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Frederick man opens online business amid COVID-19 pandemic
//October 6, 2020
Coming from a family of immigrants, Javier Folgar’s dream was to open his own business and was not going to let anything get in his way.
Including a pandemic.
The Frederick resident launched TOA Waters – It was named after a river in Cuba to honor his heritage – and offers a line of premium foams baths for the rugged individual. Folgar said there are so many companies out there only focused on products that smell like a bouquet of flowers, so he wanted to offer something different.
Getting to the point of virtually opening his doors was no easy task. Suppliers were short in stock, banks were hesitant to offer startups lines of credit and there were massive delays in shipping. Plus, there was his day job.
With more than a decade of experience, Folgar is the director of communications for Bat Conservation International, an organization dedicated to ending bat extinctions worldwide. He received a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Rutgers University and earned an MBA from Montclair State University.
Folgar said he moved to Maryland to pursue a career in conservation. Protecting wildlife and the country’s natural and cultural resources is important to him. Even with the start of the company, he still plans on doing his part to protect the environment.
