Today we’d like to introduce you to Rigoberto Cortez Sr.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised In Matamoros, Tamaulipas in a place where the eagerness to be successful is of many but the opportunities of work are very low. Here I met my wife, partner, and the mother of my 3 kids Maria Cortez. Growing up my parents weren’t around because of work but I was blessed to have older men around me as mentors who taught me and guided me to become who I am today. I grew up with only my mother and she was the one who worked her butt off to make sure all 11 of her kids survived.
I went to school up to the 6th grade. I had to drop out in order to work due to our families financial situation. When I did I had a multitude of jobs in a paper company, as a driver, in a customs agency, in a fruit shop and in a tire shop as well.
At the age of 17 I came to Houston not really searching for anything besides a job, and here, not knowing English and with very little school. I had to start from the bottom. Sweeping, cleaning, the only thing I really knew how to do in this country was drive. From there I started working on different mechanic shops. The owners of these shops didn’t want me to learn and would actually get mad at me for getting under cars to see what they were doing to get transmissions out of the vehicle. But I was 17-18 and I was very stubborn and wanted to learn. Some time after that I got in a shop where I was allowed to learn comfortably. And ever since fixing transmissions is what I do.
Once I learned I only worked about a year or two under someone before realizing that I could do what I was doing on my own. Then I opened a few shops (in different times), and eventually I got my home and built my shop at our house.
And Thanks to God. Always, thanks to God we are now 30+ years in business.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There has been many struggles to get to where I am at. A very big struggle was leaving behind my friends and family and coming to the U.S at 17 years of age. It never felt that way because like I said I was a very stubborn young man.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about R & L Transmissions?
My business has been operating for over 30 years. I specialize in Transmission services such as transmission swaps, transmission re-builds, check engine light services, oil changes, and more. What seperates me from my competitors is that my customers have created a reputation for me. I have gotten to where I am strictly through word of mouth and I think that is why my customers trust me with their vehicles.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The only thing I can say is that anything is possible in this life as long as you learn to prioritize and balance the important things in life. If all your focus is on one thing the other things will fail.
Pricing:
- For any quotes call 281-932-1024
Contact Info:
Image Credits
@rigosama
