Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Martinez.
Hi Christian , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my journey at around 10 or 11 years old, washing cars for my parents and neighbors in a small community of just 25 houses. One weekend, one of our neighbors “Albert”—who worked at a one-stop vehicle shop brought a window tint installer to work on cars in the neighborhood. I was 13 at the time, and I spent the entire weekend watching the installer work. I was fascinated by the transformation and the precision of the process. That weekend sparked something in me. I fell in love with window tinting.
Not long after, I asked my dad if I could remove the professional film on one of his vehicles and redo it myself using store-bought tint. He agreed, and that became my first car ever tinted. Believe it or not, that car still have the same tints 23 years later.
From then on, tinting became my passion. I practiced throughout school and college, but always treated it as a hobby. It wasn’t until 2010 that I landed my first job at a tint shop under someone I now call my ‘industry dad “Ricky” He took me under his wing and helped refine my skills. I worked for two other shops after that before opening my first tint shop in 2013 in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The business grew quickly, and within 3 years, I had to move to a bigger location twice.
Then came Hurricane María in 2017 and everything changed. The storm devastated Puerto Rico and shut everything down. My business, like so many others, was forced to start from zero. At that point, I had been married for 10 years, and my son was 9 years old. I had a family to take care of, and the pressure to provide was heavier than ever.
My wife was working long shifts as an ER nurse, doing her part and more every single day and I knew I had to do something. It was a hard time for all of us, not just financially but emotionally too.
During the recovery, I saw U.S. Army helicopters flying over, rescuing people, delivering supplies, and helping communities rebuild. Watching them in action lit something in me. I wanted to be part of that to serve, to make a difference, and to give my family the security they deserved. So I made the decision to join the Army. I became a helicopter mechanic and eventually a MEDEVAC crew chief. It was one of the hardest but most rewarding choices of my life and it shaped me into the man and leader I am today.
Today, after years of serving and learning, the support of my wife and son, I’ve returned to my roots. I now own a growing business where I offer not only window tinting, but wraps, custom printing, and more. Everything I’ve been through—from that first weekend watching a tint job, to rebuilding after disaster, to flying MEDEVAC missions—has shaped who I am as a man and business owner.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. The road has been anything but smooth, but every bump shaped who I am today.
One of the first challenges was simply getting started. I was a kid teaching myself how to tint windows with department store film, using trial and error as my only teacher. There were no YouTube tutorials or online courses back then just curiosity and determination. Later, when I started working professionally, I had to earn my place in shops where experience and speed mattered. I was hungry to learn, and fortunately, I found mentors who saw my passion and helped me grow.
Opening my first shop in Puerto Rico was a huge leap. It was scary, but I was blessed with great community support. Within six months, business was booming and I had to move to a bigger location. But then Hurricane María hit in 2017. It wiped out everything—not just for me, but for most of the island. People lost homes, power, and peace of mind. In that moment, it was hard to sell any service, let alone something like window tinting.
That storm shifted my perspective. Watching Army helicopters rescue and support our people inspired me to serve. So I joined the U.S. Army, became a helicopter mechanic, and eventually a MEDEVAC crew chief. That came with its own challenges—military life is demanding, and balancing service with personal goals isn’t easy. But it made me stronger, more disciplined, and more resilient.
Rebuilding my business after years in uniform has been another test of patience and hustle. But I’m still here, still grinding, and now using all those experiences to build something bigger than just a tint shop, it’s a brand built on passion, persistence, and purpose.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
CR Auto Tint is more than just a tint shop, it’s the result of over two decades of passion, hands-on experience, and a deep commitment to excellence. We specialize in high-performance window tinting, vehicle wraps, and custom printing solutions for both personal and commercial needs. Whether it’s ceramic film for maximum heat rejection, a sleek full-body wrap, or branded graphics for business vehicles, we bring vision to life with precision and pride.
What sets us apart is our attention to detail, our passion for the craft, and the personal connection we build with every customer. Every car we touch is treated like it’s our own. I’ve been in this industry since I was 13, and I bring that same energy, curiosity, and drive into every project today.
I’m most proud of how the CR Auto Tint brand represents resilience. We’re not just here for cars, we’re here for people who want quality, creativity, and honesty in a shop they can trust. Our customers come back because they know we care about the end result just as much as they do.
We also understand that vehicles are personal — sometimes they’re your pride and joy, other times they’re your business card on wheels. That’s why we go beyond tint and wrap: we offer commercial solutions like window perfs, magnets, decals, and custom prints that help local businesses get seen and grow.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
People often ask me why I chose the name CR Auto Tint. The ‘C’ stands for Christian, my name, but the ‘R’ holds even deeper meaning. It stands for Ruben Martinez, my late brother. He passed away when I was 18 and he was just 21. Ruben wasn’t just my older brother, he was my best friend, my role model, and my number one supporter in everything I did. His loss on February 2nd, 2008 changed my life and my entire family forever.
When it came time to name my business, I knew I wanted to carry his name with me in everything I built. So CR Auto Tint was born — not just as a brand, but as a tribute. It’s a daily reminder of where I come from, who believed in me first, and why I keep going.
And to honor him even further, I’ve chosen February 2nd, 2025 — the anniversary of his passing — as the official grand opening date for my new shop here in Raeford, North Carolina. It’s more than a date to me. It’s a celebration of legacy, love, and the belief that family lives on through the work we do.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crautotint/?__pwa=1
- Facebook: CR Auto Tint
