Meet Orlando | Avpopshop Owner small business owner

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

Hi orlando, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
First of all, we all at one point in our lives have thought of what I can do in life as a career or a job, or what am I capable of, what can I achieve? What am I passionate about? What can I do that I love and make of living doing it? In my case, it just organically happened, and I ran with it. As a child, you always dream about being a firefighter, police officer, or Doctor, having a profession where you can make a difference and help people. My thought process has always been to work hard and be great at what you do to the best of your ability. When a door opens, embrace what’s behind it and go with it. I never dreamed of being a business owner. I was content working my 9-5. making an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. Once the opportunity presented itself to have my own business, I ran with it, and here I am interviewing and talking about my Toy store.

Is any Advice bad Advice? When someone gives advice, they share what they have personally experienced in their life journey. If I choose to apply it in my personal life, it is a personal decision. For the sake of this interview, I’m not the type of person to go against the Current. I’m very simple and passive, but I do stand up for what I believe in. Thinking about this question thoroughly if I had to say something it would be probably against making as much money as possible in life and the reasoning behind that is because there’s so much more in life than just money and money could blind you and take away from what is important in life which is family love relationships to me those are riches that I want not monetary or possessions I know that sounds odd coming from a business owner because having a business and any job you work to make money but that’s just the way I’m wired I’m glad to have enough to pay my bills live a comfortable life and not to put too much on my plate mikey rapper once said more money more problems.

Who likes to take risk taking risk is scary but as you grow taking risk is part of life I took a risk when I asked my wife to be my girlfriend to be my wife that was a risk especially since I was so inexperienced and everything was new to me when it comes to relationships and it comes to careers I took a risk when I applied for my first job as a delivery driver. I was a Pepsi driver for 26 years and was very comfortable in my profession and very content when the business started growing and I had to step out of my comfort zone to make my small business my full time job that was a huge risk I had to take There’s a lot of factors that came to me taking a risk and opening up my business full time and making it my mainstream form of income but like I said things happened organicallyfor me.

I know this is gonna sound corny as hell, but what habits have helped me succeed are being a good person and treating everybody fair with respect and honesty, the principles that were set by my parents growing up in a God fearing family. By applying Positive ethics and good morals into your business and people around you I believe good things happen to you especially while having a business when you treat everybody like family and respect I feel that you’re like a magnet you will attract positivity and good things happen to good people I firmly believe that and in my case so far it has paid dividends and I’m very grateful and I could sleep at night knowing that we do things right in my personal life and in my business.

The most important factor behind my success and my brand, I think it’s just honesty and hard work. The way you make people feel the first time you meet them will always have a lifelong effect And a huge impact on how people see you if you greet someone and open up to them and be sincere I believe people will resonate to you and I believe that is power and it goes both ways if I meet a customer and they are rude or cold unfortunately. I’m going to remember that, same goes as for myself and my employees if we treat a stranger who comes in the store as family with open arms to a welcoming environment I believe that’s more important than a sale or making money and people are inclined to support you and to me thats success and that’s building strength to your brand. Because we are in the people business with no people, no business.

The most important lesson in my business and my career has taught me is regardless of how much success and how much money you make it doesn’t mean anything If you are not a honest and sincere human being I know a lot of successful people who are not liked by friends family or customers and I also know a lot of people who I would bend over backwards even though I may not have a close relationship with them but to have made a positive impact on my life. So to me, treating people like I like to be treated is a huge plus for me, super corny, I know, but let’s speak facts, that’s what I believe in. LET’S BE HUMBLE!

When I used to work for my old employer, my work-life balance was a lot different For most people we dedicate most of our life to our employers but once you start working for yourself everything changes you start seeing life different so my balance has changed dramatically now as a business owner I have full control of my time and my life I work for myself and my family with my old employer it was work for your employer and yourself and your family now I have full control and I wouldn’t change it for the world I encourage people to find their balance and do what makes them happy. It’s so important to find balance in anything you do when you find balance nothing is lopsided if that makes sense, if you’re down you want to get up and when you’re up you’re eventually going to have a down so let’s find a happy medium and ride the wave at a steady pace.

