Growing up in Miami, Gaston Rossato ‘08 was surrounded by family and business. From Argentinian and Italian decent, his close-knit family emigrated from Argentina to Miami in the early 80’s and in no time, the family and business were growing in size.
Gaston observed his entrepreneurial father build a successful career in the automotive industry. At a young age, Gaston’s own entrepreneurial spirt was starting to take flight. From flying a Cessna 150 single-engine plane to selling autographed baseball cards at school, passion and business came naturally to him.
At 9 years old, Gaston was ready to put his own entrepreneurial skills and sense to the test. He noticed a neighbor’s for sale sign on a 1981 Toyota Corolla Coupe S-speed. The neighbor asked for $200 but a negotiating Gaston offered $100 for the car. He convinced his father to loan him the money and after some polish and detail, Gaston sold the car for $250, allowing him to pay back his father and make a profit. This foreshadowing experience moved Gaston to work side-by-side with his dad.
Coming from a family of Panthers, Gaston was drawn to FIU’s prestigious College of Business. “FIU provided me with the valuable foundation in business. My classes in finance, marketing and strategy prepared me for my career today,” shared Gaston. He studied and worked full-time and credits this co-curricular experience for giving him an unstoppable approach to business.
One of his most memorable experiences at FIU was working on a Chevrolet campaign as part of his involvement with the American Marketing Association. Alongside one of his favorite classmates, Luis Brignoni, who later went on to create Wynwood Brewing with his family, Gaston frequented the Green Library and enjoyed concerts on campus.
Today, Gaston is the President and Founder of The Barn Miami, an online auto boutique dealing with specialty vehicles ranging from antiques to exotics. Gaston still works side-by-side with his father, Lucas, and together they help preserve the love of cars through e-commerce for current and future generations. “My clients range from individuals looking for a car that their grandfather drove or the car they always dreamed of. Cars are my passion. I was able to turn my passion into my business and am grateful I also get to help others fulfill their own dreams.”
Gaston never stops learning. He is always studying the market-from inventory, demographics, and blogs. “The best advice I can give to other entrepreneurs is to go with your gut and take calculated risks. When you love something, you believe in it. You put the work in it takes to build your business.”
