San Fernando Valley Business Journal Special Report: 40 Under 40 40 Valley Professionals Who Don’t Let Age Get in Way

By JASON SCHAFF

Marc Acosta-Rubio used $70,000 from his mother’s life savings in 1998 to start Chatsworth-based Onestop, a computer peripheral company. The firm is now headed for $8 million in sales this year – and Mom was paid back long ago.

In fact, Onestop has grown 60 percent to 80 percent every year since 1998. The Venezuelan-born entrepreneur’s secret. In talking with him, it seems his driving factors are learning how to master of the art of selling, a positive mental attitude and a strong desire for personal growth. “I believe that no matter who you are you genuinely can get better,” Acosta-Rubio, whose company donates a portion of its proceeds to the American Cancer Society and makes many other contributions to charitable causes, none of which he will mention claiming that the highest form of giving is one without recognition. Acosta-Rubio came to this country in 1977 and graduated from UCLA in 1992. He went to law school by dropped out.

“What I wanted to do was become and entrepreneur,” he said.

An avid reader and listener to personal growth tapes and CDs, Acosta-Rubio eventually studied the art of selling after stumbling badly in his first attempts. “The only thing I had in my favor was I was teachable,” he said.

But the tough days of eating “spaghetti and ketchup” are behind him now. He hopes to build a $100 million company within five years. How? “Always take action,” he insists.