Member Spotlight: San Elijo & San Marcos VIP
Name of business/organization: San Elijo & San Marcos VIP
First and last name: Maggie Slater
Name of owner(s): Maggie Slater
What is your role in your company? Founder
Location of business: San Marcos, CA
Business website: VIPShopLocal.com
Business Instagram handle: @SEHVIP
How long have you been in business? Our parent company, Aliferous Technology, has been in business for six years, but the VIP Platform started during COVID almost three years ago.
What does your business do? The VIP platform connects local businesses and the residents who are eager to shop local and keep dollars in our community!
What services and/or specialty products do you provide? Our free app can be downloaded by any resident in either San Elijo Hills or San Marcos and gives you access to special deals just for residents!
How long have you been in business at your current location? 3 years
What sets you apart from others in your industry? We are built for the community, by the community. We are heart-centered and strive to help businesses succeed first with the success of their community members.
What question are you asked most frequently by clients / prospective buyers? Usually we are asked why we began our journey, which is my favorite story to tell!
What is your favorite business success story? So many businesses that our team speaks with tell us the story of why they started their own small businesses, and it’s INCREDIBLY inspiring. We love to be able to bring those stories forth when showcasing each business’ products and services, so a more personal connection can be made between customer and business.
What motivated you to join The San Marcos Chamber? I didn’t know ANYTHING about what the chamber could do and wanted to learn more. Our team suspected that they could connect us with businesses we did not know about that could use amplification via our platform, and they absolutely delivered! We are so pleased to connect with new businesses, friends of the chamber and local government via their introductions.
As someone doing business in San Marcos, what are you looking forward to accomplishing with the Chamber? I look forward to continuing to connect and grow as a business to serve our community and participate in more chamber events in the future.
What’s your best piece of business advice? My best piece of business advice is to always persevere, no matter what, and to trust your gut. Your instincts are an amalgamation of your life experiences and learnings throughout your lifetime, and it will serve you well in decisions big and small. Also, while owning your own business is usually labeled as “not for the weak of heart,” I truly feel that a more accurate statement of the small businesses in our community are “heart-centered leadership.” Aliferous Technology & VIP Platform Technology are so pleased to be a part of this community!