Good Neighbor Podcast North Atlanta
Bringing Together Local Businesses & Neighbors of North Atlanta
Good Neighbor Podcast North Atlanta
EP #44: A&P Painting and Flooring with Yasmin & Efrain Castañeda
Ever wish you could get the inside scoop on how a successful family business runs without falling for the glitz and upselling? Join us as we walk through the journey of Efren and Yasmin, a couple whose commitment to their trade and family is nothing short of inspiring. We get into the nuts and bolts of A&P Painting and Flooring, their local business specializing in interior and exterior home enhancements. Hear firsthand their mission to educate customers, the opening of a new branch in Dunwoody, and their encounters with less scrupulous contractors. Their story is a masterclass in running a small business.
But it's not all business. Efren and Yasmin also candidly share their experiences of balancing work and family life. Here's a hint: it's not always smooth sailing. They talk about the challenges of being working parents and the importance of being present for their child, all while steering the ship that is A&P Painting and Flooring. Their story intertwines the personal and the professional, the struggles and successes, and ultimately, the remarkable journey of building a business and a family side by side. Tune in to witness how a home improvement business can truly be a labor of love.
This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Stacey Grizzly.
Speaker 2:Hello friends and neighbors, Welcome to episode 44 of North Atlanta's Good Neighbor podcast. Today we have good neighbors, Efren and Yasmin, with A&P Painting and Flooring. Hi, Efren and Yasmin, how are we today?
Speaker 3:I'm doing good. How are you guys doing, hey? How are you?
Speaker 2:We're doing great. The listeners may not realize this, but they might. In a few minutes we're going to just go ahead and preface this with Efren and Yasmin. This is truly a family-owned business. They are married and they have a three-month-old baby, Julian. I know that y'all can't see him, but he is absolutely precious. You might hear him a little bit through this. I have assured her that that's okay.
Speaker 3:Yes, thank you.
Speaker 2:I'm just happy to get to look at Julian's. Someone else can just settle for hearing them. Let's go ahead if we can. Yasmin and Efren, If you can, go ahead and tell our listeners about your business. Tell us about A&P Painting and Flooring.
Speaker 3:Yes, we're A&P Painting and Flooring. We do home improvement services around the area. That would include basement refinishing I'm sorry, basement finishing and bathroom remodels. That's our biggest hit right now. We're super excited to be in the area. We offer more than just that A lot of interior and exterior services.
Speaker 2:Wonderful. You said to be in the area. I failed to mention this too. I said I would. When we say in the area, most of you listeners know I'm from Dunwoody and live in Dunwoody and love this community. A&p, painting and Flooring. They've got several locations around North Atlanta but their most recent and newest location is in Dunwoody. Welcome to Dunwoody.
Speaker 3:Thank you. Thank you, we love being here. I grew up in the area Opening Dunwoody. I'm very happy to offer a great company already in the area To the area.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you said you even went to Dunwoody High School. When you say you're from here, you're really from here.
Speaker 3:Yes, my dad moved here. I want to say how old is he? He probably moved here like four years ago.
Speaker 2:So like long time Dunwoody in, yeah, yeah, and don't you just love. I brag on Dunwoody all the time, but it's just such a united community. Really everyone is so proud of Dunwoody. I certainly love living here. I'm certainly happy to hear that we have a new business, A&P Painting and Flooring here. So how about you all tell our listeners a little bit about your journey into this industry? What led you to start this business?
Speaker 3:So back in 2020, of course, the pandemic. I had a job previously. I loved what I did, but I just traveled way too much and then I didn't like traveling during the pandemic, so I I don't know where I quit my job. I got hired by a local contractor and with him we grew the business to what it is now, and I always had the opportunity to open Dunwoody. I just always said it's not the right time. It's not the right time.
Speaker 3:And now the time is right, yeah, even though you know it's a struggle sometimes, some days, but yeah, the time is right now.
Speaker 2:We have our greatest motivation. Well, you have a lot going on with a new baby and a new business or a new person of your business, but you're right, what a great place to have another extension of your business. Yes, and so did you when you were working with the other locations, like how long have you been considering Dunwoody before you decided to open here?
Speaker 3:Probably a good two years now. Wow Well, I'm so glad.
Speaker 2:I was so happy to welcome you.
Speaker 3:Thank you. Thank you. We're just so excited to be here. I did just think about offering the services in the area and now that we have Julian, it just it made perfect sense to start doing it here, because I want him to grow up in this community, and we always do.
