One of the reasons Belen Sanchez joined the local Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is that she likes to help others. You might say she is paying it forward. “My family helped me a lot when I started my insurance business and it seems to be a good thing to pass it on.” Belen is a true Fresnan attending local grammar schools and graduating from Duncan High School, Fresno City College, and Fresno State.

She got a lot of business training at her mother’s restaurant, Julia’s, and used that knowledge to treat people right and be a helper to her community. It is notable that she met her husband in high school and they have been together ever since. She is also a volunteer at SCORE and helps guide new business owners to be successful. Belen says, “it is a good idea to join the CCHCC (Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) because there is a lot of good information shared there that can help business people grow.” She adds that the networking is excellent and it is like a “small business community that helps each other.”

Belen likes to help new business owners and even tells people considering a business that they should “have confidence, show their talent, and help others when they can.” Besides all this she is a dedicated wife and mother of three successful children and is excited about their future as well.

She is the owner of Belen Sanchez Insurance Agency here in Fresno.

Albenis Curiel is a native Californian who is a hard worker who likes to help people and grow his business. He is co-owner and CEO of Au Auto Repair. He puts the customer first and works hard to do a great job and create return customers. He is a graduate of the Santa Clara University school of Engineering and moved to Fresno because he is familiar with the area having attended Clovis West High School.

He has a very positive attitude and has joined the Board of Directors of the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce because he wants to grow his business and help others do the same. He got started in a very different field after finishing college. He began with the sale of medical equipment and then moved on to aircraft engines and finally got involved in the water treatment industry before meeting up with an old friend who lived in Fresno and was in the auto repair business. As they say one thing led to another and their mutual zeal for the auto industry got them into auto repair and they have grown steadily. They are about to celebrate their first year of business and they are looking at steady growth.

Albenis was raised in an entrepreneurial family, both of his parents owned a business and he saw that as his path as well. He is striving to succeed where he is at and then looks forward to future businesses as well. His mission is to set the “gold standard” in auto repair, thus the symbol Au (for gold). His goal is to create longterm relationships with clients by always following the golden rule of treating others the he wants to be treated.

He advises other people wanting to start a business to find a mentor to guide you and help you. “That can be a major springboard to doing it right.” When you have questions reach out to others or chamber members that have experience. In a parting thought Albenis says, “one should not work constantly or you will burn out, take a vacation and many of your questions will work themselves out at that time.”