At age 20 Eladio moved to Tecolotlan to take charge of his father's distillery, the Hacienda La Labor.

Later he moved to Mazatlán in the Northeastern part of Mexico to establish a Sauza Tequila distribution center in order to increase exporting.

Shortly thereafter the Mexican Revolution threatened to expropriate Eladio's business and farmland.

During the Revolution Eladio rallied patriotic sentiment and helped to establish tequila as the official spirit of Mexico.

[1] Eladio modernized and expanded the family business by opening branches in Monterrey and Mexico City, and a concession in Spain.