Michael Gallegos, Proud Gaucho
As a graduate of Deer Valley High School, Michael had his sights on being the first person in his family to go to college. The route he took and his life’s accomplishments are the result of some interesting decisions. His first being to join the Navy, in part because he wanted to serve his country, but also because he knew it would help fund his college education. After serving for four years, much of that time in Naval Intelligence, he took the next step in his path to success; he enrolled in Glendale Community College. He chose GCC because it offered an affordable way to take his general education classes and earn an associate’s degree, as compared to the high cost of attending ASU West all four years. An added benefit to attending GCC was the opportunity to explore various courses, and that is where he found his passion. “I took an interpersonal communication class at GCC and it changed the trajectory of my life. The instructor and my fellow students really encouraged me, so much so that I changed my major. If it wouldn’t have been for my decision to go to GCC, and the opportunity to take that class, I would not be where I am today.” Stated Michael.
The interpersonal communication class led to his bachelor’s degree from ASU and a career in motivational public speaking and writing self-help books. As successful as Michael was in this career, he had an itch to do more. His next decision was to become a general contractor, working in high-volume remodeling and repair work. While that business was very successful and financially lucrative, he felt it was keeping him from spending time with his daughter. That is where he made another life changing decision, to focus on his family. “I wanted to spend more time with my daughter and teach her how to run a business and I knew she would not be interested in construction, so I did a ton of research and decided to buy a small business called Desert Donuts,” stated Michael. Once he got into the business, he, along with his daughter, saw an opportunity to be much more than a donut shop. With that inspiration, they worked together to create a brand and company culture centered on ‘Share Your Happy’ along with the ambiance of the stores, inviting customers to sit, relax, enjoy a cooked-to-order donut, and escape the craziness of the world for a while.
Proof that the concept is successful is the fact that they now have three stores in Arizona and Colorado, with plans to expand through franchising. “One of our core franchise requirements is charitable giving. We want our customers to know that every time they enjoy one of our donuts, they are also supporting worthy causes.”
For now, Michael is happy to be working alongside his family, teaching his daughter how to be a responsible business person, and giving back to the community. All which can be attributed to a series of decisions, one of the critical ones being to attend Glendale Community College.