Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Having a different background makes it easier to have a different point of view, different sensitivities. This is especially valuable when analyzing potential new opportunities and when interacting with other cultures.
I do not consider this a uniquely Hispanic advantage, but rather available to anybody who willing to open him/herself up and truly immerse into a culture other than his/hers.
In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Challenges should not come unexpected. You need to devise a plan and have a course of action before you reach the point you need it. Granted, some situations cannot be predicted, but even then you need to have a broad idea of what to do in such cases; only then you’ll be able to make the right, and sometimes hard, non-emotional- decisions needed in moments of distress.
When things don’t go as expected, I stop and breathe, review what assumption(s) was/were incorrect, and make the best decision that I can at the moment; aware that my decision is only as good as the clarity of my goals and the quality and quantity of information that I have access to at that moment. Once the crisis has been adverted, I review and learn from it.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
Breaking out from the comfort of a “stable” professional life. There was one point in my career, when I was doing Software Engineering work, where my basic professional needs –income, life-balance, career trajectory, etc.- were covered; however something was not right. After some soul searching I realized I was very interested in the marketing and the strategic business aspects of the company and decided to pursue my MBA and do a complete overhaul of my career.
If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I would have taken bigger risks and paid more attention to my intuition.
What was your childhood ambition?
Be an astronaut.
Tell us about three people that you admire?
Sir Richard Brandson
Bill Gates
Pope Francis
For meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch.
What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Time with family and friends.
What is your favorite quote?
“Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little” – John Muir
Is it difficult to be unconventional?
It is not if you truly trust yourself; however it is impossibly hard if you hesitate and try to comply with the status quo.
Biggest mistake made?
Solely doing what I thought was right as opposed to what it felt right.
Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?.
I have an Engineering background, and by definition engineers are innovators, they see the world and constantly find ways to improve it. For me in particular discovering new opportunities, devising new strategies or creating new products and offerings are activities that bring me a tremendous satisfaction in my life.
About the Company
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics and personal computers and services. Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, Microsoft Office office suite, and Internet Explorer web browser. Its flagship hardware products are Xbox game console and the Microsoft Surface series of tablets. It is the world's largest software maker measured by revenues. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies.
Source: Wikipedia
Contact: www.linkedin.com/in/redgo/ http://twitter.com/raulgonz http://blogs.technet.com/b/raulgonz/
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