demonstrating that with dedication and determination, the sky is truly the limit.
Can you share a bit about your journey as an entrepreneur and how can came to wear so many hats, including being a mom of three?
I started my journey in college, attending St John Fisher and majoring in Sport Management. I did a few internships where I met key people that helped along the way. My senior year of college I needed to complete a 600-hour internship when I saw a job posting to work in ticket sales for the Rochester Lancers. I applied for the job, interviewed, and secured the job which would ultimately also serve as my 600-hour internship to complete my degree, and this is where it all started. I had no idea at the time that SoccerSam also owned the largest pizza chain in Rochester. I am not from the area so quite honestly, Salvatore’s was foreign to me. What the coming years would bring to my life honestly was just a dream but slowly I just started taking on more and more responsibilities. If you are going to work for SoccerSam, your hats are going to start piling up.
I met my husband, Marcelo through the Rochester Lancers in 2014 while he was playing the great game of indoor soccer and fate would have it that we were married 1.5 years later and had our first daughter in 2017. Today, I have three children, Jilliana, Thiago and Gabriella and two Stepchildren, Igor and Pedro. They are my greatest joy and always my number 1 priority.
Marcelo has an extensive soccer career both in Brazil and in the United States so when he was getting ready to retire and hang up the cleats from playing ultimately my next hat would be thrown on and that would be to manage his coaching business for him.
Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood can be challenging. How do you manage your time effectively to handle both roles?
Managing my time effectively is one of the most challenging aspects of being a MOM and a Business Professional. My days look like a 5:00am wakeup to get housework done, catch up on emails and get my workout in. I aim to accomplish what many accomplish throughout their day in a few short hours in the mornings before my entire house is awake. But truly, those few hours in the morning are what kick start my day! I have an amazing support system in my husband, mom, and my boss. They all help to make it possible for me to chase my dreams and be a momma.
As the President of Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria and Donuts Delite, what are some of the key responsibilities that come with overseeing such a diverse franchise portfolio?
What an honor it has been for me to be named the President of such historic brands. Brands that have created a legacy throughout Rochester, NY. Salvatore’s and Donuts Delite have made lasting impacts by giving back to our great community. Right now, more than ever we are growing and expanding. Recently, after 45 years, we opened our first out of state location in Jacksonville, Florida and we have a few more exciting states to come! It has been a juggle to learn the new markets and figure out what will work best there while at the same time, not forgetting about our 30+ locations right here in Rochester, NY and maintain my focus on helping our amazing owners here, many of them have been with us for years.
What inspired you to take on the role of President of the Rochester Lancers, and what does it entail to manage the oldest soccer brand in America?
The Lancers were my first job out of college. I played soccer growing up and my dream was to always work in soccer after college. When I got the job, I honestly thought I had hit the lottery even though I had no idea who this little indoor soccer team was or what the history behind them was. At that point I didn’t care, I got my job in soccer, and I was going to run with it.
As the years passed, I started to realize wow, this soccer team is way more than just an indoor soccer team, this soccer team has a very intense history with some of the greatest players to ever play to wear the logo or play against this logo.
Now 13 years in, I realize more than ever what our team means to so many people. It’s the memories, the wins, the players, and it is a huge part of Rochester history.
We are currently working on a very cool project that will showcase the history of the team. I cannot wait to be able to share more with everyone soon.
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With so many responsibilities, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
Funny you ask because most people would probably tell you that I don’t. But I truly love what I do so I think it’s healthy. In all seriousness though, SoccerSam encourages me to take off work, to shut it down, enjoy my husband and family so when I can I do but I am ultimately always available to all our locations, coaches, players, and the families that train with my husband’s business. I love it, I really do, all of what I do I love, and I wake up everyday feeling so blessed to have met some of the most amazing people through my career(s).
Could you tell us about More Keepers and how you and your husband Marcelo started this company?
More Keepers offers expert training and coaching to help develop and finetune your goalkeeping skills. Our training programs are about so much more than soccer. We impact the skills needed to develop extraordinary keepers and even better human beings.
When my husband was ready to retire from playing soccer he wanted to continue working in soccer and pass down his knowledge and love for the game to the younger generation. It all just seemed to work, he is great on the field, and I specialize on the business side of things. Marcelo is a former First Division Brazilian Goalkeeper with an extensive playing career in Brazil, he brings training to the soccer field that Rochester, NY has never seen before.
What motivated you to venture into goalkeeper training with camps and clinics?
We slowly started offering private goalkeeper lessons, getting involved with the local youth soccer market and we have grown today to working with multiple clubs throughout Rochester and Buffalo, coaching at the collegiate and professional level, and offering camps/clinics and individual training all year long to keepers of all ages and abilities.
As a female entrepreneur in traditionally male-dominated industries like pizza and soccer, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
I have a strong personality but even with this there have still been times that I felt like wow, what I have to say is always taken with a grain of salt. It took a few years of proving myself in the soccer industry and to our pizza owners before everyone started to realize that I was for real. I did have a clue about what I was talking about, and I did have their best interest at heart, always. It also really helps that SoccerSam advocates hard for his people. For the past 13 years he always stood on the front-line telling people how much I bring to the table. He has really helped me to believe in myself and provide me with the confidence that I needed to keep pushing forward even when I may have felt defeated.
How do you prioritize your tasks and commitments effectively to ensure everything gets done?
To do lists are my best friend. Of course, I have things with deadlines that must be followed and the rest I just complete in order of priority. The hardest part of my job is that I get thrown in many different directions every day and I must be able to navigate through it all and still complete my work.
