At just 27 and 30 years of age, Jairo Zameza and Erika Nava of Russellville already own and operate three businesses. The husband-and-wife team’s companies are Airtech Heating and Cooling LLC, EZ Event Rentals LLC, and Erika Nava LLC.
The couple says the main reason they have all these businesses, plus rental properties, is not wanting to let opportunities slip by.
“None of these businesses were ever really planned. As the opportunities came, we saw a need and wanted to make sure we took these opportunities and filled those needs. We also want to let our generation and community know that if a bunch of kids from humble backgrounds can do it, they can too as long as they apply themselves and take a risk,” said Jairo.
“It’s not always easy, especially with a four-year-old child, but we are blessed to have a supportive village of family to help. Owning our businesses allows us to set our own hours and take off from work when we want, which helps make it all work,” said Erika.
Finding a Home in Real Estate
It all started with Erika’s belief that despite degrees in early childhood education and Spanish education, her true purpose lay outside her degree field.
Her pivotal moment came when she assisted a friend in studying for a real estate exam. After months of dedicated preparation, she ended up taking the exam herself to help motivate her friend and actually passed the test. This unexpected turn of events ignited Erika’s career in real estate.
Over her first five years, Erika has achieved remarkable success. In fact, in 2023. she distinguished herself as a top producer and was nominated for Realtor of the Year by the Arkansas Valley Board of Realtors.
Doing business as All Around Real Estate, Erika has a Facebook page full of photos with clients holding her pink key-shaped “Sold” sign. As a bilingual agent, she assists many Spanish-speaking clients with buying or selling a home.
Buying and Starting with Center’s Support
Airtech Heating and Cooling came under their ownership over time and through hard work.
Jairo had worked for Airtech for years, getting to know the trade and the customers. The whole time, he always thought of working for himself as the goal, but he never thought the opportunity would arise.
After eight years of rising from helper to installer to lead, then to service tech and ultimately to service manager, Jairo was offered a chance to buy the business. Even then, obstacles and rejections followed before a deal was made. “We couldn’t be happier that we tried,” said Jairo.
The couple first came to the Arkansas Tech University ASBTDC for assistance with the Airtech purchase.
Their business consultant, Ronda Hawkins, performed financial analysis on the existing business, advised on financing options, and assisted with projections to ensure the business could support the purchase price.
Then, EZ Event Rentals came to life alongside last April’s solar eclipse.
The couple anticipated a high demand for portable bathrooms and purchased 16 units to make available to rent. Their first customer was the City of Dardanelle, which used their services for the whole weekend of the eclipse.
Jairo and Erika came back to the ASBTDC for assistance with starting EZ. They wanted to get marketing ideas and to ensure that everything they did complied with laws and regulations.
“The most helpful assistance we received was marketing advice and the information about starting a small business,” said Erika.
They started looking at other rental companies in the area and saw that most did not offer tents. So, they bought out a local company that had event tents. EZ Event Rentals now offers chairs, tables, chair covers, table covers, and tents along with their portable bathrooms.
Preparing for the Risks of Entrepreneurship
With each business opportunity, they do their homework, making use of the ASBTDC’s no-cost services in the process.
When asked what advice they would give to someone interested in starting a business, they replied, “Always do your research, there’s so much to businesses that people don’t think about when they start out that usually ends up breaking them. Always have a plan B. Being in business is risky, but there’s no reason to walk a tightrope without a safety net. We all fail, it’s part of life. But, the more you’re prepared for it, the less painful the fall.”
Airtech Heating and Cooling has locations in Dardanelle and Clarksville. Learn more about EZ Event Rentals at www.thateazy.com, and find Erika Nava, Realtor on Facebook.