Imagine buyers fighting it out to own YOUR home. Fighting it out means you get you’ll get multiple offers with a shorter list time at top dollar.
Run, don’t walk... the market is hot NOW.
Have you ever walked around your own city and pretended you were a tourist? You’d be surprised how much there is to see and how little you probably know about the place you live. That’s why I’m excited to bring #touristinmyowncity back to my blog. It’s important to take time away from work and just enjoy LIFE.
I will be featuring a local place, restaurant, or nature trail weekly on my blog with a review. Today I visited Bowlero Torrance and was so amazed by the complete remodel.
Make sure you check out the neat arcade that even has Mario Cart, Candy Crush, and Pac Man! If you've had a long day, you wouldn't mind visiting their full-bar with a wood-burning fireplace and pool table.
The alley plays fun, upbeat music and even has TV projectors above every lane! The screens play funny videos, news, and music videos.
It is a great place to host an event, meet with friends after work, go on a date, or family.
Hungry? Consider their five-pound hamburger. This enormous burger will feed 5 of your friends & more!
I will rate this bowling alley 5 stars for its cleanliness, friendly staff, delicious food, and the wide selection of games, bowling balls, and music.
For more information, head to their website here.
HOURS:
Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s WCW title belongs to Ferial Itani who at 54 years old bravely decided that it was time to pursue her heart’s greatest passion and begin a fragrance and soap line after styling hair for over 18 years.
Ferial, 54, moved to the U.S. when she was just 12 years old from Beruit. Her family moved with hopes of building a better life in the “Land of opportunity.” For her early life, she grew up in the South Bay and later graduated from Hawthorne high school.
After marrying her husband, Ferial owned several businesses including owning Aladin Café restaurant. She was the cook and says that she enjoyed creating dishes with passion. Upon closing the restaurant, she cut, dyed and styled hair for 18 years at her brother’s hair salon in Redondo Beach, Zouhair Salon.
No matter what business, hobby or passion she followed, she took her heart fully in it and she says, “It showed.”
For many years, Ferial began mixing her favorite perfumes with natural essences such as orange blossom. She says that wherever she went, whether the grocery store, airplane, or just walking past a stranger, she was stopped and asked, “What perfume is that?” After informing them that she made the perfume herself, she found it comical that many would beg to buy the already used bottles from her.
She says that she would freely give them away just because it brought her so much joy to see others happy with her products. Often times while at her brother’s salon, her clients would complement her as well and ask her where they could purchase the perfume.
She was constantly asked, “Why don’t you sell them?” At the time, she felt she was too busy to pursue a business in creating the perfumes so she dismissed the idea for a long time. That all changed three years ago when she became severely ill from headaches and was rushed to the hospital.
After being released, her brother insisted that maybe she was exhausting herself from the salon and that it may be time for her to follow a new passion or just simply take a break. Ferial says that she loves to embark on new journeys, such as one day hoping to move to Tuscany. Yet, she says that no matter what new phase she enters in her life, she remains herself…honest and true to her most authentic self.
While home recovering, she found that she wanted to reach more people. She says that so many people have helped her throughout her life and she has helped so many as well, yet knew there was more for her. She was entering a phase in her life where she wanted to be able to “touch” others. So over the course of three years, she quit her job as a stylist and began creating soap products.
Growing up, she would store and save hand soaps she’d receive from Lebanon. She says they were very precious to her for they looked rigid and smelt good. She wanted to use the soaps as a way to connect with others and share the same love and passion she had in her heart through them.
She began mixing ingredients such as peppermint oil with other natural essential oils. After making only one batch and distributing them amongst her five children and their friends, she was surprised to find them so pleased with the products.
“My kids and their friends would beg me to make more and so I did,” she says. She says that although physically she created the products, she finds that the emotional support of her loved ones was what made it possible to create the products. “A smile on a loved one’s face alone was my inspiration,” Ferial says.
Soon after, she decided to begin creating the products for others to also purchase and designed Ferial Essence. The perfumes and soaps can be bought directly from her Etsy website here.
