Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1508599
16 PalletCentral • September-October 2023 palletcentral.com mine in banking and HR and his in trucking. We had no idea if this would replace my income. We put in hard work, dedication, and energy along with extreme discipline to make a good business," she says. "We were able to haul semi loads in our trucks, something different that wasn't offered in our region. Within about a year, we exceeded our expectations. at was amazing, and the timing was impeccable. We're very fortunate." e duo now run, Oxnard Pallet Company, located in Oxnard, California. ey currently employ 43, but it has been as high as 70 employees in prior years. As chief financial officer, Beatrice handles the financials, HR and marketing, while chief executive officer Elias Vasquez manages all daily operations. NWPCA and Mentors Mattered "I remember when we came across a magazine and learned about the NWPCA," she notes. "en we attended their next meeting in Florida. While there, someone mentioned the Western Pallet Association in California. We didn't even know about it." From that point, the couple thrived on networking and information sharing. "I felt that we received mentoring through these associations, and we were always both so very grateful for that. Now, I've had unique opportunities where I could pass on what I have learned volunteering in NWPCA, the WPA, and the NWPCA Hispanic Council." Vasquez credits two mentors for their early success, coincidentally both were named Maryanne. She believes there is power in outside perspective from trusted sources that can save you time and agony. "Maryanne helped us with our accounting," says Vasquez, "and shared wisdom to caution us in certain areas, and counsel in other areas, like paying yourself first and paying into Social Security. It was good advice that I wouldn't have really thought about too much, otherwise." She helped the couple to build trust in themselves, which is what good mentors do. e second Maryanne asked the hard questions. "She asked open-ended questions such as to define 10-year goals and even an exit strategy that we hadn't stopped to think about," says Vasquez. "She even help- ed with personnel issues and knowing who to trust." Family in Business As the couple considered an exit strategy, they have stayed flexible in their plans. As a family business, Vasquez offers a pragmatic viewpoint. "In talking about the next generation, that's a very real thing for a lot of us that are aging owners, so to speak. If a next generation owner is an option, make sure they're passionate about what they're doing. It won't work otherwise," says Vasquez. "We had hoped that our son and our daughter would take over the business one day." eir son, Elias A Vasquez III, found his place in music as a professional percussionist, following his dream. e couple's daughter Vanessa (Doto) joined the business five years ago and brought a new perspective to company management. "I've observed if you are forcing something on anybody, it's probably not going to be a success story. For my daughter, she was doing very, very well in her career as a fashion designer, but hit a transition in her employment. We approached her about the business, and I reassured her of the learning opportunities. She does have the passion for it. But she could also choose to go a different direction at some point." Vasquez advises owners should be open to new ideas from family members in the business. "We're doing enterprise resource planning (ERP) now, which we would not have considered without her recommendation. She is implementing technology tools, like this, that we needed." "We treat people how we would want to be treated. It was not overnight, but over time I gained respect from our team, because I genuinely care." —Beatrice Vasquez, Oxnard Pallet Company, pictured with daughter Vanessa Doto.