Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivan Arroyo
Hi Ivan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi,
My name is Ivan Arroyo and in 2004 I came to the US like many people do, looking forward to the American dream. I worked in restaurants for a while, I cleaned apartments and always kept two jobs while trying to learn the language. 3 years later I went to Educational Cultural Complex in San Diego California and took welding classes. I really didn’t know where this would take me, but I still enrolled and got my welding certifications. Right after I got out of school, I applied at a shipyard near my apartment and got a job as a welder there. Within a year I was already a supervisor, and I was moved to another location the company had bought.
While I was at this shipyard, I had to teach new hires how to do things around our shop– I started thinking that I could have my own shop one day and be my own boss. I started teaching adult classes at a high school near the shipyard on the weekends and I learned even more about the trade. In 2017 my wife and I had saved enough money to put down on a home. We bought a house in Las Vegas for our family and in order for me to keep working towards my dream of being my own boss. When we arrived at Las Vegas, I took a job at East Career and Technical Academy as a welding Instructor and started working on my licenses while looking for possible customers. During the pandemic I started to get some work and that’s when I quit my teaching job to focus 100% on my business. I made business cards, knocked on many doors at big companies and offered my welding services. Now I’m happy I put in all the hard work since I got here and it’s paying off. I now have a few big companies that send me a lot of work and I’m pretty busy.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has never been a smooth road but it’s ok. I knew that having a business was a big challenge and I still went for it. Some of the challenges are basic things that most business owners would tell you when they start their journey. Maybe working too many hours, trying to balance family activities with business, not going out to family reunions as much as other people do, working when you are sick and taking in consideration that some months are going to be slow. Even when you feel burned out, you have to keep going because you don’t have the check coming in every two weeks. It’s ok to rest but you can’t quit just because of these challenges. There are other things that I’ve done to increase my chances of accomplishing my goals and here are some examples. I made a good habit of avoiding distractions and try to focus only on whatever it takes me closer to my goals. I started boxing and lifting weights just to push myself even harder and go through the pain so when hard times come, I’ll know how to handle them. I stopped drinking alcohol so I wouldn’t waste a single day. I started eating healthier so I could be in a better shape and so far, I’ve lost 45 lbs. These little changes have helped so much with my discipline. Sometimes being a hard worker is not enough so you have to replace bad habits with good ones and things will get better. The road won’t be smooth but once you are prepared for it, you’ll make it to the other side.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I own Arroyo’s Welding LLC in Las Vegas Nevada. I specialize in all welding processes, CNC design, tube bending, and custom fabrication. Some of the major projects accomplished include food truck renovation, security doors and gates, custom restaurant decor, custom part fabrication for machines, aluminum or stainless-steel repairs and mobile welding. I also ship CNC items to all states.
Here is the website:
https://www.arroyoswelding.com/
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think it’s important to take risks if you are trying to achieve goals in life. Time is going to pass by anyways so it’s better to take risks and if you fail then you learn from it, do it again but this time you’ll have more experience. I took a risk when I left Mexico in 2004 since I was already in college, and I didn’t know how I was going to make it in the US, but I made it work. I took a risk when I left the supervising position at the shipyard and decided to change careers so one day I would have a business, but again I made it work. I took a risk when I left San Diego and moved to Las Vegas not having customers or anybody to secure business but so far is working out. You have to trust the process and just go for it. It’ll be hard, you’ll be uncomfortable for a while, and some people won’t understand you, but if you really want something you’ll make it happen. Just take risks, be patient, and be ready to try many times until you achieve your goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arroyoswelding.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arroyosweldinglv/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arroyo.welding/