On her website she says, "I began making perfumes and soaps wanting a product that doesn’t exist these days, because of the impurities and toxins added into them. Ferial Essence products are kept in their original state, starting from the ingredients used to the way they are crafted. Each product is unique, different than the rest, blossoming into its own character. Like a jewel in the rough, they are not buffed and do not contain any chemicals or fillers. When you close your eyes, you will be transported to a different time, where the fields were free and pure. You can smell the essence of nature that soothes your body, mind and soul. An honest, good product – that’s what I wanted to make."
. She says her personal favorite product is the orange blossom scents as it takes her back to a place in time where things felt innocent. “I like how it reminds me orange fields where what you see is what you get. Not many things are organic anymore, but orange fields are real,” she says.
When Ferial is not spending time with her family or creating perfumes, she enjoys gardening and spending as much time with nature as possible. She enjoys calligraphy and often draws beautiful symbolic letters, images and creations with them. She pays it forward by knitting beanies for premature babies and children in Lebanon. In her room, she has a wide range of beanies in different sizes and colors in a storage container waiting to ship.
Ferial is enjoying creating perfume and soaps for her clients and says that she can’t wait to see where the next phase of her life takes her. Thank you, Ferial, for reminding us that it is never too late to follow our dreams and reach our destiny and as you say, “Tomorrow is not promised, so do it today.”
“I don’t believe I have talent, I have passion…everything I do is from the heart and it shows.”
-Ferial Itani
Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s WCW title belongs to Trisha Herd who is working as a mail carrier for the city of North Hollywood after wanting to give something new a try and is loving it so far.
Herd, 27, grew up in Torrance and currently resides in Gardena. Herd graduated from North High school in 2006 and says some of her best memories from school would have to be the assembly's, football and basketball games, her ceramics class and being able to see her friends everyday.
Upon graduating from North, Herd went to CSUN and studied Child Development. While in college, she worked at LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, & after school programs working with the youth. After leaving the education field and obtaining permits in the security field, she worked as an armed officer for ADT, Hustler Casino & hotels in Orange County.
In this past year, Herd decided to pursue the United States Postal Business and is working today on a business route meaning that Monday’s are her heaviest days. “Even though I know what to expect, I still have the worst anxiety when it comes to Monday. Other than that, the week goes by pretty nice,” she says. Despite the chaos, she says that she loves that she gets to be by herself and learn a new city.
Herd has found that being a mail carrier is really like what you see in the movies. “Getting chased by dogs is real life. It sucks that my second day I was chased by two dogs and luckily they were little,” she says.
Each morning, she clocks in at 7 a.m. and first thing she does is checks the vehicle to make sure everything is working correctly. After, she goes inside to case the lose mail such as magazines and newspapers, which she says is called, "pulling down" in the order of your route.
She says she is usually out of the office by 9:30 am and her route starts at about 10 a.m. on Coldwater canyon and usually ends by 2:10-2:20 p.m. She says the neighborhood that she is in is very friendly and she laughs and jokes with the neighbors often. “On hot days, they offer me cold water,” she says.
When she is not working, which is rarely, she likes to relax. Herd works seven days a week so she tries to spend any free time at the beach or going out to eat and or spending time with her family & the babies in it.
She pays it forward by being there for her family and friends by being a good listener and giving the best advice she can. Herd loves the South Bay mostly for its beaches. She says,“I was born in the summer so I'm just a water baby in general, so every chance I get I'm always at the Manhattan Beach strand."
In five years, Herd hopes to be a home owner and traveling the world.
Thank you, Trisha, for being a positive, responsible and efficient member of the South Bay community and providing residents their mail with a smile.
Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s MCM title belongs to Jacob Yowell who is North High School’s Cross Country & Track and Field Coach who has used his love of sports to changes people’s lives by being the source that helps his athletes unleash the power within them.
Jacob, 27, was born in Gardena and later raised in Torrance, CA. Upon graduating in 2006 graduated from North Torrance High School, he studied Sociology at UCI. Today, along with being a substitute teacher for Torrance Unified School District, he is the head coach for the Cross Country & Track and Field programs at North High.
