Monday, May 5, 2014

An Insight into an Enptrepreneur's Struggle



Victor Saavedra
Business Owner
Contact Information
Email: vhcoinlaundryservices@yahoo.com

Victor Saavedra owns his own Laundry Matt Business and Service. He has been in the business for over than 20 years.He has two successful business ventures that he established on his own. In his interview he gives young entrepreneurs tips and insight through his past experiences of owning his own business.
1.       How did you start your business?
When I first started my own business I was scared to take the risk. I had years of experience working in my field so I was knowledgeable about starting my own business in the same field. The first thing I had to do to start my own business was to get my business licenses. I went to City Hall and asked how can I obtain my business license. They asked me how long I have been working the company I worked at. I told them I had 11 years working with the company and they told me that I had enough experience to receive my business license and I just had to pay $50 for it.

2.       Did anyone help you along the way?    
I first depended on the company I worked for and I worked for them for about 11 years. During that time I learned how to run a laundry business, how to talk to clients, and gained skills on managing other workers. At first I was very quite and shy when it came to talking to clients but as I grew I became confident and charismatic. I had a lot of mentors that helped me along the way. They helped me really learn about the Laundry Matt Service so that later I can take that knowledge and start my own business.

3.       What are some of the challenges you faced?
Every single job I did was a challenge because I had to run the show by myself with only a few workers to help. Financially it was a struggle because we started with very little money we were living job by job. I had to borrow money from family to complete some of the jobs I would do. I would even have family members that would help me by working for free. I spent a lot of my time working and put in a lot of over work that at times became very stressful for me.


4.       What are some tips that you could give people that want to start their own business?
I would tell them to have a lot of patience and to not give up. There are going to be times where things get really tough that you want to give up but you just have to keep striding forward. They have to have a lot of patience because they might see results right away or even profit. They have to believe in their idea/product/service and believe that its going to be successful. They also should not let their fears get the best of them because I would have let my fear get the best of me I would have never started my own business.

5.       Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I have been in this business for over 20 years hopefully in the next 5 years I can pass down my business to my son so that he can take over where I left off. At least he doesn’t have to start from the beginning.

Get to KNOW Rj NONATO




Brand: Rj Nonato

Owner: Rj Nonato
 
Location: Modesto, CA

School: Current student at the Art Institute of California - San Francisco 

“First off my name is Rj Nonato and a visionary is the closest thing I can think that describes what I provide to people. I’m not like head of a clothing brand or a photography agency or a video director, but I’m all of it. I don’t really want to put any names on what I am or what I do because I don’t want to be marginalized to just a name unless it’s my own if that makes any sense. (People look at brands like Black Scale or Supreme and think clothes, but when people look at like Alexander Wang they know he designs and is Creative Director for Margiela or basically as an all-around icon or character you can say I guess.)”

1.      How did you get your idea or concept for your brand?
                   
“I get my ideas and/or concepts for the things I produce thru everyday life I see what people need like clothes (everyone needs to wear clothes at some point) and try to make it natural, try to make it like an extension of themselves like I might see a seat-belt and of course it’s used to keep your life, the most important thing to you obviously, safe and secure from dangers while traveling, I might take that inspiration and make a crazy backpack out of the same material or ideas as a seat-belt, to keep the most important things to you safe and secure while on the move. I try the hardest I can to make people’s lives easier by making the everyday complicated things some may not understand as simple as possible.”

2.      What concerns do you have about your brand?

“My main concern about what I do is that people may see me do something great in the clothing industry but think oh that’s all he does or that’s what he does best so they’ll only see that part of my vision. Most people would be concerned about how competition is always arising, but I’m not because I have so many outlets I can use to keep myself relevant.”

3.      How can you make your company better?

“Number one thing I can do to make my company better is keep an open mind keep listening to everything around me and learn from the good and the bad.”

4.      What service(s) or product(s) do you offer?

“I offer a way of life, a way of thinking that everything whether it’s good or bad, weird or normal, square or circle matters the same amount (nerd can be just as popular as a jock). I want to show people they can understand that they can open up to an array of completely different people and see a glimpse of their world. I want people to see me long hair tattoos sagging pants and think damn, he does interior designing for elementary schools? Or that’s the guy that designed my wedding dress?”

5.      Who do you sell to and how do you promote your business?

“I serve everybody. I let my work speak for itself. If it moves one person that one person’s vision can move the next and so on and it’s all because I inspired that very first vision. I do try to target higher society, but at a regular society price.”

Would you like to ask Rj Nonato a few questions?
Email: Rjnonato4444@gmail.com
Twitter: @Wavvyxx 
Instagram: @Rjnonato4








 Interview conducted by Rabab Fara



Behind The Seams Interview: Mikel Rosen, Revolutionizing The Fashion Industry


Mikel Rosen- SF Gate

A strong fashion force in the evolution era of fashion; Mikel Rosen is a man all about creativity and thinking outside of the box. Known to many as one of the leading fashion innovators around, I was lucky to have the pleasure of receiving instruction from one of the greatest legends in the fashion industry today. 

Bangkok International Fashion Fair

I met Mr. Rosen in spring of 2012, at the Art Institute of California- San Francisco, in his Introduction to Fashion Industry class. When first interacting with Rosen, I didn't quite know how to... how should I say it? "Be myself around him”. I was constantly informed about all of his great achievements; for instance, being one of the founding members of London Fashion Week in 1982, teaching students such as, Alexander McQueen, Phoebe Philo, Giles Deacon, and teaching at institutions such as Central St. Martins College of Art and Design in London, Academy of Art of San Francisco, and of course, the Art Institute of California- San Francisco. 

Fashion Installation Event AICA-SF

Over time, I've learned to get over my anxiety and just simply accept every piece of wisdom that was thrown at me when taking Rosen's courses. To my surprise Rosen has the ability to push his students’ current vision beyond measures, if they allowed themselves to do so, that’s why I have chosen Rosen to interview based on his fashion career successes.

Fashion Installation Event AICA-SF


Below are interview questions asked:


1. Name a time where you had fight yourself of loads of work, pertaining to your company. How did you handle it?

MK:
My busiest time was during the 80's and 90's
 I didn't even realize it at the time.
I just did it.
I participated in over two hundred events from 1986 to 92,
While running PR and/or Marketing for 17 to 23 clients,
Designing a menswear license in Japan, and teaching
a course I established at St. Martins fashion school London.
Yet, having three of my company directors with their own teams to help made a huge difference in getting things done.


2.  Describe the process and benefits of running your own business.


MK:
A personal creative process is allowed that provides knowledge and wisdom from the experiences and the destiny is one’s own choice


 3. What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?


MK:
A passion for what I do

4. How do you evaluate or determine success?

MK:
Discovering things that are put together in a new way,
from things that were put together in a new way before.
 Nothing is new.
How it is reinvented creates success.


 5. Did you feel prepared to start a venture at the time you started it?

MR:
I didn't think any other way, I just went for it.

6. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?

MR:
A hands on, all action, environment.


 7. What two or three things would be most important to you in your job?


MR:
Respect and Trust


 8. How do you gain inspiration?


MR:
-From Age and Youth
 -Travel and Taste
-Corridors of my mind
-Then Research and Development





Check Mikel Rosen at:
http://www.mrmikelrosen.com/
http:www.blogger.com/behindtheseams