Today we’d like to introduce you to David Garcia.
Hi David, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
If you would have told me seven years ago that I would one day own, not just one business but two, I would have told you, “shut your mouth”! My thoughts would have been, How? With what money? Who would believe in me? Am I even smart enough to do this?
I am a 5th generation Hispanic Texan that didn’t quite fit in with the mexicans (b/c I didn’t speak enough spanish), and wasn’t anglo (b/c I didn’t look “American” enough). I never showed it, but was made fun of from both sides (Alot). I grew up in a small town at the time (McKinney, TX) with five other siblings. As a boy I remember being on food stamps, wearing hand me downs, and always wanting to get into extra curricular activities that we couldn’t afford. I was lucky enough to have amazing coaches that helped my family with fees in order to play a sport that I had a passion for. We never had enough money to do things we wanted to do, but we always had enough for what we needed!
I can’t tell you how many times my mom would tell us, “you can become whatever you want to become.” It was hard to believe at the time and didn’t truly understand that until my later years. I now believe this to be true.
I loved sports. I played just about every single one as a kid. As a senior in Highschool I began to get looked at to play corner back for a couple of small colleges. Although my passion was to play baseball as long as I could. I began to conduct tryouts for any college that would accept me on the diamond. I started out at Richland College (got red shirted), then transferred to Northlake community college in Irving. I was there for a year, but commute was crazy. I remember going to school early in traffic morning through rush hour, go to classes, then Fall baseball practice would start around 3pm, ending around 5:30pm. While my teammates would go and have parties/get togethers afterwards, I would have to get in my car and zoom out of there (going through afternoon rush hour) to make it to my job at Polo Ralph Lauren in Allen Tx. (outlets) at 6:30pm for work my nightshift. I would get off at 10pm, then get home, do my homework, and do it all over again the next day.
After 1 year at Northlake (continued to be redshirted), I decided to be closer to my job and home. In 2002, I made the decision to go to Brookhaven community college (in Dallas Tx) where I really begin to see my baseball future thrive. I played Centerfield and was very fast. I still had 2 more years of eligibility left to play college ball, so I relied on my coaches to help me find a good college to continue my baseball career. This is the moment when I learned that, if you truly want something, you have to go and get it yourself.
My head coach at the time was on his way out the door. He began to receive offers for coaching positions at other colleges. Knowing that, I felt his mindset was not about helping myself or teammates find a college to play for. I was going to have to find somewhere to play on my own. This was around 2002, so internet was still fairly new on searching the web. But I looked up every Division 2 college in the nation, and sent an e-mail to EVERY head baseball coach with what I have accomplished that year in grades and baseball stats. I ended up getting about 11 phone calls back from all over the nation. My coach at the time asked how I did this, and I told him what I had done to get my name out there. I was determined to find a university that would take me to play ball for them.
In the late spring of 2004, I received a call from a head coach in Missouri. I got a full ride to William Woods university in Mo. Played there for a year, and due to a hip injury my senior year I was forced to stop playing the sport I loved so much.
In 2006, I became the very first person in my family to receive a College degree. My parents were so proud. I came back to McKinney thinking, “I have a degree now. I should find a job in no time and make lots of money”. Boy was I wrong. Lol. I found myself working at a local bar. It was cool at first, but years later began to feel miserable miserable. I Graduated in Legal studies and felt I had more potential then what I was doing with my life. My girlfriend of 8 years (high school sweethearts) at the time would argue with me because she saw more in myself then I did. Mind you, I was a bartender so drinking on the job started to come natural. I would get off of work late, then decide to drive home with a “buzz” (not drunk though, as I would always tell my girlfriend. SMH). All while my Beautiful girlfriend would be at home alone waiting on me. I thank God every day for watching over me during those years).
