Having the right foundation can really impact your future. Not only by the influences around you, but also by how you take those experiences and apply them to your own life.
That couldn’t be more evident in this month’s cover story subject, Alfredo Velasco.
Velasco’s past has shaped him into who he is today. When I complete interviews for the magazine, I have the opportunity to connect with someone in the industry and get an inside look at someone’s business. It’s fascinating to learn about the history of a person, and how it creates his or her personality and approach to life – both personally and professionally.
While growing up with four other siblings, Velasco was keenly aware of his family’s situation. Brought up in a low income family, Velasco’s father raised the family on less than $1,500 a month. Velasco’s parents engrained in each child the importance of work ethic, how to be self-sufficient and the importance of working hard to achieve set goals.
Employed since the age of 15, Velasco held two part-time jobs while balancing baseball practice on his high school’s team. Velasco always had a hobby interest in cars. (His first car was a 1970 Dodge Charger.) Out of high school, he began selling cars at a local dealership. He pursued other opportunities – like owning a clothing line and managing a Mexican mariachi band – before transitioning back into the automotive world.
He also spent part of his childhood on a dairy farm, where his affection for animals as a child grew into a weekend hobby as an adult. He now takes a day off his route each week, in addition to spending weekends, to focus on his cattle and show horses.
While Velasco is only 28 years old, he’s already gained a lifetime of experience and has seen measurable success in the mobile tool business.
Velasco has a unique approach to his business – he has been really selective with customers, focuses on a different type of customer base and sells much more body shop product than traditional distributors – and a unique approach to life in general.
Not only is he making waves with his customers, he’s also making his presence known within the industry. He established The Right Tool LLC in April 2015 as a buying group for independent distributors to have the support of a franchise, while still remaining independent and operating on their own.
Read more about this group, and Velasco’s business, on page 10.
