About
Arturo Alvarez-Demalde
Business & Charities
Arturo Alvarez-Demalde writes about business and, increasingly, about the causes he cares about alongside it. This site is where he covers everything from entrepreneurship and finance to charitable giving, the latest happenings, and reviews drawn from his own experience running a company.
Mr. Alvarez-Demalde spent much of his professional career as an engineer and account manager, drawing on an engineering degree earned from the University of Montana. After over a decade working in the corporate world in various capacities, he felt it was time for a change and sought a new challenge by entering the custom business industry, founded on the principle that building a strong business should be an enjoyable and simple process, not a stressful one.
What you’ll find here
The journal spans the topics Arturo follows most closely: from entrepreneurship and finance to the ideas and causes worth spending a career on.
In his own words
How did you get started? What inspired you to start this business?
After I built my first business, I was somewhat surprised to learn that many successful business people did not really provide true and lasting success. I felt both inspired and obligated to provide the opportunity to clients seeking a unique business, and I made it a goal to simplify the business process as much as possible.
How do you make money?
Each one of my companies provides a product or service central to the client/product lifecycle, and I charge according to market standards with the knowledge that the exceptional quality of the end result and the overall ease of the process itself provides added value to clients.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
It took longer than I had expected, due in part to the recession and its considerable effect on the creation of new businesses. All things considered, the fact that we became profitable at the rate we did is something I am quite proud of. I feel that our success in the face of difficult economic circumstances speaks to the inherent value of the quality work we have done.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
I felt fairly confident given my background and my previous experience, but the recession certainly gave me some pause. My clients were actually quite helpful in this regard, as they reinforced the notion that a custom process is something that benefits from attention to detail and quality craftsmanship.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you're using that works really well to generate new business?
Referrals are an important part of drawing in clients in any industry, particularly considering the time and money that is ultimately invested in a project of this sort. Beyond client referrals, I have found that promoting our services and offering free consultations is quite an effective strategy.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
As someone with a great deal of experience as an engineer, I have long had a detail-oriented mindset and enjoy finding creative solutions to complex problems. I like finding the solution, and I feel that my clients are quite pleased to see that their original vision is being brought to life.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Seeing profit is satisfying, especially when the client recognizes that their dream is no longer a dream and is instead reality.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
We plan to expand the business to reach more clients, and I am excited about the prospect of helping more and more people build the business and lifestyle of their dreams.
What sets your business apart from others?
I have a different background than many other business owners and approach process in a unique way. I think the main difference is the value I place on creating something that is entirely customized according to the specific desires of the client.