Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Collazo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Robert. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Coming from an entertainment background, with over 25 years of experience, technology and protective equipment were the last things on my mind. Back in the early stages of Bitcoin, one of the managers for the venues I worked in mentioned the large amount of Asian and European tourists that would visit the venue and suggested we implement Bitcoin into our payment system. At this point in time, both these markets were way ahead of the US in regards to Bitcoin and its uses as a form to make payment. After some due diligence, I quickly became engulfed in technology and its use. I understood we were entering into an era in which digital currencies were the future. This led me to buy the technology that made my entire business possible, and with that, I purchased my first miner. I learned quickly that mining was profitable and had the ability of scalability, making it a very profitable investment. But like other mining enthusiasts, I found myself in a world of frustration trying to make everything come together.
I asked myself how in the world can the average folk figure out a way to mine without burning the garage or attic down and keep the hardware running without burning through all the profits generated in trying to make these miners run efficiently? That’s when I came up with the business plan of creating a company that could deal with all the headaches of mining while still making it a profitable business for the average person or financial institution interested in entering the crypto space. Our company eliminated the complications and made it accessible for people and companies to mine who otherwise wouldn’t know how to. That’s how Bit5ive was started. Although most of our companies are crypto-related, our newest corporation’s focus is not. The global pandemic created a whole new set of issues for our society to cope with, one of them being the shortage of PPE in the US. I created ShieldFive to help bridge this gap.
Has it been a smooth road?
Far from it! Everything in life comes with challenges. On the crypto side, we were dealing with not only new technology but very finicky technology that came with a lot of obstacles. This technology came with no instruction manual. At that time, the only people dabbling with the technology were very secretive and unwilling to help anyone. This made things more challenging than they should have been. With a lot of trial and error, we were able to piece the puzzle together and create a business that was not only scalable and profitable for our clients but a major contributor to the function of what we know as blockchain today. Prior to the Covid pandemic, I knew very little about PPE. I had to educate myself in a very short amount of time, not only about the equipment itself but about the virus as well. I learned very quickly that anyone could make a mask or shield but not everyone could receive CDC and NIOSH approval. It takes months of permits, legal, and tests to ensure your PPE product is up to par and could receive this stamp of approval.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Bit5ive story. Tell us more about the business.
Our company is structured with several subsidiaries, all falling under the Bit5ive umbrella. Bit5ive specializes in the management of client facilities. With our specialized group of technicians, we manage and operate our clients’ facilities to assure that their operations are running as efficiently as possible. We have been involved in managing several large scale operations not only in the USA but also abroad. Uptime Hosting LLC is our hosting company. This company was created with the purpose of support and hosting of mining equipment for individual hobbyists, investors, and large financial institutions. Block Consulting Services manages all mining hardware sales distributions and provides consulting services. Fourth, we have Uptime Armory. This company is the creator and manufacturer of our biggest accomplishments to date: the POD5 Modular Mining Container and the 2.5 and 3.0 Power Skid solutions.
These two products have revolutionized how large scale operations function and are currently the most innovative products on the market, facilitating cost of infrastructure and performance for large scale mining operations. The POD5 provides the most efficient and effective solution for mining infrastructure in today’s world. Our proudest moment was when Bitmain, the world’s largest mining producer and distributor, announced Bit5ive as their official distribution partner for over 35 countries in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Finally, we have TWS 2020 LLC, or ShieldFive as we know it. This company was a direct result of the pandemic. All my previous companies have a tech, specifically crypto, focus. Prior to the pandemic, I knew very little about PPE and that field. When the pandemic took place in late March and early April, I witnessed first hand the struggle my friends and family in the medical field endured in finding personal protective equipment.
Hospital stockpiles were low because of these unprecedented events. I saw news reports of nurses and doctors forced to reuse surgical masks because of the shortage or use garbage bags because there were no gowns left. I knew at that point something had to be done which is how the idea of ShieldFive came to mind. We as a country heavily relied on China for personal protective equipment. When the pandemic began, imports and exports worldwide came to a grueling halt, this included PPE medical workers in the States needed. As I mentioned previously, I personally witness friends and family in the medical field suffer the consequences of this. I knew there was a real need for American made protective equipment and created ShieldFive to fill the void. We, as a company, are in full support of the “Made In America” movement and are currently launching Made in America PPE.
At the moment, ShieldFive features adult face shields, children’s face shields, and KN95 masks, and plans to expand production by adding three ply disposable masks to its manufacturing roster in 2021. But the true accomplishment will be the production and manufacturing of N95 masks at our warehouse in Miami, FL. N95 masks are designed with five filter plies and effectively reduce particle exposure by 99%. We have been working for months to receive CDC and NIOSH approval and will begin manufacturing these masks as soon as all approvals are attained. To date, we’ve donated hundreds of shields to medical works and at-risk communities in the South Florida area. It’s something we are incredibly proud of and will continue to do. I believe our resilience is what sets us apart from others, vision and innovation in a very fast-moving and interchanging industry.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’m a Miami native, born and raised. I’m constantly amazed by this city and have seen it grow so much in the last two decades. Miami is a melting pot of diverse cultures, it has some of the most beautiful beaches, and our location provides a great meeting point for global business opportunities. What I like least about the city is the heavy traffic (sometimes it seems endless), and the earliest anyone who goes out to dinner is midnight.
Pricing:
- Please check the website for pricing
Contact Info:
- Address: 6951 NW 16 Street, Miami, FL 33126
- Website: https://www.bit5ive.com/; https://shieldfive.com/
- Phone: 305-343-0935
- Email: info@bit5ive.com
- Instagram: @bit5ive; @shield5ive
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bit5ive/; https://www.facebook.com/shield5ive
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bit5ive
Image Credit:
DeepSleep Studio
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