Jose Robles

“It’s a great tool. Being able to use a line of credit opens up so (many) opportunities for us to do business.”

Jose Robles

Real American Express® Business Line of Credit customer who was aware that his testimonial may be featured by American Express.

Tools of the trade: Selbor Partners’ growth journey with American Express

When the Texas-based Robles brothers were kids, their passion for turning trash into treasure laid the groundwork for their entrepreneurial journey. From upcycling discarded items from their neighbor’s trash to launching a tool resale business decades later, the Robles brothers have always had an eye for transforming the overlooked into the valuable.

“We’d drive around the night before trash day and see what people were throwing away,” Jose recalls with a chuckle. “Sometimes it was good things like barbecue grills and radiators, or a lawnmower. We’d just spruce up, clean, fix, repaint – and then sell those items at our local flea markets. That was our way of making extra income.”

In June 2020, their childhood hobby blossomed into a full-fledged business venture, Selbor Partners, LLC. It buys pallets of customer returns from partners like big box hardware stores and gives them a new lease on life.

“A lot of those items are either new or like new,” says Jose. The brothers painstakingly test each item and resell them with a 30-day warranty. This venture served as a boon for both professionals and at-home DIY enthusiasts searching for affordable, quality tools – a start-up idea well suited for a post-pandemic environment when many are handling their own renovations. As Jose says: “Tools are for everybody.”

In July 2022, the duo took their venture online with Texas Tool Pallets, their e-commerce platform. The website sells used tools by the pallet, enabling customers to resell in flea markets or online. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” explains Jose. “Returned goods are lesser in price, and this way people get a side-hustle or a way to stretch their dollars.”

Still, scaling the business and managing payments has posed some challenges. Although Selbor Partners experienced significant growth since its founding, certain expenses – like box trucks for delivering merchandise – required extra capital. “We found accessing funding was difficult during Covid,” says Jose. “That was an eye-opener for us.”

Effortless cash flow management

The brothers discovered the American Express® Business Line of Credit in February 2023. “I applied and they approved us very quickly,” shares Jose. The American Express® Business Line of Credit is a product designed to give entrepreneurs flexible access to funding, thereby helping manage cash flow and cover unexpected expenses. It distinguishes itself with its term options and transparent pricing and offers no hidden fees. Its application process is simple and straightforward, allowing customers to concentrate on growing their business.

Jose received the capital needed from their Business Line of Credit. “Our goal is to grow our savings,” says Jose. “And with the line, we don’t have to touch our savings. We just use it, we pay it off, and we only use it when we need it.”

A vital tool for growth

In their journey from neighborhood scavengers to successful entrepreneurs, Jose Robles has harnessed the power of financial tools like the American Express® Business Line of Credit to transform dreams into reality. In turn, with the confidence of having the Business Line of Credit at their disposal, Selbor Partners, LLC has seen renewed cause for optimism. “I’m very proud of our story,” Jose says. “We literally started the business from nothing a few years ago, and now with our line of credit from Amex, we feel open to even more opportunities for growth.”