Community Highlights: Meet Maritza Gomez of MG Custom Printing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maritza Gomez.

Hi Maritza, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, we all want to be somebody because society puts that pressure on us. Some of us want to be doctors, some of us want to be teachers, some of us want to be veterinarians, etc. I wanted to be a veterinarian, then a bilingual secretary ( I know what I was thinking). In high school, I wanted to be an interior designer.

I looked for schools with that major and found one in Chico, California, not realizing that Chico was up north. At the same time that I was looking for colleges to attend after graduation, I found out I was undocumented. You may wonder, “if you are undocumented, you should know.” The reality is we don’t know. Our parents shelter us from that reality until they can’t anymore. Despite not having an immigration status, I went to college right after high school. At that time, my only concern was to go to college and have a degree with my name. I took so many classes throughout nine years it took me that long to earn an associate’s Degree. All of my goals and dreams that I had as a child slowly dissipated. I was forced to adjust them to what was feasible for someone like me. When the opportunity came, thanks to the CA Dream Act, I was able to go to a 4-year university. I went back to college to earn the credits I needed to transfer. In 2014, I transferred to California State University, San Bernardino, and was confident about my goals. I wanted to be a business owner or manage someone else’s business. I come from a family of self-taught entrepreneurs. Seeing how much they worked in their business, I knew I had to start on the right path. I joined an entrepreneurial program with the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center and wrote my business plan. In 2016, I graduated with my Bachelor’s in entrepreneurship. Most of my accomplishments have been while being undocumented, and it was a surprise to many. I have worked hard and dedicated so much to ensure my business thrives, but I can’t take all the credit. My mom, husband, brothers, family, customers, and community have played a significant role in my success. Some say they are self-made entrepreneurs, but I say, ” I Am Community Made.”

My business, MG Custom Printing, started doing pop-ups. At my first pop-up, I had a table, a borrowed tablecloth, and less than 15 items on the table. The next time I went, I made business cards out of stock paper and a poster with pricing and pictures. Little by little, my booth kept growing, and despite not making any sales at some events, I kept thinking positively. Since I was still in school, I would use the time to catch up on reading or to do homework. I saw the slow days as marketing days. Eventually, I was asked if I would print for other businesses, and I said yes. That opened the opportunity for us to start printing wholesale, where we contribute to the growth of other businesses.

All of our work was done from our home. The business slowly started to take over our house. We had boxes everywhere and were accommodating to our clients; sometimes, we had pick-ups as late as eleven o’clock at night. I am so glad my neighbors didn’t call the cops thinking we were selling something else.

In 2021, we decided to move out of our home and into a warehouse. It was such a big move, especially during the pandemic. We received grants that have made it easier for us. We have expanded, hired our first non-family employee, and made the production process smoother.

Our goals continue to be bigger than us. In 2022, we were certified as a Small Business, a Women Owned Enterprise, and a Minority Owned Enterprise. We’ve been surrounded by like-minded individuals and we always make sure to give back to our community.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If everyone’s journey were the way we imagined, we would all be living the best life. Unfortunately, everyone’s reality is different. Some are born with a paved way, where their ancestors worked hard for it or overtook someone else’s path. Others like me have to work twice as hard to ensure we pave my path for those coming after us. My journey has been like a rollercoaster, as it is for most that don’t have immigration status here in the USA. Being the first in many things is not always the best because you don’t have someone showing you the way. I always try to find a positive outcome when faced with adversity, and I think that is what has kept me going.

As a former undocumented person, building business credit has been difficult. Finding and using my voice in a society where the media feeds on stereotypes has been difficult, but I am slowly making sure my voice is heard and seen.

We’ve been impressed with MG Custom Printing, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
MG Custom Printing contributes to the growth of other businesses by providing wholesale digital printing services, such as Sublimation, Heat Transfer, and UV printing on merchandise.

What sets us apart from others is that we offer low minimums, where our clients can mix and match their designs to offer their customers a bigger selection while still keeping the quality and price in mind.

Besides the wholesale, we have our retail line, Mug Dealer Jefa. Where our Cultura inspires us to create and print merchandise that inspires others. We print our merchandise with a touch of English, Spanish, and Spanglish. We have merchandise that speaks to our Comunidad.

When consumers buy our products or the products we’ve printed for other businesses, they are supporting a small women-owned and operated company that gives back to her community.

What are your plans for the future?
As mentioned, our goals and dreams are bigger than us. Our goal/plan for the future is to own commercial real estate or own our own workshop space. I don’t know when and how we will get there, but we will.

We want a space where we will host pop-ups and have creative workshops for those wanting to start a business like ours.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mugdealerjefa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mugdealerjefa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mugdealerjefa
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maritza-gomez-277639a7
• Other: https://www.mgcustomprinting.com/