Juan Angeles: A Garage Door Company Owner and Technician
By Ezer Angeles
The Mexican Dream One Man’s Voyage on the American Way
ne push of a button, and
reminded of Mexico, where running
pages as if he was looking for small
the garage door goes
through the streets, and getting to
fragments of gold. He then gets com-
down. An average sized,
where he needs to be is the only way
fortable with his normal shirt and
47 year old man walks
of transportation. Coming into the
shorts and, with a piece of pan dulce
out. He enters his vehicle, turns
parking lot, he exits his vehicle and
(sweet bread) and cup of coffee in
it on, and drives to his home. The
enters his residence, a typical apart-
his hand, he sits down on his brown
tires of his red Nissan Frontier run
ment that only low income people
leather couch. After an extensive
along the smooth asphalt that color
can afford. As he pulls out his books
period of searching, he turns on the
the highways of California. After the
to study for teaching this Sunday
TV, and starts watching his hispanic
stop sign, looking left and right, he’s
school’s lesson, he looks at these
news show, Noticias Univision 14.
2
Juan Angeles, a man born with
like to work there. He believes that “His
had. William Mena, an Insurance Sales
a big heart, currently works as a Ga-
restlessness made him want to come here
Agent for Farmers Insurance and close
rage Door Technician. He grew up with
to this country, but at the same time, he
friend of Juan Angeles, appreciates that
hardly anything that a normal kid these
suffered as much as like someone who is
“he helps out without asking for [or ac-
days would have, with virtually no op-
not aware of the place. [But] thanks to
cepting] anything in return. And he helps out without anybody noticing it. I’ve
portunities for a better future. According to Angeles, “Opportunities for kids in places like Mexico, there aren’t that many.” His parents did the best they could to provide at least something for
“I’m not here to ask for anything. Just put me where I can get it, and I’ll get it.”
known the people that he’s helped out, and no one knew that he was the one.” Ernesto Ruiz, a West Bay Contractor, and another close friend of Juan Angeles,
his life, but unfortunately, he was not
states that “It’s not hard to talk about him
able to receive anything good from his
because I’ve known him for the last 20
home country. Moving from El Pedregal,
God, he has overcome those challenges,
years and he’s been a really good friend
Mexico, to San Francisco, California
and now he has his own company so that
for me. I love him.” It seems that from
was a big move in his life. Roberto An-
he can put lots of effort into his work”
Juan’s good deeds to his friends and fam-
geles, his older brother, states that Juan
(R. Angeles). Juan Angeles, according
ily, he’s been able to overcome many
came to the United States to “experi-
to Roberto and many other people, has
challenges and put himself in a position
ment” and “know more about” what it is
helped out with lots of needs that people
where he’s excelled in his business.
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In this way, Juan had upheld one of the
the US at the age of 17 or 18, he was in a
while he was working his time, he met
social strengths of the Mexican immi-
bit a predicament, as he knew nothing of
William Mena in a police department
grant community. A study from Business
the country’s native language. He states
program called “Project Ninety”. Who
Insider indicates that Mexican immi-
that his first job in the United States was
knows where he would be right now if it
grants who work in the US have access
working as a dishwasher in a Chinese
weren’t for him? This was because Mena
to strong social and familial networks
restaurant. Remembering his burdened
had family already in a local church. Al-
in most parts of the country; these net-
past, he reveals that “The hardest part
though Mena wasn’t fully Christian, he
provide
for me was that
repeatedly dragged Angeles to attend
them with infor-
during December,
church services. Both Angeles and Mena
you see families
were in and out of church because of An-
gather
together
geles’ ignorance to listen. But in 1989,
and do the tra-
he states that something completely out
ditional
celebra-
of the ordinary happened in his life. He
tions, but I didn’t
reveals that “someone above us helped
their costs of moving, and provide them
have anybody. That was hard for me,
me out. And since then, I haven’t drank
with contacts in the job market, which
thinking about my parents left behind
or smoked anything. At all.”
help them find employment quicker (K
in Mexico and me here in the US work-
After this life changing event, his
apur). Not only that, but Joey Shurtleff,
ing nonstop in a Chinese restaurant” (J.