His main duty is to oversee all administrative, financial, and training duties for both programs. A typical day for Jacob looks like this: he gets a call from the Torrance Unified School District, giving him the details of the subbing assignment that he will be working. Upon completing subbing, he heads into his office out at the football stadium.
Each day, Jacob oversees a team meeting at 2:00 pm where he addresses the team on any important items or events coming up in the next couple of days and weeks. After that, the team warm ups with his assistant coaches and he heads back to his office to handle any athletic and administrative work.
Finally, he heads out to the track to put his athletes through their work out and once practice is over, he heads back to the office to prepare for the next day. Despite his long day, he commits to completing his own workout in the school’s weight room before heading home to relax.
When asked what being a Coach means to Jacob, he says, “I could tell you that it means everything to me, but even then, the answer wouldn’t do the question any justice. To be a coach means I have the platform and power to be so much more than that to so many athletes. With that great power comes great responsibility. A responsibility I’ve been blessed and a responsibility in which I cherish.”
Remarkably, Jacob says that he did not choose the career and instead, it chose him. “The last thing I pictured myself doing coming out of college was coaching Cross Country/Track & Field. I felt that my love, drive and passion for the sport was one that only an elite level athlete would possess,” he says.
However, he believed that this mentality wouldn’t lead to success for high school athletes who didn’t share those same feeling and in turn bring frustration to him as a coach. He was then approached by an old coach to oversee the sprints and hurdles for the track team in the fall of the 2012-2013 school year.
He thought back on how dominate the teams at North where when he was attending and knew how bad the teams had gotten with the departure of former coaches. With that in mind, he felt that maybe he could lend a hand in helping rebuild the program. He is happy to say that in his 4th season as a coach, second as the head coach, the success of the programs is back where it once was and is continuing to grow year by year.
Undoubtedly, he owes his success as a coach to the same love, desire, and passion he had as an athlete which he says is now the same for him as a coach.
When Jacob is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family or exploring Southern California. “I love my family and nothing comes before them so I like to just spend time with them when I can,” he says. He also feels lucky enough to live five minutes from the beach and 2 hours from the snow.
He is inspired by the quote, “Success isn’t measured by the amount of money you make but the amount of lives you impact.” He says that the quote sums up the relationship that is created between athletes and their coach which he says is irreplaceable.
Jacob says that as a Coach, athletes grow on you and you on them. He has found that they challenge you and you challenge them, they change you and you change them. He enjoys witnessing their growth based on the impact he has had on them and in vice versa.
He’d like others to know how much it all really means to coaches. “In the great seasons, you’re on cloud nine right there with the athletes and in the bad seasons you hurt sometimes more than they do. It truly is an emotional roller coaster. You give them your all and you see them sweat, cry and bleed for you,” he says. Jacob would like parents and athletes to understand how much the coach’s want for each and every one of their athletes to be successful and how they’d exhaust all their means to ensure it happens.
Thank you, Jacob, for being a positive influence in the South Bay community and using your position as a Coach to reach a multitude of young men and women.
Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s WCW title belongs to Larisa who followed her passions for makeup as a child and pursued a career as a makeup artist.
Larisa, resident of the South Bay has been a makeup artist for over 10 years. She pursued makeup after realizing that it was something she was always drawn to from an early age and passionate about. Today, Larisa is working as freelance makeup artist and is self-employed.
She says, “When I was a little girl, there were no doll houses, cookie and tea parties in my room. If you came to play, you were getting a makeover.” Years later, she enrolled in makeup school and took it very seriously. “It was very important for me to have the proper education,” she says.
Upon graduating from makeup school, her career took off. She worked for several makeup companies as a traveling artist and trainer. “I would say for anyone who starts, that’s always a good way to get your hands in the field. It definitely opens many doors for you aside from the fun and experience, but never give up on your dreams and your main goal,” she says.
She has had the opportunity to work on very exciting sets throughout her career. “I was so excited when I was working on a set for KTLA news on live TV for their Valentine’s Day lingerie show,” she says. She enjoys meeting other artist and enjoys the fun she gets to have on set.
