Written by Marco Gutierrez, PIE Participant and Nino Gallo and Rosemary Thompson, PIE Program Coordinators
Marco came to Boulder County 22 years ago from El Salvador not speaking, nor writing English, nor was he familiar with North American culture. Marco’s parents sent him to the United States because of the civil war. Now he enjoys the life here with his two children, Katherine and Mateo, and he is excited for the opportunity to own Alpha Omega Landscaping, a fast growing small business company in Longmont.
Marcos learned about gardening and started doing small jobs with just a rake, shovel, pick and a basic lawnmower. Then, he came up with the idea of buying a little truck and starting his own business in landscaping.
A friend recommended him to Jesse Esparza at the Small Business Development Center (SBDA) in Longmont. After a couple of educational meetings, Jesse Esparza recommended him to the Personal Investment Enterprise (PIE) program so that Marco could receive help developing a business plan, to improve financial skills and obtain funding.
Marco applied to PIE and took the Financial Foundations classes to learn new habits. As he attended classes, Marco saved $1,000 over the course of six months and received $4 for every $1 he saved. This provided him with $5,000 to use toward start-up business purchases, such as equipment.
One big lesson Marco learned with PIE was the difference between using cash or credit, and that it is better to save enough money to purchase equipment rather than being in debt by using credit. In addition, he was able to understand the importance of having separate bank accounts for his personal and business budgets. These classes also helped Marco feel more comfortable speaking English, which improved his customer service. He next attended the business plan classes. Before starting the program, Marco did not know how to organize a business, but during the learning process, he began applying the steps he learned to become organized. “The business classes allowed me to better structure my business activities,” said Marco.
Now his business is growing fast as more individuals and businesses are using his services. Marco has not needed to pay for advertising since new customers come from word of mouth referrals; he currently has about 500 customers! Marco is excited about his business and how it is progressing. Now the main goal is organizing for the future. He is excited that the PIE funds allowed him to purchase the right tools; and through training, his bookkeeping is in order and his business is organized.
Marco is another authentic example of a business success and can be a role model for new entrepreneurs. It is exciting to see his enthusiasm and unlimited energy. If you are interested in knowing more about Marco’s work and landscaping projects, please contact him at 720-429-5651.
The Personal Investment Enterprise Program, a partnership between Foothills United Way and Community Action Programs, provides tools that empower low-income individuals and families to save and build assets to strengthen their economic stability. To learn more about the program visit www.bouldercountypie.org. The first step in applying to the program is to attend an orientation meeting with Nino Gallo at Community Action Programs at Boulder County. Nino may be reached at 303-441-3998 or at [email protected].
