WHEELING, IL – At a very young age, Gabriel Perez began helping his mother with her embroidery work in Rincon de Dolores, Michoacan Mexico.
He is the youngest of six children, all taught at a young age to work hard by their mother, Sofia Benitez. Because she suffered for a time with serious health conditions, she always wanted to make sure her children knew how to survive in this world.
“She had to worry about making sure that we were doing well, at least that we would be as we grew up. In Mexico, the whole story is different. It’s not like in the US. Here, you go to the government; they give you help. Maybe it’s a different story right now, but at other times, it wasn’t like that. That’s how it was for our family,” Gabriel said.
Thankfully, he says, his mother “trusted God’s good will to bless her health, and she survived and thrived.”
When Gabriel was 18, he and his siblings migrated to America. Now 29, Gabriel has two brothers who together own a manufacturing company, a sister who is an attorney and business owner, and another sister who is a doctor.
Gabriel chose to develop the interest stirred in him as a child by starting a small manufacturing business six years ago. Nova Tech Industries in Wheeling, Illinois, offers their clients Swiss turning, CNC machining, engineering, and prototype services.
He says starting a manufacturing business and getting those first jobs wasn’t easy.
“It took a while. It took months to get my first machine job. But I’ve got to be honest, in the first job, you will spend more money than you make because you have no tools for that specific job; you have nothing. “ Gabriel said. “I always knew that it was going to take me a while to build something, and I’m still building it.”
In a day when hearing of another small and midsized manufacturer closing its doors is not uncommon, Perez’s story of starting up a new company is unique and inspiring.
While Gabriel is working full-time to develop his business and his employees’ skills, he’s focused on his company becoming certified to make medical devices and parts.
“The main reason we can grow is because I apply 100% of my time to this company. I’m here every day. I go to customers and take care of them,” he said. “In this industry, you can get into anything. You can work as hard as you want. As owner of the company, I’ve been finding a lot of different ways to make opportunities for other people and my family. I love this industry,” he told TMANews.com.
With four full-time and two part-time employees currently on board, Gabriel says he’s acutely aware that every decision he makes will directly affect his team and their families.
But manufacturing always involves a bit of gambling when deciding where and how to attract new customers. Gabriel says he learned how challenging the industry can be when pursuing projects.
“At the end of the day, you must plan because you have to always be preparing for the bad times. But if you work hard and keep it going, nothing is going to hurt you because you’re prepared. It’s like being at sea. You’ve got to become a good sailor,” he said.
Gabriel said that running a manufacturing business involves wisely choosing which machines to buy and which customers to pursue is essential for a healthy business. Also, it is important to keep the machines as busy as possible with the right jobs.
With that focus, he aspires to buy his own building next year – hopefully, one with at least 20,000 square feet. “I’d rather invest in upgrading a building I own than one I lease,” he said.
And why does he do all this? The rewards are worth it all to Gabriel.
“Owning a company or an organization allows you and your team to buy their dream houses. It’s not so much about money as it is the lifestyle you want to build. I want to take my mom on vacation and do many things in life, but you can’t do that if you’re not going the extra mile,” he said.
“There’s a percentage of people in the world building things and another percentage using those things. I’m part of the people that are building, and that is rewarding.”
All this couldn’t have happened anywhere else other than in America, he said.
“In Mexico, the way it works is that a person advances only if they know the right people or if they were born into well-established families. But here, you can find others like yourself building a company from scratch. It’s easier to do business in America. The opportunities are more.”
Gabriel said he discovered some of those opportunities through his involvement with the Technology & Manufacturing Association (TMA).
“I’ve seen a lot of companies comfortable where they are. But if you are looking for a connection not only in manufacturing but also in real estate and banking, TMA is a great organization that is ready to help,” Gabriel said.
And that all-important connection leads back to the 29-yearold’s take on the future.
“I just want to encourage young people to work harder in the industry and to visualize the industry’s future. There is a need for more shops and thousands of entrepreneurs that are not afraid of taking risks,” he said.
Gabriel Perez is typical of a wise young manufacturer among the up-and-coming generation of industry leaders focused on what lies ahead and grateful for every opportunity and perspective he has developed thus far.
To learn more about what Nova-Tech Industries has to offer, visit their website at www.nova-techinc.com or email him directly at gperez@nova-techinc.com.
Shared from TMA’s Sept-October 2024 News Bulletin