Larisa enjoys doing makeup mostly for the reactions she gets from her clients. She loves seeing people happy and in a good mood while getting their makeup done. “I like listening to them. I always hear the most interesting stories,” she says.
When she is not working, Larissa enjoys spending time at the beach or traveling. Those two things always help her recharge. She also loves to cook and going into what she calls, “Chef mode.” She says that if she weren’t a makeup artist, she would be a chef and a really good one.
She loves the South Bay mostly because it is the only place in the world that has always felt like home and it is home for her. “I love everything about the South Bay, the beaches, the views, the weather, the people, the feel,” she says. She feels as though she is walking in a postcard or painting whenever near the water and calls it “heaven on earth.”
To schedule an appointment with Larisa, please contact her directly at info@larisamakeup.com
Instagram: @larisalovesmakeup
Thank you, Larisa for offering your passions and love for makeup to the residents of the South Bay community.
“Get out there and challenge yourself and never reject any gigs.”
– Larisa
Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s WCW title belongs to Sara Aloteibi who gives back to the community by touching the lives of her student’s and helping them find their strengths in math like she once did.
Sara, 28, grew up in Torrance, CA and never left! When she was an 8th grader, she failed Algebra 1 and had to retake it over the Summer. “My summer school teacher saw my potential in math and recommended I take the honors route,” she says.
When she began her freshman year at North High School, she began taking both Geometry Honors and Algebra 2 Honors with an inspirational math teacher who made math meaningful, enjoyable, and understandable. “She completely shifted my view of mathematics and her love for the subject was demonstrated in her teaching and eventually transferred onto her students,” she says.
However, when Sara reached Calculus as a senior, she had a horrible teacher who gave a test on the first day of school and said, “If you fail this test then you will fail the class.” He proceeded to administer the test and when she received her results the following day, she had failed along with many others.
Sara says, “I let him succeed in scaring me out of the class as I ended up dropping out of Calculus immediately after. From that moment, I realized the difference an educator can make in the success of a student.” She found that if you set a student up for failure, they will fail. However, if you provide them with inspiration and the tools for success then the sky is the limit.
Today, Sara is using the lessons she’s learned growing up to teach Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus at South High School to 9th – 12th graders. “Math is just one of those incredible subjects where ends actually do meet. Where you are given a situation with many different approaches that always lead to one clear answer,” she says.
Sara loves math because it’s all around us and has shaped society. “It is actually connected to our real world and present in many different fields than most truly know,” she says. One way she likes to make class fun for her students is to see these connections in our real world and different career fields.
Sara shares some of the ways her class learns: “For example, I show short video clips and pictures from time to time to open up a lesson. We do a cooling cookie lab when we get into exponential and logarithmic functions and relate the cookies cooling to how our world is cooling exponential. We throw tennis balls and determine the height the ball was thrown through mathematics. We design polynomial roller coasters and sine and cosine Tsunami waves. I try to create as many student-centered lessons as possible so that they are able to discover the concepts rather than being told the concepts.”
She is most intrigued when she sees the light bulbs turn on for her kids, especially with students who have always struggled with math all their lives. She wants others to know that life is definitely not about being perfect, rather about doing your very best and putting in as much effort as possible. “And if you fail then learn from your mistakes…you can only do better from that point on,” she says.
In the next five years, she hopes to treat herself and her family as much as possible. She says that her husband and her have worked extremely hard to get to where they are at and definitely have a long way to go, but finds that it’s okay to take a break every now and then to treat themselves as a family.
They hope to take at least two trips a year to travel and enjoy the beautiful world. She also hopes to pursue a doctorate in Education sometime in the near future if God is willing. When she is not teaching and being a mom, she enjoys it on the couch with a bag of chips in her hand watching a movie or a TV show with her husband.
She finds that there isn’t a single thing not to love about living in the South Bay. “The weather is great, the beach is right there when you need it, there is now an in N out in practically every corner, hundreds of great places to eat at, the malls, freeways, diversity, and convenience of really never having to travel far since you can practically find almost every store you can think of in just one city,” she says.