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What advice would you give to other women who aspire to balance entrepreneurship and family life successfully?
We all have a choice. You can wake up every day and be grateful and happy or you can choose the opposite. I always choose to be grateful for the opportunities that I have instead of feeling overwhelmed with them.
I know that many people believe that women should take time off from their careers to be a mom but for me I don’t want my identity to just be a mom. I look at it differently, I believe that my career gives me the confidence and experience to be better in all aspects of my life, including being a mom.
With your extensive experience, what do you think are the key qualities needed to succeed as an entrepreneur?
Find your passion, mine started off as soccer and turned into soccer, pizza and donuts.
Be willing to take risks, be bold, do things others won’t. Put in the long days & hours. Work nights and weekends. Be resilient, learn from your mistakes and always move forward. Stay the course, even when faced with setbacks.
How do you stay motivated and inspired amidst the demands of running multiple businesses and being a parent?
This is exactly what motivates me. I love the fast-paced life, dealing with something different every day. I see the potential in all the businesses that I am part of, and I am beyond excited for what is to come. I know that I am surrounded by the right people, and I have God on my side. You can’t ask for much more.
Parenting while running companies of course, no doubt has its challenges but let’s face it, every season of parenting is going to be hard but if you really look at it being called mom is the best job title. I get to lead my littles every day to be amazing humans that are kind to everyone.
What role has mentorship played in your journey, and have you had any particularly influential mentors?
Many mentors have come through my life but hands down my biggest mentor has been SoccerSam. He hired me right out of college and let me run with his business. He always made me feel like I had a voice and gave me the confidence and knowledge to find success. As soon as I met Sam, I knew I had to learn as much as I could from him. His story is inspiring, and I’m blessed to be able to learn from him. My husband always says, “there are not a lot of SoccerSam’s in this world and you have one”. It’s the truth. God placed Sam in my life for many reasons and I do not take that for granted.
Personally, my mom is a huge mentor and part of my success. She instilled morals, hard work and good ethics in me at a very young age. She taught me that nothing in life will come easy and I will have to work hard for everything that I have. She is to this day my biggest cheerleader and number 1 supporter.
Can you share a memorable success story or achievement from your entrepreneurial career?
It wasn’t long ago when SoccerSam sent an email to my coworker and I about all of the major things that we have accomplished since we began working for him in 2011. I couldn’t believe it when I opened the email and started reading. So many fun, exciting and new initiatives I have taken part in. I think the most memorable though being in February 2024 when Salvatore’s opened our first out of state location after 45 years in Jacksonville, Florida! When we first began discussing out-of-state locations, it seemed so far off, like it would never happen. But here we are today making those dreams a reality.
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What strategies do you employ to foster a positive company culture within your various businesses?
I Lead by example and set the tone for our company culture. Embodying the values and behaviors they want to see inspires others and creates a positive work environment. Communication also plays a big part, especially within Salvatore’s. We have 30+ locations and 20+owners. They all have different ideas, and they all want to be heard. Making sure they know that their opinion is valid and important helps to create a positive environment for everyone.
How do you approach innovation and staying ahead of the curve in industries like food and sports?
In our industries there are food shows, trade shows, league soccer calls, games, etc. Take it all in. Learn from others and implement where you can.
What are some lessons you’ve learned from setbacks or failures in your career, and how have they shaped your approach to business?
Setbacks have shaped my approach to business by instilling in me a mindset of resilience, adaptability, and continuous improvement. Instead of seeing failures as obstacles, I now view them as valuable learning experiences that ultimately make me and my businesses stronger.
As a leader, how do you empower your team members and encourage their professional growth?
Set Clear goals and expectations, recognize and reward their achievements and support work-life balance. I always want my team to feel valued, motivated, and supported in reaching their goals.
With your involvement in the community through various businesses and organizations, how important is giving back to you?
Giving back is a huge part of what Salvatore’s has ALWAYS been about. It sets us apart from everyone else. We pride ourselves on the work that we have done in our community and the money & awareness that has been raised for multiple not for profit organizations through our many different initiatives. I truly believe that giving back is who we are, who SoccerSam is and a large part of our success. If you know Sam, you know that he would give the shirt off his back to anyone. For me, it gives me a bigger purpose, it makes me proud of the work that I am doing, knowing that at the end of the day I am making a difference in people’s lives.
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Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the future, both personally and professionally?
Personally, I want to continue to prioritize my physical and mental health. I have been on a health journey for the past 2.5 years, making exercising and eating healthy a part of my daily routine. I have been able to lose 45lbs and reclaimed my confidence. Although weight loss is a huge part of why I want to prioritize this, it’s also because it truly has helped me mentally to feel like I have control of whatever life throws at me. I am a better person, wife, mom, boss, employee, friend, etc. when I am in the right mental mindset and exercising helps put me in that mindset. I’m also committed to continuous learning and self-improvement. Whether it’s acquiring new skills, exploring new hobbies, or broadening my perspectives through travel and cultural experiences, I want to embrace opportunities for my personal growth.
Professionally, I aspire to continue growing and advancing in my career, take on new challenges and expand my skills and expertise. I hope to continue to make a positive impact on all those around me and build strong professional relationships. A couple of very new and exciting business endeavors are on the horizon for my family and I, and I can’t wait to be able to share them with you.
I would also like to give a huge shout-out to my husband, Marcelo. Thank you for allowing me to chase my dreams and be a mom. It wouldn’t have been possible without your love & support!
