When Arturo Montoya decided to start a business, it wasn’t out of ambition. It was out of necessity.
As a father of four, he found that traditional employment consistently left him stuck at income levels that barely covered the essentials for his family. “The jobs I could get always hit a salary ceiling,” Arturo explained. “No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t go beyond a certain point.”
That’s when he connected with the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE), a core partner in Washington State Department of Commerce’s Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN). Arturo first enrolled in CIE’s Start Simple course, a business training program offered in Spanish. From there, he began one-on-one advising sessions with Victor Ponce, who helped him build a realistic business plan and gain the confidence to move forward.
“Victor sat down with me and helped me imagine three possible outcomes: the bad, the okay, and the good. I didn’t know numbers or strategy, but having someone guide me through it, step by step, made all the difference.”
Through SBRN support, Arturo accessed a small startup loan. With those funds, he purchased a second-hand work vehicle and paid for appliance repair training — the foundation of what would become his new business.
“I would have never dared to take out a loan on my own. I didn’t know the system here. But with the help from you all, I could finally begin.”
Today, Arturo’s appliance repair business is fully operational. He now earns enough to support his family and is planning his next phase of growth: hiring his first employee, expanding into related services like basic handyman and electrical work, and working with a professional to create a stronger public image and website.
“I’m in the second phase now,” he said, “learning how to scale.”
But it’s Arturo’s own words that best capture the heart of his journey:
“Years ago, I saw a motivational poster with a person in a wheelchair at the base of a giant mountain, maybe Mount Everest. The caption said: ‘I can also climb that mountain. It will just take me a little more time.’ That stuck with me. I’m not a natural entrepreneur. I don’t have big economic ideas or strategies. But with guidance, with people around me, I can also do it — at my own pace, with perseverance.”
Thanks to SBRN programs and the culturally competent, personalized support offered by CIE, Arturo is no longer trapped in low-wage jobs. He’s building something of his own, for his family, for his future, and for his community.