Thank you, Sara for positively influencing the children of our future to accomplish their mathematical struggles!
“Having had both kinds of teachers and both experiences of failing and succeeding made me realize the importance of an educator and their effect on a learner which is why I decided to pursue a career in teaching. I want to spread knowledge, education, and the beauty of math so that I can hopefully inspire young minds to be great.” -Sara Aloteibi
The other day my client asked me, “Shima, how much money can I get for my home?”
I told him that when a potential buyer is inspecting the value of a home, several factors come into play. Although the market has a huge impact whether a home will sell quick or slow, there are some indications that are always considered.
First and foremost, LOCATION!
One of the most influential factors a buyer will consider when deciding whether to purchase a home or investment is geographical location. You’ve heard it, seen it and even said it, “Location, Location, Location!” Proximity to attractions, transportation routes, schools, demographics, ocean views, fine dining and freeways are all advantages one may take into consideration when assessing the value of a home or business’ location.
Second, PRICE!
In 1950, Pepsi used the slang, “More bang for the buck” as an advertising method to describe the New Look policy on nuclear weapons. Today, the phrase is used to mean a greater worth for the money used.
We all love a great deal, especially in one of our greatest investments we will ever make. People want to know that they’re getting more than they imagined they could ever have and that happens when they feel like the home was a steal. Well, how does this occur?
When a home is strategically priced, people line up, wanting it before it’s gone. And the way to do that is to make sure it is priced to sell!
Third, knowing who is your COMPETITION.
When pricing your home, it’s vital to look at what is currently active, what is pending, what has a backup offer, and what has closed. The active listings are who we are competing with. The pending sales are necessary to see how many days something has been on the market until it has gotten an offer. Closed Sales will test us exactly where our comps will come from- which is typically between the lowest and highest sales.
By understanding WHO the competition is, it is easier to focus on what you have to offer that the others don’t- and that is your power.
Fourth, the CONDITION of your home.
Again, a home or business is a huge investment one makes and the condition will either influence or scare some away. What may seem like a potential fixer to some, may seem frightening to others. So, the condition of a home will influence one’s decision in determining if they will get more bang for their buck!
Last but not least, the CURRENT MARKET.
Current market conditions are gathered from interest rates, stock market, gasoline prices, election-year distractions, global events, and other things going on around us that we basically have no control over. These factors plus seasonal things such as income tax time, holidays, add an unpredictable element to home sales. However, over time, the trend is always upward! As my friend and business partner Tim Marshall says, “I have a saying that the best time to buy is now and the best time to sell is now, because in the long run the trend is always upward.”
As previously mentioned, we all love a great deal. To some, a deal may be getting furniture with the home, a free TV or fridge. To others, it’s simply getting more bang for their buck- which is really just getting something better for the same price.
So when deciding what to price your home, remember these determining factors that will ultimately influence a buyer’s decision. Remember, we’re all out to get the most bang for our buck!
Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s #WCW title belongs to Bonnie Orona who uses her jewelry business to spread awareness and raise money to rescue and aid young children who are facing human trafficking.
Bonnie Orona, grew up in the South Bay and lived in Torrance all of her childhood life. She later graduated from South High and currently lives in Harbor City. Today, Bonnie is a personal stylist and leader for ViVi formerly Cookie Lee Jewelry.
Her duties include selling fashion jewelry, sunglasses, and scarves as well as building a team. “But my biggest passion is fundraising throughout the community and globally. I have a huge heart to give,” she says. A huge heart indeed, as she likes to help many organizations.
Bonnie uses her ViVI business as a way to help different causes. “I set up my jewelry at events or do catalog fundraisers,” she says. At the end of the event, she donates 50% of her sales to the cause. She has found that this is the best way that she can help a cause.
For over three years, Bonnie had a dream to pay for a house to be built on the Thailand/Burma border by Life Impact International. She says her friend has missionaries in Thailand and has been there for over 14 years rescuing kids that are being human trafficked. “I’ve helped on a smaller monetary scale, but when I heard about this land they purchased and how they wanted to build 17 houses…light bulbs went off,” she says.
