Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Oropeza.
Hi Rich, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Hey thank you guys for having me, I appreciate the opportunity to share my story.
I was born and raised in east Los Angeles, California. My great-grandparents raised me and unfortunately I spent most of my childhood in gang territory. My Dad was a gang member turned commercial artist designing for toy companies. My first introduction to the computer came around the early 90’s. I didn’t see my dad often but when I did I would go with him to his office, and he would sit me down at a Mac computer and instruct me to draw or doodle on adobe illustrator, which would keep my attention while he continued to work. As a young kid and I would observe what he did and how things were designed and I was able to see how many toys were put into production.
As I got older I moved with my mom to Downey, CA. I got involved in graffiti and became somewhat of an amateur artist. Art was always at the forefront of my life in one way or another. Growing up with the influence of watching my dad have his own design and digital printing business I got familiar with the tasks and services he provided and I gained knowledge of graphic design by helping him out here and there. Unfortunately that relationship came to an end and I was looking for other opportunities to explore. Shortly after that I embraced my love for custom cars. I started working for a shop in Orange County, just sweeping the floor and answering the phone for two years just to put in the work and get my foot in the door. At the shop we specialized in doing air and hydraulic suspension on vehicles. Along with that came designing all the logos, flyers, and t-shirt designs for the shop. My boss at the time always encouraged me to continue to do art because he felt I had a strong natural talent, but I was young and still holding onto negative feelings for the dissolution of the relationship with my Dad that I did not want to follow his path, no matter how talented people thought I was.
Ultimately I left the car shop in search of a better-paying job opportunity at the port of Long Beach for a large automotive shipping company. I worked there for about 4-5 years and was 1 of 300 people at this facility. I just a number. We would get laid off from Time to Time and during those times I had time to think. I knew that I wasn’t meant to stay at that place no matter how secure, how well paid how many benefits they had to offer. I knew I was better than that.
The last time I got laid off was for over six months, this was my fight or flight moment. I knew I was good at two things; Design and Cars. It was in this moment I made a choice, I started Kolortech in Sept. 2014 with nothing. No help from my parents, no family money, no investors, nothing. At this time I was struggling there was no plan A and plan B it was all or nothing. The only thing I personally owned was my 1965 Buick that I built myself, pouring every cent and all my free time into, at a young age it was my most prized possession and I loved that car. I knew the only way to get Kolortech up and running was to sell everything I own, which included that car. I gave up everything I owned, moved back into my moms house and started Kolortech in a spare bedroom with one laptop. The first year I struggled. A lot. My friends and family encouraged me to find more stable income and eventually I did end up working multiple jobs at once just to support my dream. It was very hard and lonely but I pushed through. After many many months of this I finally caught my big break. A friend of mine worked for a traffic control company and heard about my story and offered me a design job. I did not hesitate and said absolutely. I did one truck for the company (who is still my client), and they released all 20+ trucks to wrap within a month and a half. I completed them all and stored that income to continue my journey.
Since Starting out I have had a few offices from Whittier, CA, to Brea, CA, though none of these were my own, I was always renting a small space from a friend. In 2021 I finally was able to move to Murrieta Ca into my very own building. I’ve grown this company from a bedroom with a single laptop to a 3000 sq ft facility with a full staff. AT our location we have a full design studio, Digital Printing Department, Screen printing Dept. and an installation area for vehicle wraps and graphics. We continue to grow exponentially every month! My mission is to help our clients from the initial concept design all the way through to print, I want to help grow your business by any means. We pride ourselves on being a one stop shop and think of our clients as family.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been reasonably smooth?
The short answer is no. Owning a business is not easy at all. Some of my biggest obstacles in the beginning were not having support from the people closest to me and not knowing if this choice was the right one for me. I have learned in business, you almost have to expect struggle. However in these issues, you find the lessons to make you a better leader, a better worker, and overall improve your clients experience with your company. It’s not a matter of if it will happen, it’s a matter of when it will happen. Everyday is a measure of how much grit you have also to overcome any obstacle and all the challenges that you come across. Everyday is a test of perseverance and constantly asking myself if this is too hard and what is the right thing to do. Daily I have to remind myself to not back down because it’s things are hard. If you can keep an open mind, stay humble, and have the patience to see you dreams through you will eventually have the mental toughness to overcome anything that is thrown your way.
As you know, we’re big fans of Kolortech Visual Communication Company. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
Thank you so much, what I would like people to know is we are a one-stop shop for anything design or print. Vehicle Wraps. Apparel. Signage. Interior Wall Decorations for your office and Promotional items. I eliminate and save our clients time by dealing with one entity. Kolortech can execute any idea our clients have for their business. We meet deadlines and work around scheduling that most other businesses and shops in our industry won’t do. If you’ve ever worked with us at Kolortech, then we would like to think that you’ve had at least a small taste of who we are and what we represent. We are a team of like minded individuals that are fully committed to making sure to leave this world a better place than we found it. Through our leadership in branding and design, our mission is to help people execute their visions with the utmost excellence and to uphold the highest standards set by Kolortech. We have a true passion for individuality and design, as well as an intense drive to give each client the best service possible.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I want readers to know that anything is possible. Always strive to over-deliver and exceed peoples’ expectations in everything that you do, and do so with enthusiasm. Going the extra mile for others can be the difference between having a positive impact on them or not. Invest the extra time to listen to a friend or support someone in need. No matter the situation, striving to Go the Extra Mile can lead to better results, relationships, and a better life. Through practicing these standards I hold myself to I have been able to accomplish so much more than I ever thought. One of the most profound full circle moments to date is the car I sold to start my business I was able to track down and buy back two years ago. That car holds high sentimental value to me and is currently undergoing a full restoration and will be back on the road in less than a year. To some it may just be a car but to me it is a symbolic reminder that if I can make it you can too. The car that started everything is now back in my possession and is proof of the progress Kolortech has made.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kolortechvisual.com
- Instagram: @kolortechrich / @kolortech
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kolortech
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-oropeza-9738b9b6/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kolortech-murrieta
Image Credits
Big Los Photography
