We recently connected with Mauricio Melendez and have shared our conversation below.

Mauricio, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

There are times as I drive home with the sunset hitting my face or in the morning as the sky begins to warm up with the light of a new day that I take the time to reflect on what life would be like if I just gave it all up, looked through the job site pages and decided to work a regular 9-5. The thought of life being less stressful, having less responsibility, or even just the thought of clocking out mentally the moment I leave my job is very appealing. Most people would jump at the idea of not having to be responsible for so many people and not having to deal with the logistics of owning a company. As my mind begins to wander about this, I am quickly snapped out of it by the abundance of satisfaction and blessings I have been able to have since starting my company. Since starting my first company, I have seen firsthand how important all aspects of a company are. The importance of having a well-rounded accounting team, marketing team, hiring strategies, and shop management. The irrefutable fact that as the owner of a small business, you will have to learn how to fill every position at any time of the day or night. I have been able to grow as a person and have had the greatest gift of helping other small business owners grow their companies and help create a network of small business owners across the United States that can now bounce ideas and tactics off each other to create a better community. The choice of not working a 9-5 gives me the opportunity to extend a helping hand to those who need help as I once did when I felt like I had hit rock bottom. The amount of quality time I am able to spend with my family and the ability to have my service dog by my side is not a gift I discard so easily. While owning and running a small business is no easy feat, I am fulfilled knowing that my team can go home each night knowing that their families will be financially taken care of and that I will do everything in my power to always treat them like family.

Mauricio, 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 never imagined myself in the automotive industry as a child or even put much thought into it while I was on Active Duty in the United States Marine Corps. It wasn’t until 2019 as I flipped through the pages of an old composition notebook I had once used to think up and write about business ideas that I found my notes about starting an automotive reconditioning company. This idea was more than just about detailing but about encompassing all aspects of the automotive world. We began as a midlevel detailing company providing services such as interior carpet and seat cleaning, exterior wax and wash, and engine bay cleanings. We soon turned into paint correction specialists and certified ceramic coating specialists. We were providing these services to all types of vehicles ranging from minivans to Aston Martins, from boats to airplanes, and even farm equipment. In 2020 we were fortunate to discover a new product that we soon franchised with and are now the leading paint correction specialists in the triangle area. With our process, we are able to reverse the signs of sun fading, major scratches and rectify clear coat issues on vehicles. We are now a crucial asset to families whose children may scratch the car with bicycles, owners in search of selling or trading in their cars and being able to get the best amount of money for them, or just owners who love to see a flawless better than factory new look on their cars, boats or recreational investments. We provide an effective and budget-friendly method to bring life back into your car without the harmful process of polishing a car with a high-speed buffer and a much faster method than taking your car to a body shop for a repaint when it is not necessary. We chemically and permanently rebuild your vehicle’s shine and luster while regaining years of life back into it and guaranteeing it for the life of the vehicle. Our process can be complemented by adding further protection such as wax, sealant, ceramic coatings, and even PPF which is all done by our specialized team. We have taken paint gloss to the next level with our patented process and all while saving you time and money. We offer services that fit the daily driver’s budget as well as more exclusive services. We are a veteran-owned and operated company with two locations here in Raleigh called RestorFX Raleigh and one just outside called RestorFX Sanford.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Just weeks after the initial COVID shut down in North Carolina, I had one of my business partners step away from the company and pull his funding for the company which was vital to paying our shop’s lease and our payroll. This event became the greatest turning point for our company as we had only been operating for a few months and were just starting to gain traction in the industry. My remaining partner Carlos and I had to scramble to develop a strategy and begin to execute it as we only had enough capital to stay afloat for three months while we waited for an update on the shutdown. We formulated a plan to become an essential business under NC COVID policy and were finally authorized to begin operations. We provided sanitation detailing services to emergency and first responder vehicles along with medical personnel vehicles. We found a way to maintain our team employed but eventually lost our shop due to financial hardship. We stayed optimistic and started the search for a new building closer to the state’s capital where we could grow once again. After months of hard work and stress, we finally stabilized and found a shop that met all our needs. We have now been there for a few years and while we continue to grow and heal from that nearly fatal wound, like any scar, we can oftentimes still see some effects of those events but we remain headstrong and learn from our past experiences to create brighter future and will never be put in a compromising situation like that again.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my business partner back in 2013 through a mutual family connection. When I first met him, he was in the trucking industry. He was the type of person who did not shy away from asking direct questions and wanting to know as must about the person he was meeting on the first go. I walked into the room and as I did I could feel him quietly trying to piece together the type of person I was. Of course, he had already heard about me through mutual channels but had never met me until that day. We spoke for about an hour exchanging personal and professional aspirations, at the time I was just about to join the Marines, and as a combat veteran himself, he took a special interest in knowing what my motivation was for joining and what I aspired to do prior during and after my enlistment. Years went by and eventually, a few years after my time on active duty, I called him one afternoon and asked him if he was interested in becoming my business partner and starting a company in the automotive industry. I sent him my ideas and proposals and within 48 hours we had agreed on terms and began to compile our equipment and products to begin operations within a month of that date. We have been working together since 2018.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.restorfxraleigh.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restorfxraleigh/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restorfxraleigh/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@restorfx
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/restorfxsanford https://www.instagram.com/restorfx_sanford/?hl=en