She knew she had to be a part of building one of the homes. In result, she pasted a picture of the kids and their needs on her vision board. Today, there are only 3 houses left to build. With the help of Bonnie raising money towards these homes, 14 homes have been built.
Once the money is raised, they will be able to build a house where the children can live and know what it is like to live in a more traditional smaller scale family home. “When all of this started, the kids would be rescued and then they would all live in one massive house. Tons of people in one home…like an orphanage. Lana’s vision was for the kids to live more as a family,” she says.
She was inspired to help largely in part to her friend, Lana Vasquez. “It’s crazy to think a gal from the valley of Southern California would give up everything and sacrifice her life to be over there in Thailand, Burma, and China rescuing kids from a life of prostitution and slavery,” she says. She realized she was living a comfortable life with her husband, kids, pool, and beaches. Yet, there are kids afraid for their lives and a young brave woman over there risking it all…giving kids a hope and a dream.
She ultimately decided that if she can be connected to something like that, then she would feel like she has received the ultimate gift. She thought if she can sow into those kids lives, then she can help them to bloom into something pretty amazing. Such as, helping them heal from a scary life.
There are two ways others can help the cause:
They can shop for some jewelry and 50% of their total purchase price will be donated to Life Impact International. Her website is www.bevivi.com/bonnieorona.
They can make a tax deductible check out to Life Impact International and drop it in the mail to:
Bonnie Orona: 26315 President Avenue, Harbor City, Ca 90710.
Bonnie explains that the goal is to raise $21,000 by the last day of February. As of this morning, they’ve raised $800.00.
Bonnie would like people to know that Child Trafficking is not just happening on the other side of the world. She says, “It is happening right here in our own backyard. Kids as well as adults are being purchased for sex acts as well as slavery. It is so sad and disgusting.”
She is often asked why she is helping children overseas and not here in the United States. She says, “Why not raise $21,000 for children locally? Honestly, I do help children locally. Anytime I can help a child here…I will. But there is just something inside of me that has been telling me to be a part of this.”
She follows what she calls “a small voice.” She is open to see who she can help by following the voice she hears. “For me, that still small voice is God. And I desire to please Him. Today I believe a community will come together for a group of children on the other side of the country and God will honor us for that. A bigger blessing will come for some kids or even for someone here in our town that decided to sow into this movement,” she says.
When she is not working or finding ways to raise money for the children, she is a huge supporter for Community’s Child- a nonprofit organization in Lomita that houses women and their children as well as feeds 1000’s of children every week in the Lomita, Harbor City, and Torrance area. In addition, Bonnie is a member of The Harbor City, Lomita Kiwanis an organization that supports the kids in the community as well as globally.
Her duties include reading and fundraising for the kids at Lomita Magnet. She says, “I help anyone that I find needs help and wants my help and honestly anytime I hear someone needs to raise money, I offer to help.” In addition, she is involved with a group of women via Social Media called The Company of Women.
She says that they are a group of women that promote Faith in the field. The “field” could be their home, community, or market place. She has found that the Company of Women has helped her to have the faith and courage to raise this $21,000.00.
Bonnie loves the South Bay mostly for its beaches. “I love beaches so much! I could stay near the coast all day long,” she says. She makes a constant effort to live each day full of Joy and says in the midst of chaos, she chooses joy.
Bonnie, thank you for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community and giving young children hope again through jewels!
“Something has always drawn me into the inner city of the South Bay. I have a huge heart for the homeless community and those that are down and out. Honestly, I just want to make a difference in the community and globally.”
– Bonnie Orona
Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s #MCM title belongs to Aaron Ware who is bringing his discipline and success as an athlete into the workforce all while inspiring kids from the inner city to stick to education.
Aaron Ware, 26, was born in Gardena and raised in Los Angeles. Upon graduating from Bishop Montgomery in 2008, Aaron attended George Washington University on a basketball scholarship from 2008-2012. He chose GW amongst the others because it was the most well-known basketball school and first school that recruited him.