Who wouldn’t want to own a toy store? A lot of people have the dream of owning something, whether it’s a restaurant, a company of some sort, or some type of business, so I pretty much embraced something I was passionate about in the industry and I was educated in and took the proper steps to make it become a reality.
I learned something over the years if you wanna do something in life find someone who has done it well and learn from em and replicate what they have built so keep your eyes open your ears to the ground and make your dream a reality because somebody has already lived that dream or made it happen I just took the initiative and made it happen for myself.

Not sure if my business is artistic, but a creative one it is. What I mean by that is having full control of your business allows you to create something, whether it’s customer experience, employee experience,e or something that’s needed in the industry or your local community so, what do you want to do for your customers Think out of the box as we have. Comedy shows in our store, we have celebrity signings at our store. We do events to help the community in any way possible.e We have embraced that opportunity to have full control without going up and checking with corporate, so let those creative juices flow and let your dreams become a reality.

What truly inspires me is the opportunity to create and have full control of my life and my journey. Of course, there are people I’m inspired by, my parent, some friends, and family. Jesus Christ, of course, putting all those things together in one is the drive of what I do. I know that one day I will not be here, but what I do with this opportunity of the platform that I have created Is make a difference and inspire people I have been very fortunate to touch a lot of different people to realize their dream or inspire them to be something that they’re not if I can do it so can others but it just takes some hard work and dedication and faith in God.

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 don’t like talking about my work, I like talking about my life experience because my journey is different from anybody else. What’s gonna set me apart from other people is that I do things my way and I make them happen To the beat of my drum and I love sharing I love helping I’ve built many relationships in this industry by going out of my way and being uncomfortable and making friends with people who are willing to open up and connect this makes me very proud that I have built a community and a network with people who I thought I’d never meet and now share ideas and common interest and help them grow as well if I can better their life by connecting with somebody that’s very fulfilling to me. Of course, this journey wasn’t easy. There are many challenges and sacrifices, then you just have to take the bull by the horns and make it happen, get knocked down and get up again, take 100 no’s for the few yes’s. This is not an easy journey, but it is my journey. Some amazing lessons I have learned throughout the year even though you can have friends and relationships it’s always gonna lay on your shoulders you will carry this as long as you want to carry it you will grow this as much as you want to grow it you’re the captain of your ship And I’m grateful that I have the opportunity for one day to say this is it i’m done. What I would want people to know about my story and my brand is that it was built with humility with honesty and hard work and love we don’t cut corners we treat people right and we just live our best life as anybody should regardless of what career or path you take make the best of your life because you only have one.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend visited me for a week the first place I would take him was of course show them my business because I’d like to share something that I’m very proud of and let them see what I have built and how I make a living and then it’s all about them they’re going to eat well if they want to drink they can they are my best friend so I will bend over backwards for them they will not spend a dime if it was up to me of course and I would just like to spend quality time whether it’s a fishing trip a bike ride going to go visit other people old friends or acquaintances and of course how our families involved because at the end it’s not about material things it’s about memories and quality time making People feel special and have them feel grateful that they chose you as a friend and since we live in Southern California of course there is so much to do and so much to eat, amusement parks, museums, restaurants, beaches other countries a few miles away we can drive to Mexico lots of shopping isn’t this what its all about living your best life.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
You’ve heard the saying that goes, It takes a village to build something, while there have been people who have helped me in this journey, first of all, my parents for putting God in my life and amazing biblical principles. Those principles have made me the person I am today and to my wife and my children who have encouraged me and helped grow this family business and we have and a few other people who will stay unnamed because they may get cocky but they know who they are.

Website: under cosntruction

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Image Credits
Photos all of myself, only photo with young lady is my daughter Kassandra Corona