As a student at Citrus College, Rolando Robles ’22 planned to continue working with the high school girl’s basketball team he coached after graduation. When he made a friend who attended Azusa Pacific University just down the street from Citrus, Robles was encouraged to read the Bible, beginning his faith journey and the start of new career goals. Robles transferred to APU and studied kinesiology with an emphasis on teaching physical education.
After graduation, Robles realized that being a PE teacher was not all that God was calling him to do. He continued to work as a coach and for a floor cleaning company where he had worked throughout college while he figured out what he wanted to pursue. A negative work environment at the cleaning company pushed Robles to start his own business. After saving up money for his own equipment, Fresh Floors opened in October 2024. “What separates my company from other businesses is that I lead with my faith through my actions,” Robles said. “When I walk into a client’s house, I try to show them God’s goodness through my energy and being a light wherever I go.” Fresh Floors provides customers with high quality carpet, tile, and upholstery cleaning with a positive attitude and a family like company-client relationship.
Robles had to research how to apply for a business license, get business insurance, and register with the state, and the more he persevered, the more confident he became. While turning a part-time college job into a career was not what Robles was expecting, he decided to take a leap of faith. “I started developing a sense of identity in the work I was doing,” he said. “I enjoy transforming things to make them better than they were before, and I love watching clients’ reactions when they walk in and see how much of a difference there is in their home.”
Robles said that he learned to enjoy the hard work that comes with providing excellent cleaning services as well as how to run a successful business through the values he gained while attending APU. “In the business world, there will be challenges, but you have to have faith and trust that you’ll get through the tough times,” he said. “If you truly want to pursue something for the right reasons, you will stick with it, and that’s something APU helped me understand.”
With a growing list of customers and a new focus on growing their following, Robles’ hopes and goals for his business continue to build as well. “I’m not looking to gain recognition as a business owner, but my hope is that the company is one that people choose because of our results and the customer experience we provide,” he said. “We are always friendly by bringing our faith into action and detailed in providing the highest level of service.” Robles’ commitment to his faith is bolstered by his continued support for APU and dedication to tuning into every chapel service on YouTube. “Chapels were my first experience with what church and worshiping God in community could be, and that was a big moment of change in my life,” he said. “I don’t know where I would be without the experiences I had and values I learned at APU.”