We were lucky to catch up with Irma Victoria recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Irma thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
I could 100% say I’m much happier owning a business. I’ve had multiple 9-5 jobs and it wasn’t that I was unhappy with what I did, it was the lack of support and leadership I had. There are a lot of regular jobs that don’t have a great working environment and is high stress level. That isn’t for me, I need guidance, support and a strong leadership in order to get through my working task. Being a business owner has allowed me to meet some incredible people and have a large amount of support from the community. I would not trade for anything else.
Irma, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a veteran who was lost for a very long time not knowing what I should do with my life. I was working everyday from 6am-6pm feeling constantly unaccomplished working outside of the military was completely different then what I was use too. I had no guidance when I finished my service & that feeling of being lost was confusing for me at the time because the military is its own different world. During these hard times in my life I wanted to make a huge change, so I did some research. I began to watch videos on how people would find crazy cheap items and flip them for huge amounts of money. It really blew my mind that there was a huge community of resellers. One day I called out of work and went to a thrift store where I found this really odd looking doll for only $10. I couldn’t really find any information on her & I just had this really strong gut feeling that she could potentially be worth something. So I purchased her and that same day I listed her for auction. Now if you don’t about auctions they can be really intense so i was very nervous as I didn’t really know what would be the turn out. A week later the auction ended and she had sold for over $400! My mind was blown. I knew there and then this was my calling. After saving up just enough to move back home to CA I quit my regular Job and opened up a collectible shop “Vick maniac collectibles llc” in Chula Vista.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I am so proud to say that my business partner is my mother. She has taught me everything I need to know about collectibles and antiques. My mother has been reselling for over 20 years it’s what paid her bills, put a roof over our heads and fed all 10 of her kids. She’s a very inspiring woman and she continues to help me grow.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I strongly believe the toy/collectors community has helped build my reputation. There are thousands of people who collect several different items stuff that most people have never heard of or knew existed. The toy/collectors community has helped me become more knowledgeable on what it means to be a part of something. There are some really amazing collectors some whom are shy and some who love to brag about their collections but we are all the same. We have a hobby & it makes us happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1316279775994325/?ref=share_group_link&mibextid=cr9u03
- Instagram: Vick_maniac_collectibles
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1316279775994325/?ref=share_group_link&mibextid=cr9u03
- Other: https://m.facebook.com/groups/tccresale/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF