My Mom Was An Entrepreneur in the Imperial Valley and I Didn't Realize It Until I was in my Thirties

My mom never called herself an entrepreneur, but she was one. She started her own business when I was young and worked tirelessly to make it a success. I didn't realize how much I had learned from her until I was in my mid-thirties and started my own business.

In this blog post, I'll share the lessons I've learned from my mom's entrepreneurial journey and how I'm following in her footsteps.

If you're thinking about starting your own business, or if you're already in the thick of it, I encourage you to read on. You might just learn something new or have something to share with those who are just getting started.

Either way, I appreciate your comments and support.

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The path to entrepreneurial success is paved with hard work, dedication, and persistence. It's not all about the glamor and the success stories you read in the headlines. In fact, many entrepreneurs fail. It's crucial to be aware of the risks involved before taking the plunge into entrepreneurship.

One of the biggest challenges of any business journey is loneliness. Unlike a traditional 9-to-5 job where you're surrounded by colleagues, entrepreneurs often work in isolation. This can take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being. It's important to have a strong support system in place, such as friends, family, or mentors, who can offer encouragement and guidance when times get tough.

Despite the challenges, owning a business can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It gives you the freedom to be your own boss, set your own hours, and pursue your passions. If you're willing to put in the hard work and dedication, entrepreneurship can be a path to success and fulfillment.

I didn't intend to become an entrepreneur, but it was a natural progression in my career. I worked for a bank for ten years and became frustrated with the bureaucracy and lack of innovation. I decided to strike out on my own and started a small business on the side while working at the bank. I didn't tell anyone about my business at first because I was worried about what people would think. I was afraid that they would think I was reckless or that I would fail. But eventually, I decided that I didn't care what people thought and I started to openly promote my business.

Being a stealth entrepreneur was a great way for me to start my own business without taking on too much risk. I was able to test the waters and see if my business idea was possible before I quit my job. I also learned a lot about myself and my abilities. I discovered that I was more capable than I thought and that I could achieve anything I set my mind to.

If you're thinking about starting your own business, I encourage you to consider becoming a stealth business owner. It's a great way to test your business idea and see if it's possible before you quit your job. It's also a great way to learn about yourself and your abilities.

From my mom's entrepreneurial journey, I learned many valuable lessons that have shaped my own approach. One key lesson is the significance of perseverance and resilience. Entrepreneurship is not a smooth journey; it is filled with challenges and setbacks.

However, my mom taught me the importance of never giving up and always pushing forward, even when faced with adversity. She instilled in me the belief that with hard work and determination, anything is possible, even in the Imperial Valley.

Another crucial lesson I learned was the value of hard work and dedication. My mom worked tirelessly to build her business, often sacrificing her personal time and comfort. She taught me that success does not come easy, and that it requires unwavering commitment and effort. By observing her unwavering dedication, I developed a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for the rewards that come from perseverance.

Taking calculated risks and embracing innovation were also key lessons I learned from my mom. She was never afraid to venture into uncharted territories and try new things. She taught me the importance of stepping outside of one's comfort zone and embracing change as an opportunity for growth. By following her example, I have become more open to taking calculated risks and exploring innovative ideas in my own entrepreneurial endeavors.

In conclusion, my mom's entrepreneurial journey has been an invaluable source of inspiration and learning for me. I have learned a lot from her experiences. They have influenced my own journey as an entrepreneur. I still use them as guidance while facing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. She worked hard, never gave up, came up with new ideas, and brought people together. It reminds us how important these values and principles are for being a successful entrepreneur.

Watching my mom start her own business and then doing the same has been one of the best things in my life. I have learned a lot from her and I am thankful for her help and encouragement.

Entrepreneurship is not easy, and there will be many times when you want to give up. But if you keep going, eventually you will achieve your goals. My mother always reminded me that neither success nor failure are permanent. What truly matters is the courage to keep going, and that is something I have always remembered.

Another important lesson I've learned from my mom is the importance of hard work. There's no substitute for hard work, and if you want to be successful, you need to be prepared to put in the long hours and the effort. My mom always worked hard, and she taught me that there's no shame in working hard for what you want.

Finally, my mom taught me the importance of taking risks. Entrepreneurship is all about taking risks, and if you're not willing to take risks, you'll never be successful. My mom always encouraged me to take risks, and she taught me that it's better to try and fail than to never try at all.

I'm so grateful for the lessons my mom has taught me, and I'm so proud to be following in her footsteps. I know that with her guidance and support, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

My mom's business legacy has a big effect on me. It shapes how I see things and what I want to do. Her strong spirit as an entrepreneur inspires me and shows me how determination and passion can make a big impact. I saw her work hard to overcome challenges and reach her goals while I was growing up.

This instilled in me a deep appreciation for hard work and dedication, values that continue to guide my own professional endeavors. Her unwavering dedication to her work ethic left a lasting impression on me.

She was great at managing her personal and work duties. She handled being an entrepreneur and a loving mother with ease. This taught me the significance of achieving a balance between various aspects of life, prioritizing personal well-being alongside professional achievements.

Her passion for helping others had a big impact on my values and goals. She always went above and beyond to help her clients and make sure they were happy. This taught me to be caring and prioritize the needs and satisfaction of others. These values are now a core part of how I run my own business.

She was really good with money and knew a lot about it. She could manage money well, handle tough financial choices, and make smart investments. When I was young, I learned how important it is to be careful with money and to understand finances. This has helped me a lot in making good financial decisions.

