Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra C.
Sandra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a young immigrant, after completing my high school years, a college education was simply out of the question. I needed to start looking for other ways to help my family and earn a living for myself. I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to work a seasonal part-time job at the Hollywood Bowl, where I quickly moved up to be a concession stand manager. Always surrounded by still my good friends from high school.
After a few summers there, I realized once again I needed to move to a more steady job. Without having any experience aside from the Bowl those few years, I prepared a literally half a page resume (I was then 20 and very proud of it) that I took to my neighborhood’s print shop to print. Little did I know I was lucky enough to have the owner of the shop helped me that day. He read my resume as it printed and I’m not sure until this day what it was exactly that he saw in it but he asked if I would be interested in working for them. I was so excited to have an offer that all I could ask was “when do I start.?.” He said come back Monday to speak to the manager.
All weekend, I kept thanking God for having sent me there, I was already sure that job was mine. However, I hadn’t really asked what the job was! I just knew I would do my best and that I could really learn anything. Long story short I got the job “customer service”. I was in charge of helping people print their documents, make copies and keeping the place spotless.
I remember quickly falling in love with the graphic design part of the company, so I became friends with the designers and would ask them to show me how it was they did such amazing things. I used to work my regular hours and then stay an extra 4 to help them and learn.
Six months later, I was able to help customer who came in for smaller graphic needs. I was also made “weekend manager” which meant a lot to me. I took my job very seriously, so much that our boss then really took me under his wing and became my biggest mentor. I worked at that main location for over 3 years before the company started expanding. I was able to help newer stores reach a higher level of sales, so I would be sent to different locations to help out.
A few years later, the boss became very wealthy in the real state area and he let the stores go. I was once again working at the main location where I had started and at that point I had already purchased my very first home. I was 25 when I made the decision to make them an offer to buy most of the equipment at the store. I had taken some money out of my property and they gladly accepted my offer.
So in 2005, I opened my first location in Glendale CA, at the corner of Brand and Glenoaks.
This was a milestone in my life, I few years back I didn’t even know how to work a computer and now there I was with my very own printing and graphics company. Socal Graphics has been my baby since. I have met incredible people throughout the years. I have help clients start their own businesses from their garages to now owning huge buildings! It’s been the best blessing to have fallen into what I know consider my calling in life.
In 2018, I plan to take the company more into the marketing and branding area. We already started mid 2017 and it’s been successfully welcomed. I also plan to hire my nieces who are now i their 20’s and really love designing as much as I do. I would love to keep Socal Graphics in the family for many years to come and have it mean as much to them as it has meant for me.
Has it been a smooth road?
I can honestly say it was been a very smooth road for me. Even if females aren’t really common in the printing business, I have somehow been really welcomed by my clientele. It’s been fun to trick sales people by telling me the owner wasn’t available, they easily believed me every time.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We offer all types of printing, from a business card to a billboard. Our number one goal has always been to offer a personalized service, our clients are our extended family at Socal Graphics.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes! We started in Glendale which is a booming city. Now in Burbank, we are close to many creative businesses that need our services.
We love our location. I feel like any place is good place it your heart is in the business.
Contact Info:
- Address: 628 S. Flower St. Suite B
Burbank, CA 91502 - Website: www.scgraphicsonline.com
- Phone: 818.566.9737
- Email: [email protected]
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