Meet Ivan Ortiz | Donut Maker

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

Hi Ivan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Well, I took over the business ownership, I never thought about owning a business until I was 36 years old. I had a passion for the medical field, so my dream was to be a Surgeon or a Psychiatrist. Circumstances took me in a different direction, However, the very one thing that made me start thinking about doing something and prepare for the future was, my kids. We were at the community pool and as I was watching them have fun, I felt bad for not making enough money and I knew I was not going to be able to pay for their college with my salary, that made me realize that it was time to start doing something. I was 36 years old back then; and that same night I went online and started learning everything I could about how to start and run a business properly. I was managing someone else business for 5 or 6 years without any knowledge, basically learning making a lot of mistakes.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began my journey in 2006 learning how to make donuts. I just arrived to United States and had no home, no family or friends to go to. Mr. Kenny gave me the opportunity to work and learn the trade. My biggest challenge was to learn the language, I couldn’t go to School to learn English properly because I was working 3 jobs at one point to make ends met. I believe in hard work and honesty as the main qualities of a successful person; so I worked hard, smart, and with patience. My Dad tought me something that resonates in my mind every day… “Be the best in anything that you do, if someone can do it, you can do it better”. This mindset helped me to take Rolling Pin Donuts to a new level and become #1 in Ventura County. After taking over the business, I decided to brand everything, from paper bags, boxes to make keychains, stickers, hoodies, shirts and hats. My goal is to bring Rolling Pin Donuts to other cities and perhaps other states.

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.
Camarillo has a few unique spots that many people are familiar with. If you have friends or family visiting, you definitely want to take them to Waypoint Cafe for a good lunch and a chance to see the aircrafts land and take off right next to you. For dinner I recommend Twenty88, a great place to eat or have dinner in Old Town Camarillo. Many people like to visit museums or historical places and Camarillo has a few places to visit; one of them and the most popular is Camarillo Ranch; then let me take you shopping at the Camarillo Outlets. And definitely you must take them to the beach at least one day to enjoy the beautiful sunsets . Calidornia has really good places to visit, enjoy their food and unwind.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Robert Kenny, former Boss and Friend and to the Camarillo Community for their support to our business.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rollingpin.camarillo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RollingPinCamarillo

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rolling-pin-donuts-camarillo-2