In 2009, I went through something I never though would happen. My father passed away at the age of 50yrs. This will be the same year my then girlfriend and I decide to go ahead and tie the not. The next 3 yrs depression, anger and hurt kicked in. I was not myself anymore. I struggled with a lot during those years. Then in 2012, had the best thing happen to me (I didn’t know it at the time), my Wife leaves me, files for a divorce (spoil alert. We get remarried 2 ½ yrs later. Hehe) and the Bar I worked out for so many years shuts down. I didn’t know what I was going to do. The saying is very true, When one door closes, another one opens. It Sounds So Clich’e, but I literally found myself through that process.
My first opportunity was with HOTSHOTS DELIVERY & MOVING. while working at the bar I had a regular customer that would come in, and he owned a Moving company. He asked if I would want to help him with his job moves every now and then. I would work with him once or twice a weekend a month, and at that time I saw the integrity he had and potential his company had to grow. I went back to School for a Marketing class to start learning how businesses grow. I did my end of the year paper on his company and wanted to help him grow it.
Time goes by and we didn’t proceed with anything. Then one day he calls me and tells me the bar I am working at shut down (it was my day off). I told him, “No better time than now to start full time with HotShots, I don’t have a job.” I titled myself as Marketing Director for HotShots Delivery & Moving.
I started full time with the company and then I heard of an organization called the CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I heard they help business’s grow. I am 27 years old now and didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Th owner of HotShots lived in Plano and I lived in McKinney at the time, so I thought if I start in Allen Tx. (neutral area) that in one year I can have the territory of Plano, Allen & McKinney. I went to my very first Chamber meeting, the host told me I was going to have to give a 30 second commercial speech in front of everyone there (about 80 business owners). I was frightened. I got up and stuttered my speech. After the meeting, the host of the chamber told me they were having a Mixer that evening, I said “cool, what’s a mixer.” Lol. They told me it was the same concept, but no 30 speech. It was at a local restaurant that starts that evening at 5 pm.
I remember getting to the restaurant, and waiting inside my truck for 15 minutes debating if I wanted to go inside or not. But I knew, if I wanted to grow as a person that I needed to step out of my comfort zone. I walk in, and they were all in the patio area. There is a glass window that shows out to the patio from inside the restaurant. I look at the scene and immediately noticed that I did not look like them. I was the only person of color, the men were dressed in suites, the women all looked sophisticated, mean while I am in jeans and Timberland boots. I go straight to the bar and order a double shot of Goldshlager (liquid courage.LOL). I then head to the patio to the food bar and will never forget what happened next. A gentleman from earlier that day taps me on the shoulder and says, “Hey, you were there this morning right”? From that moment, it went from person to person wanting to know what you do, how they can help your business, etc. My whole world changed that day!! Going from bartending, waking up late, going to bed late, wife just left me, still dealing with my father’s death. For once in a very long time, I felt important. I started waking up early, going to different networking groups, being around positive people that truly wanted to help each other succeed. It was amazing. I started attending 7-10 different groups a week.
Fast forward three years later, I was loving life. I even reconciled my relationship with my ex-wife and get remarried. I enjoyed learning and getting experience from other business owners, and watching what they were doing and what they weren’t doing. After years of networking, establishing relationships, figuring out how digital marketing worked. I felt like I was on to something big. I was able to help HotShots Moving grow each year and It felt so good knowing I was apart of growth like that. At the end of 2014 I was at a point where I wanted to do more. I was given the opportunity to be in a program with State Farm to work under a mentor for two years, then would be able to open up my own agency (still while doing estimates for HotShots). I worked at State Farm for six months and ended up getting fired. I felt really down on myself. I prayed a lot and talked to my ex-wife about starting something on my own. But I knew it wouldn’t be easy.
I finally made the decision to start my own company, BOOMERANG STRATEGIES. People ask how I came up with the name. I was doing so much networking with HotShots that it only made sense, “The more you put yourself out there, the more you will get back”. As I said, I knew building this company would be hard, so I did what I needed to do and got back in the restaurant world and started bartending again. Problem was, restaurants I went apply at were only able to give me 1 or 2 shifts a week. I found myself working at three different bars a week, still doing estimates for HotShots, all while starting my business on the side. It took me about six months until I was able to get enough clients to let 1 bartending job go, then started to make enough to let the other go, then 3rd bartending job go. I was able to take Boomerang Strategies on Full time. I was even able to have HotShots as one my my clients for their marketing!
