Check Out Christopher Robledo’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Robledo.

Hi Christopher, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Advanced Tinting began in 1994 by my father Cesar Robledo. I was 4 years old when my father first opened the tinting shop. Throughout my childhood, my dad worked diligently in order to provide for the needs of his wife and four children. I did not have an appreciation for my dad’s craft until after I graduated from CSUN. After graduating, I began working with him full-time. I found window tinting to be both laborious and artistic. Moving around, meeting many different people, working with cars, and working with my hands became surprisingly fulfilling. Combine all of that with everything necessary to grow and maintain your own business, and a new-found appreciation for local small businesses was revealed to me! After working and training under my dad for 5-6 years, my brother Michael and I decided to buy the business from my dad in 2019. Fast-forward to now, the three of us continue to provide window tinting services to Ventura County and the surrounding areas. We strive to continue our father’s commitment to providing quality craftsmanship to our customers so that they would entrust us with their children’s future vehicles, home windows, and commercial tinting.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When my dad Cesar first began the business, he did not make a profit until his 3rd year of business. One story that my dad often recounts is when he showed his shop to one of the people who trained him in window tinting. His trainer was present with his wife at the newly opened shop. They estimated that my dad would only last 6 months before closing down. He would often hear discouraging comments like that in his first years of being a business owner. The only way to overcome that is to possess tenacity, which he did indeed possess. He also worked alone for many years, adding the struggle of loneliness to the demands of the job. “The goal of a business owner is to fight against entropy,”, my father tells people.

Surprisingly, covid was not as much of a struggle as we anticipated. We ended up having more business and making a bigger profit in 2020 compared to 2019. While our customers were not working, they had free time to get their cars tinted, so it worked to our advantage.

One consistent struggle that may never go away is the way that service industry professionals are viewed. Unfortunately, some people see blue collar workers and business owners as people who will do any job for any price, and will thus try to demand lower pricing while expecting perfect work. This may in large part be due to schools pushing for college education and white collar careers as being superior to blue collar or service work, which isn’t right. When I can, I try to educate my customers on how the service industry is just as necessary and important as white collar careers.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in automotive, residential, and commercial window tinting. I have worked with a wide variety of window films available, observing how the technology and methods of tinting have improved since my father first began tinting. While the majority of shops boast and sell a particular brand of film, I instead to sell my skills and services. I do not offer warranties from the film manufacturer that I may purchase from because 1) I might switch brands and 2) redeeming film manufacturer warranties are a giant hassle for customers and there is always a chance that a claim will be denied for some reason. I offer a 5-year warranty from my shop, which means that no matter what film I use, if it does not last more than 5 years, I commit to to replacing it free of charge. With this business model, my customers end up on the winning side!

What I am most proud of are my repeat customers. Without them, my business would not have lasted as long as it has. One of the greatest blessings about being in the same location for 30+ years is working on the cars of the children (and even grandchildren!) of the customers we worked with when the business was new. That is true customer loyalty! To be my customers’ “Tint guy” is a badge of honor and a great responsibility!

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is to do honest, quality work for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the benefit of my customers. The Lord Jesus is my Boss who has entrusted me with this service and the skills I have been granted. To give less than my best would insult my customers and my God. My prayer is that I run my business and live my life in order to show everyone I encounter the goodness and the beauty of God. May my customers see my strife to be courteous and work well, leading to them giving glory to Jesus, the Messiah!

Pricing:

• $300 – $500 full carbon window tinting
• $460 – $800 full ceramic window tinting
• Residential / Commercial windows at ground level (no ladder required) $10 per square foot for typical film options

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.advtinting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advancedtinting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdvTintByCaesar/
• Twitter: https://x.com/advtintbycaesar
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/advanced-tinting-by-caesar-moorpark-2
• Other: https://nextdoor.com/pages/advanced-tinting-by-caesar-moorpark-ca/