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An old man (he looked a lot like George Burns from the movie “Oh God!”) approached me by my right side and said: What a long trip you are going to make, huuu!!! (nothing showed that I was going to travel) … It’s the best decision you’ve made in your life, you’re going to be very happy and very successful ….. when the old man finished talking, I turned my head to ask him how he knew about me planning a long trip ???……… the old man was not there any more ………..
I arrived in Denver without any inconvenience, and a month later, my 12-year-old daughter and wife flew to Denver from Venezuela.
Two months after that, I was applying for a job as a car salesman at a family dealership. The manager who gave me the job told me that in order to work there- I had to dress formal.
My only capital was $ 50 from a job that I did as a handyman. So I went to buy some clothes at a second-hand store(Goodwill®), And I felt very lucky that day – everything was 50% off. To make a long story short, months later, the manager and the owner called me and recognized me as the best-dressed person in the dealership to date.
From that point on- I started climbing up my career ladder and moving on to positions at different dealerships, and by 2005, I was making $ 140k plus (Always leaving the best references and friends in stores where I worked).
In 2007, an ex-boss proposed to make my dream come true.
It was a very tough decision because it was to exchange good, tangible money for a dream …….. And guess which one won? Unfortunately, my partner turned out to be a very bad person in every single way, and I sold my share of the coffee shop (he never paid me a penny).
At the same time (2007) and in gratitude to all the American people who, instead of discriminating against me and my family, were giving us a helping hand, support, and great friendship- we felt that we could call this city our own town and that is why I decided to adopt this country as my only own country and become a proud American citizen.
The years went by, and in 2009 came the great economic collapse, and I had to declare myself (like hundreds of thousands of Americans) in bankruptcy. It was a tough time for us, but at the same time, it served as a great lesson.
In 2012, I decided to continue with my dream. Your Coffee Guy began to take its first steps. With $ 1800, I built my little coffee van (the market value of the van was approximately $ 25,000).
I became a good mechanic, an expert in getting used parts at the junk yards, a technician for coffee equipment, a designer, a Barista, etc.etc.etc. That’s why most of my customers have heard me say, “Nobody Touches My Coffee, Van.”
Those were tough years, but I did “make it,” thanks to the tremendous support of my lovely wife (Peggy) and an inspiration from Mr. Steve Jobs. A person who, just like me, had challenging and frustrating moments in his Dad’s garage at the beginning, but he always believed in his product, and because of that, he never gave up.
Today, I keep thinking about the old man who told me that It was the best decision ever, that I was going to be very happy and I was going to be very successful. I will give you an idea about my happiness, and you make the conclusions. I have a beautiful wife, two boys, my princess (all college graduates), three grandchildren, and a health of steel.
And talking about success, I would have to write a book to be able to describe all the beautiful moments and happiness that each of you gives me- every time you approach the window of my little coffee van, either to buy a coffee or to tell me a new story.
The question for all of us is………..Who was that old man?
The only thing I have left to say is Thanks to God and all of you for giving me so much!
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