Heber Cisneros made his way to the United States without money or a legal status, but was determined to do something big. Thirteen years after moving from his native Chiapas, this Mexican immigrant found success and turned what started as just an idea into a storefront sign.
It was in 2001 that Cisneros decided to take on the challenge of turning to Uncle Sam in search of a better life for himself and his family. As is the narrative for many, he left his country with hope and a few dollars.
Upon his arrival to Georgia, Cisneros started off creating marble and granite countertops for kitchens and bathrooms. At that moment, it didn’t cross his mind that doing so would pave the way for his future, but he could clearly see that each dollar earned served a purpose: building his own empire.
Without misspending a dime, Cisneros worked hard learning the ins and outs of the profession. Along the way, he would realize he had come across his first obstacle: being an undocumented immigrant.
Over time, the solution to that initial setback gave way. Day by day, he was able to push forward without realizing the necessity of overcoming what he considers to be the second impediment on his path to success: English.
“I learned it by just being out and about, more than anything. … If people come to this country it’s important to learn to speak English,” Cisneros said. “Now I can communicate with others. I find clients and I can understand their requests without having to depend on anyone else.”
With an idea, a control of the English language, and some savings in hand, all he needed was a small, final push. A friend asked him to make kitchens for homes he was building. Even with some doubts, particularly in not knowing how to give proper price quotes, he accepted.
“At the beginning, you find people who support you, but you also find people who are negative and tell you ‘it seems like it will be tough,’ but what’s important is that you just start somewhere. It doesn’t matter what the road is like along the way. You’ll run into failures, everyone does, but you just get up and keep moving,” he said. “This is the signature for my business, the fact that I never give up. I’ve only been doing it for two years, but I’ve seen a remarkable change from the very beginning to now and I’ve grown a lot.”
The key to success for this small business owner lies in his dedication to working hard and carrying out work with quality and responsibility. It’s because of this that he has been able to maintain his reputation as a good worker, the cornerstone promise with which he sells his products and services, primarily by word of mouth.
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