Meet Ulises Tolentino | Senior Sales Director & COO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ulises Tolentino and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ulises, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I did not start this business on my own I was one of the contributing factors to start it. The idea came during the pandemic, there was high demand and not enough material to cover our needs and other companies. We noticed that the fee’s in the ports were really expensive and that a lot of people were in need of material and there were only a few suppliers in the industry at least here in California. These suppliers have been very specific to who they would provide material cutting a lot of us out. So, the idea was pitched to come in contact with the supplying country and start importing our own materials here and become the helping hand to those who pay ridiculous prices or don’t get any help at all. That is how Saltai Ultralight Mdf Mouldings came to be.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a person that always aspires for greatness. I come from immigrant parents that came here in search for the American dream but sacrificed time with their children. I grew up with very little money and struggling through my youth, in the struggle I had to leave school and throw away all of my dreams going to a university and marine biology. I got a job at 15 moved from job to job trying to look for what paid the most, working insane hours and abusing the power and strength of my body. I came to work for Carlos Rivera very young and have stayed with him ever since. Since he met me, he always said that he saw something in me that he knew would take me a long and successful way. I think that having someone that actually believed in me pushed me better myself and my qualities and strengths, I have now been working in retail sales for about 10 years and recently with the development of this new company I am also focusing on the wholesales. I think one of the things that have help me to be successful is the fact that I do not like to stay on the same level for a very long time I always seek to better myself I always demand a lot from myself in general. And that is what has brought me to where I am at now. Providing customers with quality, informative and friendly service. I know that the competition is tough out there, and that is why I am in this industry, because I like to compete and grow.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am an adventurer, I would take them to visit one of California’s popular beaches, Santa Monica, I love to eat I know many places where I know they would enjoy, be Brazilian Churrasqueria, Korean Bbq, Mexican Food etc.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to take this moment to thank God first for making this possible for us. I would also like to thank Carlos Rivera, owner of Rivera’s Floor Covering for trusting and guiding me in this phase of the company. He has been, my boss mentor and friend with incomparable qualities. Like humility, wisdom and professionalism: qualities that I aspire to perfect.

Website: https://www.saltaiulm.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltaiulm/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulises-tolentino-75692b291/