“Silvia Galaviz with her grandfather, Papá Juan; her grandmother, Francisca Pérez García; and her brother, Juan García Miguel. From Papá Juan, she learned discipline and perseverance. Her success is a tribute to her homeland and the teachings of her people.”
Juan García would wake up every day at 5 a.m. and wouldn’t stop working until late in the day. He worked his small plot of land in Santa Fe, Valle Nacional, in Oaxaca. He grew corn, beans, or coffee—whatever was needed. He was a strong man, both physically and in his convictions. He was also the grandfather of Silvia Galaviz, the owner of Galaviz Printing, a business located in the city of Lynwood.
“I called him Papá Juan. My father worked in New York, and my mother died when I was two months old. My grandparents were also my parents. I learned everything from them,” says Silvia, who is celebrating 15 years with her business.
She also learned the value of hard and disciplined work. From a very young age, she helped Papá Juan carry firewood and with other household chores.
Her grandparents wanted her to become a teacher. From a young age, she showed a love for studying, and by the second grade, she had won an academic scholarship that very few children had access to.
“I read a lot, even as a little girl—those graphic novel-style books that came into my hands, I read them all. Later on, I read books by Carlos Cuauhtémoc, which opened a whole new world for me,” she adds.
However, and perhaps surprisingly, her true passion was mathematics. Her life goal was to continue her education, no matter the challenges.
“My Papá Juan always told me, ‘Fight for what you want to do and don’t let yourself be defeated. I’ll help you,’” she recalls.
“You have to stay positive. Just because things go badly for a while doesn’t mean you should give up on your plans. On the contrary, you have to look at what went wrong”, said Silvia.
A challenge from her grandmother also pushed her to keep studying.
“My grandfather gave me everything, but my grandmother wouldn’t let me do anything. She wouldn’t let me cook or help out. She made me feel like I was good for nothing, which affected me. But it also motivated me to prove her wrong. I saw my grandfather working with such intensity and discipline, and I told myself, ‘If someone his age can work like that, I have no excuse not to.’”
She continued progressing in her studies, finishing elementary and then middle school. She found out that some young people were coming to a nearby town to offer a Microsoft Office course, and she attended. She learned to use Word, PowerPoint, and other programs. Not long after, she began English classes.
“I had to move to the city of Oaxaca. A friend and I rented a tiny room with just two beds. My grandfather hired a woman to cook for us and also helped the other students who were there. He was always very generous,” she adds.
She tried to get into a technical school but couldn’t secure a spot. She still wanted to study, but fate had another path in store for her: she would go to the United States, where her brother and sister lived.
“It was a big change. I missed my homeland, but I knew that Los Angeles had more opportunities to study. I decided to do everything I could to continue studying, even though it hurt not to be with Papá Juan. Every time I called him, I’d say, ‘I’m coming back soon, really soon…’ And he’d tell me, ‘Just don’t do like your brother and sister. They said that and never came back,’” she recalls.
Silvia was his favorite. His little girl.
She improved her English and never missed a single course. She learned how to build computers, install software, and work with other programs.
“I didn’t let any opportunity pass me by. And yes, I always thought of my grandfather. If you could plant beans next to the corn, why not do it? I inherited his discipline,” Silvia says.
She also specialized in graphic design, and that’s when she thought: Why not start my own business?
When she arrived in Los Angeles, she started working at a supermarket and attended adult school in the evenings. After all that, she was ready. One day, she shared her plans with her husband Luis, and he supported her.
“We started with just a computer and a printer. I offered computer services, programming, design… People would see me and many couldn’t believe it. A woman doing that kind of work. Little by little, the business started growing. When there was no work, I’d go out into the streets and hand out flyers. But that hunger to keep learning never left me,” she adds.
The business began to grow, and they acquired more equipment to make stickers, banners, and other services. During the pandemic, when most businesses were closed, she kept working. Businesses and offices still needed her services. Galaviz Printing became the go-to provider for communication materials that businesses used with their clients.
“They needed to communicate whether they were open or closed, when they would reopen, make stickers—everyone was looking for us. It was one of our most positive seasons.”
Once well-established, they began to expand their clientele. They now work with the Lynwood City Hall, the school district, and various events.
“You have to stay positive. Just because things go badly for a while doesn’t mean you should give up on your plans. On the contrary, you have to look at what went wrong, why it happened, and then keep moving forward. For example, right now, everyone says the economy is terrible. I accept that sales are down, so we focus on planning for upcoming events. Now graduations are coming up, then the summer season. We look at what’s trending. Look, Father’s Day is coming—we can make gift boxes, cards, business promotions, so many things. We go out and offer them, and everything else follows,” she adds.
One vital thing for Silvia is talking to her clients, understanding their needs, staying active, and making the most of social media.
“We’ve been in business for 15 years. There are moments when things don’t go the way we want. I might fall, but then I get back up. Defeats are experiences we can learn from. Mistakes are just that—examples that help us do things better,” she says.
Silvia continues to see Papá Juan guiding her path.
“Many people ask me what my family did for a living. They think we were rich. ‘What did they sell?’ they ask. And I answer, beans, corn, coffee. It wasn’t what my grandfather sold that enriched me—it was his discipline, believing in what he did, trusting, and never giving up. That’s what made me who I am,” she says.
Her husband Luis has been working full-time with her in the business for the past two years. Together, they plan, develop, and execute the steps for Galaviz Printing. Silvia is mother to Ashlee, Luis Antonio y Dleon.
“Right now, we’re working hard. We want to grow our online presence, expand throughout the city. We have many plans ahead,” she concludes.