Although initially apprehensive about leaving L.A. to attend college, Aaron’s mother always encouraged him to spend time in another city as well as meet new people. GW began recruiting Aaron in July of 2007 and they stuck with him until he signed his letter of intent to attend the university. “I attended GWU because it was an opportunity for me to attend college in the nation’s capital, as well as grow as a young adult,” he says.
Playing basketball has given Aaron many opportunities that he says he would have never fathomed. “Traveling around the country, staying in 5-star hotels and getting television exposure is something not too many people that come from my neighborhood get to experience,” he says. Furthermore, he was able to learn the business side of college basketball such as, coaching staff changes, early morning film sessions/practices while balancing it with schoolwork allowed him to prepare for life after basketball, in the workforce.
Going to school in Washington, DC gave Aaron many memorable experiences that he will never forget, such as: taking a white house tour, attending President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009, GW basketball’s marketing campaign and an opportunity to play a basketball game in front of the First Family.
Today, Aaron works as an Order Management Specialist, in which he places orders for K-Swiss Sales Representatives from around the country. However, in five years, he hopes to be the Sales Representative for the brand for the Southern California and Arizona area.
Aaron’s passion for shoes led him to K-Swiss when his mom’s best friend, John Porter, saw an opportunity for him to have a career in a business he was knowledgeable in. According to Aaron, Porter has been a sales rep for K-Swiss for over 20 years and is responsible for the Southern California and Arizona territory. He finds that the best part of his job is seeing how each department operates, between operations, product, sales & marketing, etc.
K-Swiss has been in existence since 1996 and is best known for producing tennis shoes and a wide range of apparel including shirts, shorts, and bags. Working at K-Swiss and understanding their “Assembly Line” has helped Aaron realize that when everyone commits time to their assignments, the brand will be successful. Aaron believes that what makes K-Swiss so uniqu
e is that it has remained true to court fitness and style, and will continue to influence young consumers with trends for many years to come.
Transitioning from the sports world into the shoe industry is right up Aaron’s alley, since he knows trends and styles that people love on the west coast. “K-Swiss is a brand that was very popular among our parent’s generation. However, the goal within the next 3-5 years is to sell shoes and apparel that resonate more so with people 13-35 years old,” he says.
Aaron’s plan to do so by being a “walking billboard.” He says that people he is around often are always curious as to what shoes he is wearing. He explains that once they realize he is wearing K-Swiss, they are shocked because the shoes are typically known to be basic, all white and black shoes.
Today, Aaron enjoys playing basketball sparingly, sometimes 3-4 times a month. “I have a few friends that play professionally so when they come home in the summer, I play with them on weekends,” he says. However, he remains very active participating in cardio 4-5 times/week.
Aaron pays it forward to his community by speaking to young boys and girls, especially those who come from the inner city. When given the opportunity, Aaron speaks at basketball camps to children aged 7-12 about the game of basketball, but more importantly, life lessons.
When Aaron is not playing basketball or working, he enjoys watching sports and attending games, mainly basketball, baseball and football. He genuinely loves music of all genres, but mainly listens to hip-hop, R&B and Pop. An interesting fact about Aaron is that he owns over 70 pairs of shoes. He still owns some of his shoes from when he was just two-years-old and still wears shoes from over 10+ years ago.
Aaron looks up to his mother, Shirley Warren and her best friend/his Godfather, John Porter who are both of his greatest mentors. In addition, he admires Doug Mitchell, his high school basketball coach at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance.
Aaron enjoys living in the South Bay mostly for the beach culture, restaurants, beaches, and bars/lounges which he says make it very hip and one of the most underrated areas in the city. He also enjoys going to restaurants around the L.A. area and claims himself to be a huge “foodie.” In addition, he enjoys shopping time to time in the Beverly/Fairfax area of L.A.
Thank you, Aaron, for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community and finding ways to inspire the youth to reach their academic and sport goals.
“I believe I can inspire young people to achieve their goals and encourage them that school is very important. I have been very fortunate thus far with some of my experiences, and I think if I can share my story with the youth, they can visualize themselves becoming successful.”
– Aaron Ware
