Today we’d like to introduce you to Pablo Quintero.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am an immigrant from a small village in Colombia, South America. I was born in an area rich in natural beauty yet humbling in many other ways which has shaped my core values and belief system. My family and I moved to the New York City area when I was only 5 years old for an opportunity to enhance our lives. I grew up shy and respectful, but also with a burning desire to do something great with the opportunity I was handed. My motivation has never been of monetary gain, but to create a platform where I can help lead people towards a common goal; the preservation of our planet and its natural resources. This spawned “The Clean Initiative movement” towards a clean and sustainable lifestyle. Our objective is to initiate change with the various products and services we offer as well as our multiple public outreach channels designed to promote sustainability.
Great, 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?
Anything in life worth doing is never easy. The initial move to the United States was devastating to the extended family we left behind. As exciting as this opportunity may have seemed, it was a complete culture shock to move from the Andes Mountains to the massiveness of the Tri-State area. I remember ducking my head in the car scared for my life the first time we crossed a bridge going home from J.F.K. international airport. Never in my wildest dreams could I have thought a place like New York City could possibly exist. My older sister and I were raised by our single teenage mother who was still trying to figure out life in her own right. Blessed with the heart of gold, my mother was able to overcome and persevere through every obstacle imaginable from not even knowing the English language and earning minimum wage to earning a master’s degree as a highly respected educator all while raising two successful entrepreneurs. I think it’s fair to say we got our fire and drive from this tremendous woman.
Please tell us about Clean Initiative.
“Clean Initiative” is an energy efficiency company that specializes in home performance. We help retro-fit residential properties to make them more energy efficient. We work with multiple government-subsidized programs that will finance and contribute funding towards the energy upgrade projects to allow a property owner to save money on their utility bills as well as live more comfortable and sustainable lifestyle. Different upgrades a property owner may qualify for include: attic and wall insulation, heating ventilation and air conditioning, windows, doors, roofing, PV solar installation, and home automation.
One of our program facilitators will conduct an energy assessment of the home to evaluate its physical condition, safety, and energy usage.
They will then determine what retrofitting upgrades will be needed and recommend the best program to make this possible for the homeowner, most of which there are no out-of-pocket costs.
What I am most proud about Clean Initiative and sets us apart from others is we have taken our movement one step further by promoting a clean and sustainable lifestyle through our public outreach channel. We have participated in events such as local beach and park clean ups, the L.A. River project restoration, as well as urban mini farming promoting fresh, organic, and sustainably grown produce. We also help people that are less fortunate by preparing food for the homeless and delivering turkeys door-to-door to underprivileged families during the holiday season.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory was when we would go back to Colombia during our summer vacations. It was a humbling reminder of where we came from and would feed my curiosity to get lost in the beauty of nature. There is no greater experience than to enjoy the natural wonders of this world with the companionship of your loved ones. It was the ultimate bonding experience especially since it is our native homeland.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd #1100
Los Angeles, CA 90034 - Website: www.cleaninitiative.com
- Phone: 3232851069
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecleaninitiative/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theCleanInitiative/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/c_Initiative
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/17996486/
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
