Today we’d like to introduce you to RJ Holguin.
RJ, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Born and raised in California, the country actually. Barely graduated high school and enrolled in college with no desire to do the work needed for the careers that I liked, Architect, home design, psychology. Not being studious or knowing what I wanted to do with my life, at 20 I left college to travel. I moved to Hawaii to an apartment in Waikiki beach. I planned on staying a few months, then wanted to go to New York and then travel all through Europe. It all sounded like a great plan in my head.
Once reality hit me such as paying for it, my plans changed. As a college kid I had low paying manual jobs that that didn’t sustain my dreams. I ended up living in Hawaii for about a year only to really learn how to party and get into lots of trouble. I did realize that I would need to make more money to do basically anything.
At some point my parents pretty much insisted that I return to the states find a career and get back into college, and that was that. I had always worked growing up for my families business, paper routes, and even neighbors, I really just wanted my own business I just didn’t know what business! I ended up in Los Angeles for school mainly because of logistics. I attended FIDM for design which I did and still do have a passion for, I just didn’t have more passion for school than I did for the party style nightlife. So once again college lost and I left school again, this time only to eventually find myself in rehab at age 24 in 1986.
As it turns out rehab would be one of my better discoveries. I was influenced by a slew of high profile news makers entering The Betty Ford Center in the early 80’s, but realize now that I was guided by my faith at the time.
As rehab does for those who want it, a transformation journey to a new life begins. I would rebuild my life and discover myself in search of who I was and what I wanted to do with my life.
I would attempt several different career passions that would eventually lead me to the place I’m at now. Because of my love for design, I seem to gravitate to artistic style businesses, so eventually I would open my own design business. I would specialize in interior and exterior botanical designs along with party and event planning, and or basically anything related to my interest that I enjoy and can bring fulfillment to my life.
In 2003 after a little success from my RJ Design my primary business I set out to open My 12 Step Store, a recovery book and gift store that would celebrate the journey in 12-step recovery. We first opened in Hollywood at Sunset Blvd. and Wilcox Ave. After a few years it was obvious we needed to relocate or open a new location with higher visibility. So I set out to find a location in West Hollywood that would have high visibility. At the same time I would team up with some of my RJ Design clients and co-host an Emmy party at a posh celebrity Beverly Hills hotel that would market and help publicize the store for the move. With great success the Emmy party was a hit and set a precedent for us to continue hosting events and parties. Most recent we hosted a non-alcoholic business mixer and partnered with West Hollywood Chamber of commerce, Institute for Public Strategies and some amazing local business sponsors.
My 12 Step Store, in recent years has more than tripled in online sales and as well as launched its one line of greeting cards and specialty items.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A smooth road it has not always been, at times it’s been more like a roller-coaster but today has become more like a merry go round. In constant movement but firmly moving at a comfortable interesting speed. Much of the latter is due to the wisdom that is acquired simply by time tested good experience.
I’ve had many personal and business obstacles as one can have in life and the challenge has always been how in which I handle them. One of my resent personal life obstacles was in 2009 with series of events that altered my life dramatically.
RJ Design my primary businesses at the start of the millennium provided a variety of services to luxury boutique style hotels, as well as private and corporate events. I launched a second business My 12 Step Store, a recovery gift store in 2003.
So it’s June 2009 and I’m in New York with my nieces on a trip I gave them for their graduation. I get a call from my Doctor with results from a recent check-up and he says we need to schedule a surgery right away. A rip in my aorta had increased and was now an aortic aneurysm, I needed to stop certain activity and get back home to California. So my first reaction was do I really need to have surgery right now. Once getting a grip of the seriousness and realizing that many people have died from this instantly such as Albert Einstein, Lucille Ball, and recent at the time John Ritter my thoughts immediately changed. Eventually I did go in for surgery and made plans to take a few days off for surgery and a week for recovery based on what was suggested.
As I woke up from surgery, did survive an aneurysm, but I felt so much pain and could not speak. As time went on it was revealed that I lost a lot blood and the nerves to my voice box were cut leaving me with Laryngeal nerve damage as well as the nerves to my arms and diaphragm. It would take months to recuperate and after several procedures it was determined that my voice was damaged beyond and nothing more could be done at that time. It would leave me with a raspy low tone voice that is difficult to hear, as well as Phrenic nerve damage causing difficulty in breathing.
Although I was left with several life altering conditions I was not on any medication then or now and my insurance still canceled me in 2010. I was left with many medical bills and no insurance for several years. What was most challenging was dealing with my corporate clients it was a constant blow to my self-esteem, as I would start to loose accounts.
So I would have to rebuild and regroup my life and business structure. My priority was to simply keep enough work coming in to keep my employees. As time went on I would down size RJ Design and put more effort into My 12 Step Store which would become my primary business.
One of the surprising challenges was in 2005 when I set out to relocate My 12 Step Store from Hollywood to West Hollywood. Finding the right location and space size for retail is many times a challenge, what I didn’t expect was when I did find locations some landlords didn’t want to lease to me when I told them what the business was. Recovery 12 years ago had a much more negative stigma, and people associated a 12 step recovery store with chain smokers and dirty cigarette butts on the sidewalk. It would take a full year to find the right retail location and size.
My 12 Step Store – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My 12 Step Store, we are a recovery book and gift store located in the heart of West Hollywood and ship all over the world. Weather it’s addiction to alcohol, drugs sex, love, food, meth, heroin or co-dependency, to list only a few, we have something for you and those you love. With nearly 14 years of serving the community. We are operated by people in 12-step programs and we strive to celebrate life and the journey in recovery. We offer new, edgy and exciting gifts with ways to make recovery fun and livable for everyone from all walks of life.
Here is where you’ll find the largest and splashiest collection of coin and medallion styles, spiritual products, racy and fun slogan clothing, 12-step jewelry along with prayer bookmarks, the most unique recovery gifts and meeting chips and tokens for all programs. We offer gift wrapping and card messaging on all on-line and in-store.
Open every day at 10 am offering friendly customer service, phone orders and on-line support. We also are the official recovery bookstore for conferences and participate in conventions in the US and Europe. We have book signings and special recovery events as well as donating a percentage of sales to recovery rehabs providing scholarships and sponsorship. We partner with many national recovery organizations advancing the journey in recovery from addiction and lifestyle needs. Find us by our “You are not alone” store front sign lit 24 hours.
We are known as one of the most celebrated 12-step recovery stores in the country and among the top 5 in the world. While our retail store is small we touch the hearts of hundreds all over the world each week with our on-line store. “We are the destination for gifts to support you or loved ones in recovery”, with options for next day delivery locally and 2 day nationwide.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success in most situations is when you plan out an idea, do all the foot work you can to support that idea and the timing of everything just falls into place. Similar to miracles – when preparation meets opportunity.
I like to use a formula of; create + surrender + meditate + action = success
I like success to also be self-supporting, in other words a want must have a need to sustain life for a period of time. I have found my purpose in life for different periods of my life this way.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8730 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood CA 90069
- Website: http://www.my12stepstore.com/index.html
- Phone: 310 623 1702
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my12stepstore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/my12stepstoreofficialpage/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/My12stepstore
Image Credit:
Paulo Murillo
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.
