We are thrilled to be connecting with Antonio Paden again. Antonio is an Upick Mobile Oil owner and is also a content partner. Content partners help Voyage in so many ways from spreading the word about the work that we do, sponsoring our mission and collaborating with us on content like this. Check out our conversation with Antonio below.
Antonio, it’s been too long since we last connected. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with our community again. Some readers might have missed our prior conversations, so maybe you can kick things off for us with a quick intro?
My name is Antonio. I’m 28 year old. I’m originally from Arkansas. I’ve been in the DFW area for about 8 years. I started college a Southern University of Arkansas and I dropped out. I tried again at Texarkana college, and guess what. I dropped out there too. Once I moved to Dallas, I got into entrepreneurship. My kids were all babies and I needed to provide for them. I have 4 kids (Ryder, King, Iyah, and Princeton). I’m married to Jameshia. She owns a women’s online boutique (Queen Lux Boutique). We’ve been married for 9 years. I’ve been a CPR trainer, a Chargeback Analyst, an Insurance agent, a Auto Damage adjuster and I’m a musician. Last thing is I’m working on my real estate license for the state of Texas. I’ve started multiple “ventures” I believe that Upick is my most successful one. I started Upick in 2019. I have a business partner who works just as hard as I do. Lastly, I’m apart of the Church of God in Christ. I’m a cool and laid back guy. I love traveling and Tequila. They go together well. I love trying new things. I’m a aircraft lover and I love art.
When should I get my oil changed?
Depending on your vehicle you would want to get your oil changed ever 3,000 miles if you get a conventional oil change. If you get a full synthetic oil change you can get one ever 5,000 miles. Now this is the typical oil change interval time. Your cylinder count and vehicle plays a part in this too. A lot of vehicle’s now have some type of alert that will let you know when it’s time. I would say you should be safe to go off of that as well.
Is it true that you guys can do oil changes at my location of choice?
Yes! That’s a big fact. That’s the entire mold of our business. We wanted to make it easier for people to get their oil change. We know people don’t like sitting at a shop for 3 hours. My wife never did. Especially with 4 kids. You literally get to pick the place. You continue what you’re doing while we change your oil. You can be at home or at work, and we’re there.
What’s one thing you would tell a young person that aspires to be an entrepreneur?
Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from going after your dreams. Don’t think about how hard a task may be. Just focus on how you can get it done. A lot of new entrepreneurs give up in their first year because they don’t see the progress or success that they want to see. You have to push through until you see results. There’s no set manual or script to being a entrepreneur. You are creating something new. Anytime you have to create something from scratch it takes time. Be patience, be consistent, and be hungry. Don’t get caught up in other peoples success and how fast they got it. Stay focused on you and your progress and you’ll be just fine.
Do you have 5-year and 10-year goals and if so, can you share them with us?
Yes I do. Any entrepreneur should have goals. They need something to work towards.
My 5 year goals are to get closer to God, have 10 Upick Technicians, open Upick in Austin, Houston, and Los Angeles, be time rich, and own at least a 4 unit apartment complex.
My 10 year goals are to have 15 Upick Technicians, open Upick in Atlanta, San Diego, New York City, Denver, Miami, and Orlando, provide executive positions to people, have a 10 unit apartment complex, and a set of duplexes or townhomes.
What are some of the best ways to market a business?
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to market your business. It’s free and once it starts it’s like a wildfire, it just spreads. Another great way is social media. A lot of people use Facebook and Instagram to market and I believe they are great tools. However, it can be very expensive to advertise on those two platforms when you use them directly. I have a rule though. My rule is “Don’t use the platform. Use the important people on the platform. What I mean by “important people” is the people with a lot of influence in your area of business. TikTok is a really great way to reach people organically. It’s a platform designed for people to be themselves.
Do you plan on having service areas in other cities other than Dallas?
Yes I sure do. I want to open up service areas in Houston, Austin, Atlanta, New York city, Miami, Orlando, Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, and maybe Washington D.C.
Thank you so much again for sharing all of this with us. Before we go, can you share with our readers how they can connect with you, learn more or show support?
You guys can reach Upick at www.upickoil.com or you can call our customer service department at 866-955-1181. Upick’s social media hande is @upickoil for Facebook and Instagram.
You can follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/shavar.paden
My instagram is https://www.instagram.com/apshavar/
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-paden-9590431a0/
Lastly my TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@shavsr20?lang=en
Contact Info:
- Website: www.upickoil.com
- Facebook: @upickoil
- Linkedin: Antonio Paden
- Yelp: Upick Mobile Oil
Image Credits
The Paden’s