FASTFORWAD five years: Now that boomerang has established itself, I wanted to venture off and start another company. Something that will help my long term vision, but mostly help me helping others. I decided to start a roofing company. (ROOFING ONTOP & EXTERIORS, LLC). I had a client with Boomerang Strategies in the roofing industry for a short period of time. We were getting them so many roofing leads, but noticed they were not closing the deals. When they did close them, I felt they were not living up to the standards of what a true business owner should be when working with customers. I stopped doing marketing for them, and wanted to build something of my own. I wanted to use this new business as a platform to help others. I asked my good friend that has 13 years experienced with his crews that have over 7 years experience in the roofing industry if he would want to be apart of a new roofing company. He would be responsible for the contractor side, and I would be responsible for the business/marketing side. So Roofing OnTop & Exteriors was formed. People ask me “why on earth would you start a roofing company during a Pandemic, plus no hail storms in the area”. I look at them and always say, “I thought it was the best time”. Lol.
I need to mention our COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT. With all the years I have grown Boomerang Strategies, it gave me an opportunity to truly be involved in my community. After my father passed away, we started a scholarship to highschool baseball/football players every year at the McKinney High & McKinney North baseball banquets. We also have a Boomerang Toy drive every Christmas, helping local families with toys and gift cards to Wal-mart. We help raise money for this by asking for donations at our Toy drive event, as well as an event we have where I am honored to be guest bartending at a local restaurant (E.J. Wills Gastropub). 100% of the tips I make that night go to the families we assist. Those 2 things we do are very dear to my heart. Roofing OnTop & Exteriors also wants to let everyone know with each Roofing job we complete, a portion of the proceeds go to a local non-profit. The best part is, when making the donation we put it under the name of the homeowner’s name. When they use our services, they know they are doing great things to help others in the process 😉
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Where do I begin. I think when first starting out, my challenges were having to work four jobs while building my business. Finding the right clientele for my business. Learning how to say NO to certain things. And understanding that your time is very valuable. There will always be challenges along your journey. It doesn’t matter if you own a business or not. I think it all boils down to finding something you love and makes you happy. You put in the work, and great things will happen. “What you put into something is what you’ll get out of it.”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
With Boomerang Strategies, we specialize in Fb Ads/Branding/Social Media content & management/Websites/Marketing Consulting. With ROOFING ONTOP & EXTERIORS, LLC. We specialize in (Roof Replacement/Gutters/Fencing/Exterior.
I guess what sets us apart is what we do with our earnings. I am most proud of Building something from an idea, a vision. Being able to develop these businesses into platforms to help not just my family, but other families in the process. We strive off the Trust, Like & Know Factor! We are consistent on what we do, and that allows people to get to know who we are (not just as a company, but as an individual). When people trust, like and know us, that is when they tend to do business with us. We don’t sell, we provide knowledge of who we are and what we offer. Then when customer is ready for those specific services, they know we will take great care of them.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes… I Love my God and my Family. After three years of trying, my wife and I were finally blessed with a Beautiful baby girl (Dawvi Jade Garcia), now three years old. Three months after giving birth to our daughter we found out we were expecting once again. We could not believe it. Our son (David Valero Garcia III) was born 1 year and two weeks after his sister. I didn’t know I could miss something so much without actually having it in the first place, and then my kids were born and I found it. My Love is so full. The Best part of my life is being a Father.
Contact Info:
- Email: David@roofingontop.com / David@BoomerangStrategies.com
- Review Sites: RoofingOntop.com/review/
- Website: RoofingOnTop.com / BoomerangStrategies.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roofingontop/ https://www.instagram.com/Boomerangstrategies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoofingOntop ( https://www.facebook.com/boomerangstrategies )
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/roofing-ontop-and-exteriors-fairview
