Today we’d like to introduce you to Jose Alvarado.
Jose Alvarado, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Honduras in Central America. When I was young I have liked to learn the things that catch my attention and not give up, one of them was machinery. My first job was at an Auto Parts Store as an apprentice, but I wanted to improve my income. At that time I was studying and working and also had to help with household chores and expenses.
So one day someone asked me if I wanted to learn at a local print shop, what they did not tell me is that it was for cleaning. I still showed up, as my goal was to learn a trade, I decide to stay. I did the job I had to do and I was fascinating by the machinery. I decided to be quick with the work so that they gave me the opportunity to learn, I started there as the errand boy, and finally they let me be an apprentice to work in those machines where everything in the city was printed. I learned so much that I became a specialist and they gave me the jobs that required more experience, knowledge and accuracy.
By that time I had already finished high school and studied what in Honduras call Mercantile Expert and public accountant. I graduated, I was ready to work in a bank, government or in the private sector as an accountant but my passion was already the printing machinery.
There was a time in my life that one night I had a dream and that for me became a compass in the following years. I dreamed that I was driving an 18-wheeler truck in Downtown Miami, that I’ve never been too nor even visited. The only thing that connected me there were some family members who came to the United States to visit some relatives. 3 years later I decided to literally look for my dream (the American dream), I prepared myself in knowledge and started my journey and as many of us I arrive to California. I was there for only a couple of years because my main goal was to come to Miami.
I finally arrived in Miami in 1988 at the home of an aunt, who received me for a couple of weeks and when they asked me what I could do to find work I always said that I wanted to work in what I knew, the printing. The first reaction of the people was: “You are crazy” the only work you are going to get here is to cut the grass or paint houses. Nothing wrong with that but that was not what I was prepared for. These words may sound discouraging but for me what they did was encourage to believe more in myself.
Regardless I needed a job. The first job I found was to paint a house, I remember when we got to the place where they were going to pick us up but the person never showed up. Right in front of us where we were there was a printing shop, I talked to the owner and the following day I started working. Shortly after I become the person who could take the most complicated jobs and after a year I requested a rise, my boss gave me 50 cents more when I knew that my job was worth more, not reaching an agreement, I looked for a job in another printing shop and that was right in front of the one I was working with and they paid me 2 dollars more per hour.
I also had a friend from grad school who recently came from Honduras too, we graduated together. we met again at my aunt’s house, and we started dating, and then she became my wife and that’s 30 years ago, the truth is without the help of Lidia and my son Bryan everything that today is ADP Printing & Signs, would not be possible. I started the company in the garage of my house in the year 2000 but as we grew, we had to take the business out of the house and we move to the beautiful city of Miramar fl. it’s been over 17 years now.
This is the country of opportunities if you really want it and you strive for it. If you learn the language, as I did through the schools that open their doors in the ESOL program, you can get better. God also sends you those angels to help you and take you to a new level and a new family as it is Diane Holm I met her at a networking event where I not only met people, I expanded my business, and at the same time I practiced my English, she took me to an organization called Toastmasters International where you learn public speaking skills, lose stage fright, be more proactive and also to become a better leader in the community. I spent about a year before I made my first speech in public, but today I can say that little by little, I reached the highest level within the organization (DTM toastmaster) where less than 2% of the members achieve that level and we are more than 367,000 members around the world. Success is not only summarized in what you have, but also when you have family, health, friends and independence. That way you can help others.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There are always struggles along the way, the first obstacle that you must overcome is yourself, believing every day that you can, overcoming language barrier, moving forward even though others think you can’t or cannot have the emotional or financial support to achieve it, everything is a matter of which despite the shortcomings and the circumstances you can reach the goal with perseverance, optimism and faith. You have to be positive in the middle of difficulties.
to start any business, you should have the desire, educate yourself in what you are about that line of business that you want and start, if you do not start everything stays in ideas and someone else will started for you and when your business is running keep these 3 things in mind a good secretary, a good accountant and a good lawyer, They save you time, money and many headaches that come along.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the ADP Printing & Signs story. Tell us more about the business.
ADP Printing & Signs is a family business where each one of us has a general knowledge because we have the experience. What do we do? Everything related to what advertising is concerned, in stationery from invoice formats and budgets, to large advertising posters, in signage, large Neon signs, everything related to POP material, embroidery, screen printing and the best we do not have quantity limit.
But people recognize us for our good quality work and every day we specialize in it.
We are proud to be a family that has gotten into people’s hearts. We believe and support new entrepreneurs, small businesses and especially in the work of women as entrepreneurs as a motor of many foundations in South Florida.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I was told early in my life that luck is Spelled W.o.r.k but for me luck and opportunities go hand in hand you have to embrace them as much as you can because I’m sure that not all the opportunities fits you well. Opportunities without power mean nothing. I have missed many opportunities in my life because I didn’t have the power to grab them and I had to let them go. But also been lucky I was nominated pinnacle award honoree in 2013 and Small business of the year in 2016 again that’s luck and opportunity. Surround yourself with positive people or more important with those that you admire must.
Contact Info:
- Address: ADP PRINTING & SIGNS
2001 SW 101st Ave Ste A Miramar Fl. - Website: www.adpprinting.com
- Phone: 954 499 4355
- Email: sales@adpprinting.com
- Instagram: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adpprinting/?hl=es
- Facebook: f: https://www.facebook.com/ADP-Printing-Signs-197278470351591
- Twitter: Twitter: https://twitter.com/adpprinting
- Yelp: Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/adp-printing-miramar
Image Credit:
All images taken by friends and family
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