life was getting better almost immediate-
entrepreneur, technology leader and for-
Angeles). Prior to living alone, Angeles
ly. After meeting two guys named Edgar
mer cofounder at InstaEDU, talks about
lived in a shared household with a couple
and Herasmo, who were both working
how empathy is important when owning
of “friends”. However, these “friends”
in the garage door industry, he person-
a business, claiming, “In business, em-
used to consume a lot of harmful toxic
ally asked them if he could tag along
pathy enables us to better understand the
liquids, and Angeles, being a youngster
so that he could learn all that there is to
painpoints of the customer. This under-
with no adult supervision around, got
know about being a garage door techni-
standing is the difference between a suc-
into drinking these fluids as well. And
cian. These men agreed, and after grant-
cessful business that creates a product
before he knew it, Angeles was driving
ing them free labor for 6 months, they
that fits the needs and willingness-to-pay
under the influence, resulting in a dev-
offered him a job, which paid a higher
of the customer, and a failed business
astating DUI from the police. He states
wage than his previous job. Angeles ac-
that creates a product that doesn’t solve
that his life was a mess and disorganized
cepted, and that’s how he learned all of
the customer’s problems satisfactorily,
after that, just working for the sheriff’s
the necessary skills to become a garage
charges customers inefficiently, etc.”
department. But the most interest-
door technician. After becoming a Chris-
ing part about Angeles’ journey is that
tian, he’s been having more ups
works
mation about the employment situation in different parts of the country,
“You see families gather together and do the traditional celebrations, but I didn’t have anybody...”
lower
When Juan Angeles arrived to
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than downs than ever before. Steve
homeland. He believes in “a saying in
Goodwin, a software developer, recent-
Mexico that says, ‘I’m not here to ask
ly did an interview with Trent (Trent is
for anything. Just put me where I can
not his real name. Trent gave permis-
get it, and I’ll get it.’ That means I’m
sion to share this meeting on the basis
here to work, and I’m here to serve. I’m
his name was changed), a Christian
not here to depend on any assistance.
business owner. In the interview, Trent
[I’m] not like that” (J. Ange-
stated that “...whenever I start a project
les). But that’s not all that
or work towards a worthy goal, I exer-
he wanted to share. He
cise faith. Faith I will finish the job, and
declares to anyone will-
to a standard that exceeds the client’s
ing to listen that “there’s
demands.” After being in the United
someone up there. You
States for about 30 years, Angeles stat-
either believe that he’s
ed that he’s “never asked for a freebie.”
there, or he isn’t. But
And that’s why he states that “ I believe
definitely, he’s there, and
in God, and that there’s someone above
he wants to help you. And
us who has big plans for me, and that
for all the kids who are still
he wants to help me. And if it weren’t
in school, keep on going. If
for the sacrifice that Jesus made, I don’t
you have something in mind that
think that I would be here.”
you want to be when you grow
Mr. Angeles also reveals that his future plans are to work for another
up, then go for it and, eventually, you’ll get it.”
20 years until his children
y o u’ll
l
, ly
e v e ntu
a
anyone, and that he
can be able to go back to his
d,
not be a burden to
a
so that he would
n
house in Mexico
p
g o i n g . ..
rently building a
t
”“Kee
n
work. He’s cur-
e
it.
o
he can no longer
g
are out of school, and
5
Works Cited Kapur, Saranya. “Low-Skilled Mexican Immigrants are Making the US Labor Market more Efficient.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, May 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2015. <http://www.businessinsider.com/how-mexican-immigrantsmake-the-us-labor-market-more-efficient-2013-11>
Goodwin, Steve. “Why we Need Faith in Business (and Everyday Life).” Crosswalk.com. Web. 31 Oct. 2015. <http://www.crosswalk.com/family/career/whywe-need-faith-in-business-and-everyday-life.html>
“How Important is Empathy?” Quora.com. Web. 31 Oct. 2015. <https://www. quora.com/how-important-is-empathy>
Angeles, Juan. Personal Interview. 16 September 2015
Mena, William. Personal Interview. 4 October 2015.
Ruiz, Ernesto. Personal Interview. 7 October 2015
Angeles, Roberto. Personal Interview. 17 September 2015
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