Jaime Ochoa: “My goal is to be a positive role model”

After serving for 20 years in the Navy, where he was decorated eight times, Jimmy knew he could use his experience to succeed as an entrepreneur.

By Migdalis Pérez

A retired U.S. Navy lieutenant is making headlines not only for his service to his country, but also for starting a business in the midst of the modern-day COVID-19 pandemic. Jaime Ochoa, a multi-award-winning veteran from Melrose Park, Illinois, has owned a small business since May 2020.

Jimmy, as he is popularly known, told Negocios Now that he chose The UPS Store —a subsidiary of UPS, the world’s largest freight forwarding company— as the best alternative to become an entrepreneur as a franchisee.

“My decision to choose a UPS Store franchise was based on several reasons. Ever since I was a child,” he recounted, “I always dreamed of being a business owner. During my time in the Navy, I learned the importance of providing excellent customer service and excelled in logistics. When I retired, I asked myself, ‘Now what? What am I going to do? Where can I have the greatest impact on customers and the community?’ I started researching what kind of business I would like to start, and a UPS Store franchise was the one that appealed to me most.”

After serving for 20 years in the Navy —where he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (twice), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (five times), and the Military Outstanding Voluntary Service Medal— Jimmy knew he could leverage his experience and skills to succeed as an entrepreneur.

“Thank God, I had the opportunity to learn and experience many things during my 20 years of service. I believe the most important thing I learned was how to communicate, manage, and lead people to achieve objectives and goals,” he emphasized. Certainly, this crucial learning has translated into the success of his store.

According to Jimmy, his team has generated record sales while simultaneously providing customers with a world-class experience, achieving an average Google rating of 4.8 stars. Furthermore, his store has become a Franchise Training Center, where he trains and mentors new franchise owners to help them join the network.

Simultaneously, she manages the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post (VFW), chairs the Wood Dale Community Development Committee, leads two chambers of commerce, and motivates young people with motivational speeches, business presentations, and mock job interviews. “My goal,” she concluded, “is to be a positive role model and to inspire, motivate, and prepare the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.”

Read article in Spanish / Leer artículo en español:

https://negociosnow.com/jaime-ochoa-mi-objetivo-es-ser-un-modelo-positivo/