Los Angeles resident Jose Villa is the president of SENSIS
NFIB Local Member Profile: Jose Villa of California
Name: Jose Villa
Business: SENSIS
Location: Los Angeles, California
Employees: 65
How did you become a small business owner, and why?
I became a small business owner pretty much right after I graduated from college. I had a full-time job. I was working as a management consultant, but I had an idea on the side to start a company. So, I pretty much have been running a business since I was out of college. And I actually have had the entrepreneurial bug since I was a little kid. I started a number of businesses when I was younger, when I was in elementary school. It’s just always been part of my nature to run businesses. My first business was making and selling little fingerboards. It’s kind of a random thing. It was up when skateboarding was getting really popular. I would make them at home and sell them at school.
What do you love the most about running a small business?
I love the freedom to do go in different directions. I love the daily challenges.
What is the best part of your day?
The morning. The beginning of the day. I love that feeling that you’re going to get a lot done. Every day is a new opportunity to accomplish more. That first part of the morning, particularly when there’s no one around, that’s my favorite part.
What has been your biggest mistake so far?
I think my biggest mistakes have been going into one of two extremes. Either being too hands on and sort of micro-managing people. That’s the way I first started, and that was not effective. Being too hands-off is the other extreme and not being involved enough and finding that middle ground.
What advice would you give small business owners?
The biggest advice is to be stubborn and stick to it. At the same time, being flexible evolving your business model. I really believe I’ve been able to keep my business going through some really difficult times because I’ve tried to adapt the business and change it. I’ve never been comfortable with the status quo of what we’re doing. Constantly changing the business, I think it’s important now more than ever with that the way that things change so quickly.
