Inspiring Conversations with Carlos Barboza of ECO Green Auto Parts

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Barboza.

Hi Carlos, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
At an early age, I had envisioned myself doing something that would make a positive impact in the world, so I decided to be an entrepreneur.

Before being an entrepreneur, between 2005 and 2010 I finalized my Law School, Master in International Law, Advanced Executive Program of Business Administration, and others Master’s degree.

I discovered my passion for business, due to the success I had in my native country Venezuela, I decided to take a leap of faith and open my first business in the United States looking for the “American Dream”.

In 2012, I realized I could combine my passion for business and vision to make an impact in the world, so I made to myself two questions: 1) What can I sell that everyone needs? and 2) If I need to toss that product, how can I still get some money from it? That’s what came into my mind that the best decision is to purchase a Salvage Yard. That is what I did, the business name is ECO Green Auto Parts located in Orlando, Florida.

Maybe you are wondering: why a Salvage Yard? The definition of a Salvage Yard is when you invest in vehicles that no longer run or are irreparable, then sell each wrecked automobile part by part. Once there is nothing else to sell of this vehicle, the car remains will be crushed and sold to recycling centers. A Salvage Yard is also eco-friendly because we recycle used oil, gas, antifreeze, batteries, steel, copper, platinum, rhodium, aluminum, and many others.

Therefore, ECO Green Auto Parts vision is based to the responsible recycling of end life vehicles and contributing to the future health and stability of the environment. Just to give you an idea, every year automobile recycling industry in USA provides sufficient steel to produce roughly 13 million new vehicles and also saves around 85 million barrels of oil from getting used in making new or replacement auto parts. This is my contribution for a cleaner world.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
On September 3, 2015 I’ve got a call from one of my sellers saying: You’ve got to come now! There is a big fire in the operational area!

While I was driving to ECO Green Auto Parts, I saw a huge grey smoke ahead. The first reaction was I didn’t want to accept there was a fire on my property, but then I stand up in front of my business that I worked with so much effort and passion for three years fading in only three hours.

Watching the whole building burning down, the first step I did was calling my insurer, they told me that nothing would be covered because I paid for a low-cost policy. Basically, I lost the buildings, inventory (such as engines, transmissions, accessories), furniture, equipment, and so forth.

I had no choice but to rebuild the business, otherwise I could have lost more money. So, I cut my losses; getting out was not an option. I gave my best effort to rebuild the business and learn from this experience. Despite my enormous loss, I had the opportunity to create the business in a different way and a better way too. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.

It took me 2-1/2 months to reopen the business full time. Prior to the fire, I had nine employees. Post-fire, I only could keep two employees, one seller and one-part puller plus myself. To keep the business open, I had to assemble an office at my salesperson’s home so he could take calls and print orders, meanwhile the dismantler had to pull parts with no power and water. I delivered the parts.

On top of this, I also had to take care of all the issues that arose from detective inquiries, insurance, investigations, fire marshal, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). I also dealt with the issue of an injured dismantler and the owner of the property who wanted to do a foreclosure if I couldn’t pay his monthly payments (so I paid them out of my pocket). I only had $30,000 to buy inventory, so I had two choices: 1) Buy 50 junk cars to keep doing scrap or 2) Buy 15 late model cars and risk if I can sell them or not with my business partially open. I chose option 2.

It was one of the best decisions of my life. After whatever money I took in, I reinvested, reinvested and reinvested again. Fast forward to today, we have returned to a more proficient team of thirteen employees.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
ECO Green Auto Parts provides the best used quality replacement auto part at reasonable prices to every customer. As a leader in the automotive recycling industry, our goal is to consistently provide top-notch customer service, and with the largest used parts inventory, we can save you time and money in your parts search, as well as be environmentally friendly all at the same time.

ECO Green Auto Parts has been providing Central Florida with quality used auto parts and service since 2012. We have worked hard from day one to build a solid reputation and provide the best customer service available in the industry by delivering only the highest quality used parts combined with the Best Prices and Prompt Delivery that will exceed your expectations. We are here to help with any new or used auto part requirements and provide industry leading service.

In order to strive to provide the best customer service possible, we are happy to offer extended warranties on our parts, detail pictures of the majority of our parts, daily delivery and shipping within Central Florida, and nationwide shipping to our out-of-state customers.

Stop by and take a tour of our facility, shop online, or call us to inquire about our business. We want you to see the positive difference in our way of doing business that leads to you becoming an ECO Green Auto Parts customer for a lifetime.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
The first rule I would suggest is Never Waste a Crisis. Although the fire devastated the buildings and inventory, I had to keep up the ECO Green Auto Parts name. The best solution was to reengineer all my processes of how should I operate the yard, that would allow me to start up from scratch to achieve a drastic change in the organization’s performance.

Luckily, before running a Yard I got a very good business management education. Therefore, I started to apply modern management methods that are useful for improving or transforming a business. The biggest contribution to reengineer from the beginning was the Business Model CANVAS. It is a simple and organized scheme to create or improve the mechanisms of a business, integrating them and make them competitive. This model is easy to understand and participatory, as it requires the intervention of key company personnel, like me or you as an owner.

Technology is also the key to be more efficient, but most importantly is an effective communication between you and your employees. What do I do with my team? I tell them we’re on the same boat and we must row on the same road. Naturally, you’ll always find divergences on the road too, so use keywords to remind your team this principle. I use the keyword “synergy boat”, it works with my team because this reminds them the progress each of them since they started to work with me. The word process is not only a step-by-step to reach a goal, it also means your progress, so think about where were you 1,2,3 or even five years ago and where are you now.

Result? Our current sales are four times higher than pre-fire sales. We have new buildings, equipment, specialized staffs, committed and oriented to customer service, defined business processes, and environmentally clean business with sustained and profitable growth.

Nowadays, I’m blessing to live in the greatest country on earth (USA, of course), I have a beautiful family who has been supporting and believing in my dreams and also in my struggling times.

My final advise is be encouraged, the balance of personal life with your new or growing business isn’t always easy or perfect. But don’t forget to count the many blessings that come with the process. All the best to you!

Contact Info:

• Email: carlos@ECOGAUTOPARTS.COM
• Website: www.ecogautoparts.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecogreenautoparts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecogreenautoparts
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ecogreenautopar