Speaker 2:That says a lot to the community too, that you went to Dunwoody High School. You have now started your family, started businesses, and where you can't think of a better place to be than in the, your hometown. Yeah, I love that. I love it and I'm really glad that you're here. Are there any myths or misconceptions that you'd like to clear up with our listeners today, maybe about your industry or your business in particular?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think one thing that I forget a lot, especially being the person that's out there doing estimates, is contractors don't reply. They take my money and leave. Oh my shit. Another one. Yeah, we've gotten some that are quite out there.
Speaker 4:They take our deposit and never show up on the first day of work.
Speaker 3:Something goes south and we can't get them to respond.
Speaker 2:Oh, my gracious. Well, they're calling the wrong contractors, aren't they?
Speaker 4:Yeah, there's stuff on our contract that wasn't done, and now they refuse to do the work.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness. So you guys get a lot of people that you're having to go back and correct.
Speaker 4:Yes, I get it, but I'm like, yes, it's a lot of things too that I mean it comes from your heart, right, like trying to be open and honest about everything. Product knowledge is a big thing for us to educate our customers, not just trying to upsell random like if you don't need your sealings painted, you don't need your sealings painted, kind of thing. Like we're not trying to nickel and dime people.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well. That kind of transparency in business in general is just, it's so crucial, Especially when you're talking about a young family who is starting this business in the community in which she grew up in. You're going to be prideful of your work and it matters.
Speaker 2:Doesn't it? I mean, we were talking a little bit before the show and I've got two publications, both in the Atlanta area, one's in Buckhead and one's in Dunwoody. I love them both, of course, but I live in Dunwoody and it's my community, so it is a special thing and you are really careful to make sure that you are doing everything possible.
Speaker 3:Good job.
Speaker 2:Because it's your reputation and it's your reputation in your own community versus Atlanta is really big, but we're going to narrow it down like that, like I just I love supporting locals and that's awesome, so let's, let's stray away from work for just a minute. And what are you guys doing? What can your family be found doing when you're not working?
Speaker 4:Yeah, what's fun. We work all day, have a three month old at home. My friend is going to Costco.
Speaker 2:I used to love going to Costco when I was a young mom. It is fun, right. I'm going to get Costco on here, but seriously.
Speaker 4:I think we love just hanging out with our three month old. You know, having a son was our ultimate goal having a family when we got married. Now that we have them, it's kind of a blessing. We're just trying to enjoy them as much as we can.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. And I have to say I mean like y'all can't see. I know this is just audio, but it's like we've got Efren here, the baby. We've got Yasmin here in front of the camera. He's really good, he's quiet, he's being carried.
Speaker 2:That's why, I love playing the baby. It's working out well for our listeners, oh my goodness Well. So how about let's shift gears again and tell our listeners maybe describing a hardship or a challenge that you faced or currently facing that you can say that you're better for that experience, for having been through it. Okay, let's do one each.
Speaker 4:Yeah, my wife and one for me.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's perfect. Okay, who's gonna start?
Speaker 4:Yes, man oh.
Speaker 3:God. So I guess one of my biggest hardships was and this is very personal, you know from being told that having a baby was going to be a struggle to finding out we were pregnant and thinking what the future going to hold for us, because we want to be there and, like you know, just actively being able to. You know well, Julian sick, let's it. We have more of a free will saying, okay, well, I can't make it today to today's meeting because I'm going to the pediatrician or in the future, like oh, it's his fourth birthday, we're going to his school to do something for him.
Speaker 3:So going from that and then going through a C section recovery, going back to work pretty early on because you know we're both pretty present in the company, Family on him, yes. So I mean, sometimes I'm sitting on the couch, not by choice, because I have my desk that I love, Like I've worked on my setup to, you know, sit there and focus, but now it's on the couch on a laptop with Julian rocking him and being on the phone and he'll be like oh, occasionally be like oh. So it's a struggle going through calls and feeding him and finding time to feed myself and do things that I need to do Working mom yeah.
Speaker 2:So truly working mom struggles. I think that will resonate with a lot of our listeners, me included, even though it's been quite a while for me. I struggle yeah.
Speaker 3:It is, I'll take calls. I'll take calls, like changing a poopy diaper, just hoping that my air pod doesn't fall in there.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, that would. That would kind of put a damper on the day, for sure I'm thinking I might throw that one away. Yeah, well, you said that you had a separate one that you might want to share with us. What would? What would be a struggle that you have risen above.
