Santa Cruz Photo Repair

Carlos Larin, a native of El Salvador, started his camera repair shop in 2007 with support and technical assistance provided by El Pájaro CDC.  Mr. Larin’s passion is repairing cameras.  He began his education in camera repair in 1978 and started his career in Mexico City and San Salvador City.  He immigrated to California in 2000 and worked at a camera repair shop in Salinas until he realized that he could start his own small business.

“One wonderful day,” Mr. Larin said, “I met these people who told me about Plaza Vigil, about people at the El Pájaro CDC who give support to people like me.”  Mr. Larin decided to make a change in his life.  “My mind opened,” he said, “I decided to do something different.”  He called El Pájaro CDC and set up an appointment with a consultant to discuss his business idea.  With the help of El Pájaro CDC he applied for a fictitious business license, bought the equipment and tools that he needed, and opened his own camera repair shop: Santa Cruz Camera Repair.  El Pájaro CDC helped him with the application process and other aspects of starting a new business.

Mr. Larin faced some difficulties setting up his new business.  When he started he knew very little English.  He recognized how important it is to learn English in order to set up a successful business.  Every chance he got he listened to the radio and watched television with dictionary in hand.  Soon he was able to communicate quite fluently in English.  He also organized himself to set up the business and start getting customers.  Mr. Larin’s business is doing very well.  

“I was born to do camera repair,” Mr. Larin said.  When people come into his shop or call him with problems with their old cameras and think that they can’t be fixed Mr. Larin tells them “no worries,” and he goes to work, fixing the problem and cleaning every tiny camera part.  Mr. Larin is just one example of the many Latino entrepreneurs that receive business education and technical assistance from the El Pájaro CDC to make their business idea become a reality.