My history in 5 minutes...
Confort zone? What's that?
I grew up in Havana, Cuba, as the son of Cuban and Spanish parents who taught me to be a very traditional man, who values honesty and family above all. As a teenager, I moved to Madrid, Spain, to follow my dream of becoming a video game designer, leaving behind my childhood friends and most of my family. But things did not work out as I hoped, and that's when I took another leap of faith and immigrated to USA, country where I obtained permanent residency without much difficulty because of my half-Cuban nationality. This part of my story reveals who I am: A person who chases their life goals with determination and courage, and is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone.
Survival of the fittest is
I faced many challenges when I moved to the U.S. and tried to pursue a career in the gaming industry. One of the biggest hurdles was the language barrier. To overcome this, I enrolled in several English programs while looking for jobs that matched my skills at the time, but without success. Since i was not the type of person who waited for stars to align, i took action and decided to change my entire professional strategy to suit my new situation. Waiting in uncertainty has never been my way of doing things. That's when I applied for the position of installer helper at Sheet Metal Technology, a HVAC hispanic contractor based in Kissimmee.
Turning lemons into lemonade
What some see as starting from scratch, others view as an opportunity for rebranding. Observing a lack of professionalism and commitment in my spanish-speaking work environment, I quickly connected the dots and concluded that if I brought those elements to the table, it would be a valuable asset in a relatively short time. That's when I started pursuing HVAC micro-certifications and immersing myself in industry-related content. Pursuing excellence in what I do has always been my strategy for setting myself apart, and here was no exception. I was determined to be HVAC mechanic, then Lead Installer, and then Foreman.
Merging my skillset
Despite charting a new professional course in the construction industry, I didn't feel entirely comfortable abandoning my previously acquired skills; after all, I saw them as untapped potential. These skills included extensive office proficiency, marketing and branding, typing, and agile collaboration. In response to the introspective question of how I could apply that knowledge to the construction industry, a revealing -still logical- answer emerged: "Construction Project Management". Once the excitement went off, I realized that programs of this kind were not cheap. Luckily, it's the digital age.
Management beyond work
I took the 6-month specialized project management program provided by Google, and i have to confess this choice reshaped my outlook on life. While delving into its modules, I recognized the genuine potential of transforming ideas into tangible realities. By the time I completed the program, not only had I submitted a project proposal to my company, but I had also aligned my life with OKR goals, timelines, and milestones. My company rejected the proposal truth be told, but I harbored no resentment in my soul neither frustration nor demotivation. Learning from failures is an integral part of growth, and I had only just begun.
Leaving nothing on the table
Fun fact: 80% of a project manager's job revolves around communication. When I completed the specialized program, I found myself face to face with my old nemesis: the English language. After all, how could I expect to coordinate teams and handle conflicts and expectations if I couldn't understand and express myself effectively? This time, I was determined that things would be different. I enrolled in a 300-hour university program for B2 proficiency, and stepping out of my Hispanic comfort zone, I applied for a position in a company with a 100% English-speaking staff. Yes, I did ask about that detail in the interview.