Speaker 4:Well, similar to Yasmin, when we found out that we were having a little baby, I just kept thinking about how, growing up, my dad had to work 1617 hours a day just to put food on the table and not being able to see him having to work some holidays. And I just kept thinking about how I wanted to be there for my baby. So I was like, well, and I was a. I was previously employed at a, at a car dealership, at a Chevy dealership. So my background I am GM certified. I have all my certifications to work on cars. You know, I've ripped the park, transmissions, engines, but I would come home so tired and I just kept thinking that I don't have time for my baby. So I figured it was time for a career change and just so I could be there for him, you know, go to all of his doctor's appointments, be able to go to his school and have lunch with him, take him to the zoo.
Speaker 4:Yeah it's kind of different being sent to the zoo by your dad with your mom than actually you know him being there, so I just want him to have those memories of me being present for him that is very touching and very heartwarming.
Speaker 2:You know, I think that we often talk about, you know, moms, you know wanting to be with their kids and wanting to, but that is very real for dads too, and I applaud you so much for you know choosing that.
Speaker 4:So you, if I'm understanding correctly, so you haven't always been with a NP painting and flooring, so that's like you came on later or is that like my wife started with this company and when she was getting interviewed by them, she came back and was like yeah, I met with the owner and his wife and I was like his wife, why are you meeting his wife and then come to find out? It was like it was a really small company. When she was brought on she was like their first official employee. That's how early she got on. So you know, going through the time and them inviting us over for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, for their kids' birthdays we kind of grew together a little bit.
Speaker 4:So when Yasme kept, bringing up that opportunity of opening this location and Dunwoody. I just kept telling her you do it, you do it, you do it. And then I just, you know everything lined up perfectly where we find out that she was pregnant and I just kept having those thoughts about wanting to be the president for my baby. And then everyone lined up.
Speaker 2:Everything aligns beautifully and then you know that you're on the right path, like that is a beautiful story and I was not expecting that, but I'm so happy to have her. I think that's kind of happening for me in my life right now Everything is just aligning beautifully and it's a wonderful feeling. And gosh and yours is a particularly beautiful story. Very, very happy you shared that with us, thank you. Well, so looking at the last thing you want our listeners to know about the A&P painting and flooring of Dunwoody, our newest location, that you guys are solely so I guess all the locations are owned by the same. Y'all have the same ownership. Is that correct? And then, are you guys the sole owners of this one, or are you guys working still with the people you share Thanksgiving and Christmas with? Is it all still? They're all owned by the same, or are you guys owning this one separately?
Speaker 3:So I guess the right answer is like technically we own this location Dunwoody, but when we say, like we are family ran, like we are family ran Absolutely no, I definitely get that impression.
Speaker 2:I think that the listeners will have that impression as well, and that's a beauty. I love that. You were their first employee and now your families are working alongside each other and really together through this, even though this is your, dunwoody is your location. It really is. It's perfect, gosh, what a.
Speaker 4:It's all of our own and we all work as a team too so if, if I don't know if me and my wife for some reason we have to step out and go do something with Julianne or take care of him, you know somebody else will come in and be like, okay, we'll take care of them for now, and we have the most confidence in everybody that we work with. They work next to and have partnerships and relationships with. That's what we're going to do To be able to fill those shoes. And likewise we step in all the time and help out wherever we can.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so really, you know symbiotic relationship they are. You know everyone's getting what they need. That sounds fabulous. Well, so what is the best way for our listeners to learn more if they want to reach out to to y'all, and what's the best way for them to get in touch?
Speaker 3:Our website. We have a contact us form there and our website is AP painting and flooring dot com.
Speaker 2:And that's so. And is there anything else that you wish our listeners knew about your business? Or you know? I think that we've. We've got it down that this is a true Dunwoody family, family owned and operated. I just really in it for the right reasons and a part of our Dunwoody community here, and so tell us that website one more time for for them to reach out.
Speaker 3:It's AP painting and flooring dot com.
Speaker 2:AP painting and flooring dot com. Well, thank you both so much, efren and Yasmin, for being here with us today. It has been a pleasure to have you on the show.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for having us. We're so excited. Thank you.
Speaker 2:And Julian. I forgot to mention Julian. Yes.
Speaker 3:He must have been a part of this. Yes, if we put him down, he might start crying, so we're not going to do that.
Speaker 2:I promise he's there people, yeah Well, that's all for today's episode. At Lanta, I'm Stacy Risley with a good neighbor podcast. Thanks for listening and for supporting the local businesses and nonprofits of our great community.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening to the good neighbor podcast North Atlanta. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, Go to GNP North Atlanta dot com or call 470-946-7007.
