

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nestor Aguilar.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all began 17 years ago when I moved from West LA to the San Fernando Valley, Right after High School I knew I wanted to start a new life away from the craziness of the busy streets of LA. As an LA Native, “The Valley” was always referred to as some boring corner pocket of LA County with extremely hot weather where no one would go visit. But of course, I was only a 16 years old teenager when out of the blue my mom said “Pack your bags, we are moving to the valley” I realized at that point I really had no choice but to adapt and make the best of it. I have to say, moving to the valley has been the best change of my life. I’ve always been known for being the friendly, outgoing and driven type of guy. I started my Real Estate career on my own with little knowledge of what the valley had to offer. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to discover the valley in a whole different level. With nothing but my passion to help people, I quickly started to build relationships and talk to as many people possible. I literally would talk to random people at the gas stations, grocery stores, malls, I mean everywhere I would visit on my day to day. Doing this helped me connect with so many valley residents and that’s where it all blew up. Becoming the ‘Rookie of the Year” and being ranked in the Top 1% of real estate agents in the San Fernando Valley in just my first year in the business.
Helping families buy and sell homes has allowed me to discover every city, every park, every school, every mall, every pocket and every piece of history of the 818. I have absolutely fallen in love with The Valley. I realized it really wasn’t just that boring corner pocket of LA County, it is a paradise all on its own. The Valley is filled with amazing history, landmarks, cities, restaurants, entertainment and so much more, and that’s when it hit me. Why is it that when people talk about visiting LA all they think about DTLA, Hollywood, Sunset Blvd, etc? What about “The Valley’?! What about all the tourist worthy locations we have In the 818? and well that’s where “The 818 Insider” was born.
The 818 Insider “San Fernando Valley through a lens”, just how it sounds, that’s exactly what it is. I put my passion for video in action and started this video series via Instagram, Facebook & YouTube with the vision to highlight EVERYTHING the San Fernando Valley has to offer, from the cities and their history to restaurants and local public figures. There’s two special editions to the series that I call “Foodies” and “Street Smarts”. I like to call it the #1 guide to history and entertainment in the 818. I created it all from scratch, from the logo to the series names and the catchphrase. The 818 Insider was quickly noticed with my first video release with an interview with the owner of the Iconic “Cupids Hot Dogs” in Winnetka that’s been in the valley for over 70 years, becoming a big hit getting over 10,000 views in the first week. It doesn’t stop there, I partnered up with the biggest influencers in the valley who are @myvalleypass @valleyrelicsmuseum @sanfernadovalleyeats who all together have over 250,000 followers in the valley who believed in my vision and together have so many surprises to bring to our San Fernando Valley Family. This is only the beginning to something great. It’s time to highlight the 818 the way it deserves to be! Thank you to my 818 for your support in this amazing journey, the best is yet to come.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It wasn’t easy, having a full-time real estate business can take up so much time. But as the quote says “What you focus on expands”. I made this part of my weekly schedule and with the help of my sponsors have been able to accomplish to so much in so little time.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The 818 Insider – what should we know?
The 818 Insider “San Fernando Valley through a lens” Your #1 entertainment guide of the 818.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’m extremely thankful to my sponsors My Valley Pass, Valley Relics Museum and San Fernando Valley eats who share the same vision as me and have been huge supports in making sure my content gets seen by the San Fernando Valley.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 818.518.0171
- Email: nestor@the818insider
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/the818insider
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/the818insider
Image Credit:
@sfvalleyphotos
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.