Today we’d like to introduce you to Jo Oliva.
Hi Jo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Cuba and came to America as a child. As an immigrant my family did not have any money for college and I struggled a lot when I was young. After high school I went straight into the work force and started my career in the signage industry. When i first began my career I was strictly a production and manual labor employee. As I learned more about the industry my employer took notice of my drive and the quality of my work. He then offered me a position in the sales team and given my extensive knowledge of the products and the industry I quickly became successful in sales. After 15 years in sales and 8 years in production I decided that being an employee was not something I wanted to do anymore but before I could strike out on my own I attended and graduated from college as a cloud and networking engineer. I did this because I saw the opportunity in the market to provide network IT services. At the time I had transitioned into selling digital signs and video walls, so the addition of IT services felt like a natural step in my career and business plan. In 2025 I started AV-IT Solutions a company that provides digital signs, electrical signs, IT services and security systems.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. There have been many obstacles along the way. Banks don’t usually give loans to new businesses without any collateral, so I had no loans or funding from any outside sources. I have built everything from the ground up by myself. Many times i had to eat ramen noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The most difficult part is staying self motivated because no one believed in me.
As you know, we’re big fans of AV-IT Solutions. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We sell and install digital signs, video walls, AV systems, security systems, electrical signs and we provide IT services. Our specialty is digital signs and video walls. Our expertise and consultative techniques is what sets us apart from the competition. I am most proud of some of the projects we have completed and contracts we have won, specifically our biggest contract with Miami Dade County Schools. Your readers should know that we offer a solution that is custom tailored to their needs. We don’t push anything the client doesnt need, even if that means that we sell nothing at all. An honest relationship with our client is the most important service we provide.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has played no part in my life or business. Everything we have achieved has been through hard work and effort. Sometimes it feels like the universe is against us, but our work sets us up to succeed.
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