BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Well known family business blesses faith-based nonprofits by giving back B Y D E N I S E R. MAR COS
Turning Fear into Faith Trusting the Lord in times of uncertainty or hardship requires an immense amount of faith. Kelley Martinez, vice president of Mr. W Fireworks, and her family know firsthand the peace giving God control can have on your life.
I believe our success is a direct result of putting God first and integrating our faith in our work, through which we have continued to grow,” Martinez testified. “Mr. W Fireworks may be family-run, but we know that God owns our business.” Several years ago, the generations-old company faced an uncontrollable adversity. The months-long drought that spread across the state brought the realization that could impact the prosperity of Mr. W significantly. With the days leading up to opening day, the looming unpredictability drew Martinez to turn to deep intentional prayer. She started a prayer event that gathered employees and their families to pray for the business and the trials they saw coming ahead. The following fireworks season, when they were expecting the worst, they had their best season ever. Despite their success since that time, Martinez continued to host the event. “If you only pray when you are in trouble, then you are in trouble. I have seen how powerful prayer is. How we should trust and include God, not just in our daily lives, but in our work as well,” Martinez said. “We open our event
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with, “Where two or more come together; He is there with us.” The feeling we get when we pray is amazing. The Holy Spirit is so present.”
SHARING GOD’S GIFTS The Reason Exclusive, potential, FUN! With nothing more in mind than simply building a business from something that people could enjoy. The Start In 1963, off US Hwy 90 located just outside of San Antonio, two good friends got together and opened their first fireworks stand. The humble wood construct was an entity representative of the values the two men held dear––community and celebration. More than 50 years later, the family-owned business still operates off of those principles. In 1965, just a couple years after their kickstart operation, the two thought they would find greater success if they had more locations. They opened 18 more stands across the city and the surrounding area and divided it among the two of them. It was then that Mr. W Fireworks was created. The Growth Presently Mr. W Fireworks, incorporated in 1972, has more than 400 stands and 150 indoor stores across three states, staffs more than 25 employees year round and has partnered with more than 200 ministries and churches throughout the years. The Experience Kindness, compassion, humility are just a few words that describe the experience you get when you visit a Mr. W stand or store. But it's their everyone-is-family mentality that keeps customers coming back year after year, w w w.saBe acon.com
celebration after celebration. The Mr. W family is mindful of providing the best quality products for the best price and pass these savings on to their customers. “We try to stay consistent and give the customer a great experience. We are a familyrun business and make the stores a familyfriendly atmosphere,” Martinez said. The Difference The company saw such great success that they felt called to share those blessings with others. Since opening their first indoor superstores in 2003, Mr. W Fireworks has partnered with churches and ministries as an avenue for the entities to fundraise. “We have always used and promoted nonprofits but the real success and partnership came when we were able to sell out of indoor stores,” Martinez noted. “It helped the churches and other nonprofits to have an indoor, air-conditioned store and they had the help to staff them.” That year, with big plans to open four new indoor stores, Mr. W faced big hurdles and their dreams to open did not look bright. But, the family’s faith and trust in the Lord prevailed. They prayed fervently for an answer—a miracle. “God answered our prayers in a mighty way and we were able to open three out of the four new stores,” Martinez said. “We then dedicated the stores back to God and partnered with Christian entities to help them raise money for their work.” In addition to being an outlet for the nonprofits to fundraise, Mr. W gives back a percentage of all sales as a thank you for the ministries’ service to the community.
D e ce m be r 2020 / J a n u a r y 2021