Overall, my mom's entrepreneurial legacy continues to shape who I am today, both personally and professionally. She was dedicated to being an entrepreneur and helping others. She was passionate about financial literacy and can balance both her personal and professional life. Her perseverance is a constant source of motivation and advice. I am grateful for the lessons she has taught me, and I am proud to carry her legacy forward in my own entrepreneurial journey.

Frederic, or Fred is a lifelong resident of California. He was born, raised, and continues his business while living in the Imperial Valley. He had his time of adventure in his late teens and early 20's before attending business and computer college in the 80's.

"She came from Madrid, Spain in early 1960. My dad was studying at the University of Madrid when they met. They got married and came back to the states. My dad got a job at Imperial Valley College (IVC) as a teacher so they settled in El Centro, California".

"Within two years, we were living in Durango, Colorado, where my dad would end up staying and teaching at Fort Lewis College for 25 years.

Unfortunately they didn't last and soon my mom was a single mother of two young boys under five years old. We ended up moving back to the Imperial Valley, Fred tells us.

"She struggled", Fred recounts as his eyes well up. "She didn't know English, didn't know how to drive and didn't have more than a 6th grade education, the deck was stacked against her".

"By the time I was 12 years old, I was selling greeting cards, candies, and stationary to my neighbors. During my teenage years, I worked various jobs such as mowing lawns and delivering newspapers. At the beginning, I began my first official paid job at Long's Drug Store in El Centro CA (which was later acquired by CVS Pharmacy)."

After working at Long's for three-and-a-half years and struggling to "find himself", he attended computer college for business applications in the mid-80's.

"Yes, I wanted to be a programmer or a coder, as they're now called. I always had a fascination with electronics. I would take things apart and put them back together, sometimes, those things were transistor radios, TV's, cassette players, etc. I loved tinkering with these things but that was nothing compared to my first computer. It was an Apple II+ with a green screen and a 5 1/4" floppy drive system with a dot-matrix printer. That's right, folks, no hard drive, much less any "digital storage". The computer had 8k RAM, which I quickly upgraded to 16K. "

While Fred didn't end up programming as a job, he loved the business side of things. He shares a story about a neighbor, Donald. "I must have been 15 or 16. I didn't realize it at the time but I was looking for a "father" figure. I remember seeing Donald outside painting his garage door and I asked if he needed any help. We got to talking and I randomly asked him, 'What did you pay for your house?'

"I was curious to know and found it very interesting. I think he said $40k or something in the mid-1970's and I thought wow, I think my parents paid $21,000 for their home in the late 1969's. My brain was unconciously setting the stage for work I found interesting and enjoyable."

"I believe these traits I saw as a little boy helped shape me into who I have become. Before my 30s, I was unaware that [his mother] was an entrepreneur. After leaving the bank, I began working as a self-employed individual. I wasn't a general contractor, but rather an independent contractor. It was during this time that I became aware of her profession.

"I worked in mortgage banking for about 10 years until the "crash" and have held a California Real Estate license since the year 2,000. It was during my years at the bank I would continue to elevate my most important skill set... "talking to people" and solving problems.

"It wasn't easy. I'm not sure why I started stuttering. I went to speech classes. I was picked on and bullied during grade school and high school. So naturally, I withdrew and started hanging around others who were not very ambitious."

"During a drive to the Imperial Valley from Phoenix Arizona, I was coming home for the holidays and was listening to the radio on the nearly four hour drive. A guy named Cohen was talking about how he overcame stuttering and wrote a book about it. I believe he had an advertising and public relations business. I lost signal in the Sonoran Desert when he talked about the book title. I sought out the book and couldn't find it but I found other books to help me manage it."

It was this example that helped shape Fred's career path and choice to continue working independently in mortgage banking, real estate marketing, and property evaluations.

Though similar and yet very different, they became the glue that cemented everything Fred had set out to do.

He learned about foreclosures, credit reports, mortgages, liens, deeds, and title reports while working at a bank and a mortgage company. He also learned how to deal with challenging people while working as an asset manager.

He improved his abilities by using what he learned from these two places. He started to list and sell properties for banks, lenders, mortgage companies, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) like Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC). These properties are called "bank owned" or Real Estate Owned (REO) properties, and they introduced him to real estate investing.

A Broker Price Opinion (BPO), is a way to figure out how much a property is worth. It's like an appraisal. A BPO gives a range of values for a property, like $275,000 to $285,000, while an appraisal gives a specific value.

This range predicts how much the house could sell for in 90-120 days. It's different from an appraisal, which only gives the value of the house on a specific day. For example, the house is worth $280,000.

Since August 2008, Fred has completed over 10,000 BPOs all over, mostly in the Imperial Valley, San Diego, and Riverside County areas. He has also sold hundreds of properties.

Different types of BPOs include:

Fred realized early on how to spot patterns and trends, which was very helpful in providing market-based property analysis for his clients.

His ability to spot trends and notice patterns was not only beneficial for his real estate business. It also allowed him to recognize potential uses of technology to form stronger relationships with others.

Just like you, reading this post, not knowing anything about me, you've been able to formulate an opinion or an idea of who I am as a person.

If you are considering starting your own business or looking into the steps of doing so, please reach out. Let's have a conversation and talk about your goals, dreams, and business idea.

Collaboration over competition is a win-win for everyone involved.

Like the saying goes, what you see is what you get or WYSIWYG. I'm the same personality in-person as I am online.

Let's connect soon and please leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.