REINVENT AND UNDERTAKE
(SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES)
Determination, Decision-Making, and Perseverance are the Key to Entrepreneurship.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
And initially for pharmaceuticals, because there were many companies of that type in Puerto Rico at that time. But then I realized that the field was not open to me, no, I did not find opportunities and I gave up on that a bit, I gave up, I decided to evolve and look for other alternatives and I remember when I was finishing my first master’s degree in Quality Engineering, I took a class accounting and I felt quite strange because it was something very different, but at the same time it was very interesting because it was how the business works and I decided that I wanted to do a master’s degree in business.
I always thought it would be a good balance to understand the technical side of the company, but also the business side. Exact. And eventually throughout my career I realized that I could start a business. And that was where then me. I set out to develop myself to start my business.
Denisse
Dan
They sent me to training and the person who was giving the training was a consultant and I got concerned. You just how are you doing today? How can it be? And I remember that throughout that week-long class it was two separate weeks. Every afternoon that we finished the la, the presentation of the class, I stayed with him for an hour and he stayed answering my questions as how it was and how he can and how you alone?
And that, that was amazing. A business lesson, of life, of believing in yourself. And from that moment I said yes I can and yes I will do it, because here one sees many large companies, but he taught me that this person taught me that what really makes the economy here in the United States are small businesses. and not really big business.
For example, 99% of businesses, a very high number, are small businesses, considered small businesses.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Look, I remember when I was on my way back to my house I was driving, I had to drive like five hours and obviously after having that realization, my mind was focused on that all the time and I remember the day the first step was the name , the name of the company, as I remember the day when this is the name and I jumped.
That’s how it was where my company already has a name, I already have a name.
Denisse
Dan
Yes Yes Yes. Because I like that there is a meaning or that there is a type of motivation. In other words, it can not only be for, for money, or yes, obviously businesses are there to provide money and everything, but also one contributes something to society, something valuable that other people benefit from, either for a product, service or an experience that is provided.
That the name came first.
Denisse
Dan
Imagine the memories it brought back.
Denisse
Dan
And I felt like I was exhausted between those years until I rediscovered it with this person. But once I saw that it was possible, it was like a complete commitment that I said eh, that is, whenever, how long it takes. But there I went and from then on I headed my career in that direction, that is, the roles, the types of companies, where I worked, the things I learned, who I looked for, the mentors, who I asked questions.
Everything was everything with that in mind, always from then on.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Exactly, like personal growth. Obviously I saw them as for me, my. My role at that time for the company, but I saw it more as, uh, beyond that, I saw it as the services that I was going to provide to potential clients. Yes, yes, more recently, yes, I have had mentors to start a business, because obviously my area of expertise is not in marketing and sales, since that is an area that I have had to develop outside of, engineering and manufacturing.
And sometimes you have to seek help. Nope?
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
And that was what I discovered with my mentors. Apart from that, identifying your client as clearly as possible is a very valuable form of market, either when you start or start with your marketing message and offer your services. If you talk to the world saying I’m here to serve the world, you’re going to say I don’t know who you’re talking to, but if I do, when your message speaks to that person and says Oh, you’re speaking to me directly, that is , I am the person, for me it is the message, because you are beginning to attract or create interest in them.
And it was with, with the help of my mentors, who your client is, where you have more experience, what is more comfortable, what are you passionate about and what you can offer that part is a little easier, because What I do is very tangible for them, like saying improving efficiency is going to bring more money to their company and so on and so forth.
Exact.
Denisse
Dan
What called your attention? And there you go investigating and you realize. A person told me Look, look, 25 providers and your page was the only one that spoke directly to me, that I said Wow, this person is exactly what I am looking for.
Denisse
And how did you get your first client? What did you feel as well?
Dan
Right now I don’t want to work for anyone anymore. I may or may not have enough experience, but I think I feel like I have enough to add ideas and add value to companies. And then when. When that time came, I made a list of all the people I knew that it might be and I approached that person and coincidentally one of the companies he communicated with needed help and that was the communication.
passed the
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
In other words, when you do a good job and a person sees you, it’s like a form of marketing, because if someone knows another person who has the same need and you see that you do a good job, they can refer you. And so I got almost those two clients were at the same time, a person saw me and told me. Ok, look, I know someone who has been looking for help in this area and he tells me that he can’t find it, he gave me his information and that’s why we didn’t contact and we ended up doing jobs together.
Denisse
Dan
But the first iteration to have something. A friend helped me, he gave me something very simple and with that, with that I started too.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Now I work a little, but now I focus more on leading the company and where we are headed.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Ok, the mind changes, then yes, very difficult, then with marketing. And then I thought ah, look, to a certain extent I do, I’ve already made calls as you say, this cold door and I managed meetings and discussed with people. No, I wasn’t very successful in that area, but what I have found is that the social media opportunity is so great that there is no need to call someone who has never heard of you.
The best way, I think, is to make the approach. Without, without the without starting with calls, but starting with, with content. Let him help you, let him help him contribute. And when the call comes, the person is already better prepared for it. To be more receptive to that call. Okay.
Denisse
Dan
And sometimes, when you are an entrepreneur there are ups and downs, there are times when you feel that you have mastered it, that you are in a good place and there are moments when you feel that way. I don’t know if this will work. I mean, that ups and downs of emotions, especially at the beginning. The first years are the most difficult, I think, because many people regret it and finish and do not close.
And I feel that, thanks to God, I am a very persevering person, but sometimes it becomes difficult for him to believe that you are going to achieve it and that you have to change and improve and make adjustments until you reach the point where you are having little hits. But it is time to have that perseverance, that patience.
I feel like it’s the hardest.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
There is always something and how.
Denisse
Dan
Exact.
Denisse
Dan
And if I offer help to other people because other people can’t help me because I was so reluctant to seek help until eventually I did. And I am so glad I did and continue to seek help. I have mentors and they go to people who have already been through this, who have been able to help me, of course.
Denisse
Dan
I am after years and but when you already achieve it, well, things become much easier, but being like this, being determined, taking action and having that perseverance, I think that have been the things that I have succeeded in plus.
Denisse
Dan
Besides, I have a family, I have a son and obviously I want to set a good example. And this is how I anticipate the moment when it is time to comment on these things, share them with him and teach him these experiences so that he can forge his own path. Whoever it is does not have to be the same as me, but at least it is not because he does not know that he can be a businessman or an entrepreneur, since he chooses his path, but knowingly.
Exact
Denisse
Dan
And that book was very powerful in reaffirming that the mentality of an entrepreneur is different from that of an employee, it does not have. It does not mean that it is better, but different. But there are other programs that there are some programs that have inspired me greatly. Here in the United States there is one called Shark Tank, they make investments and every time I see it and achieve and see a person who, who achieves and grows their business, that inspires me a lot.
There’s another show called The Profit with a guy named Marcus Lemonis. He does, let’s say, something similar to what I do, going into business, the only thing that he invests and helps them. That has been a lot of education. He gives many guidelines on how to make improvements, how to understand business. And recently I discovered a person here called Grant Cardone, that he is an entrepreneur, sometimes a bit aggressive in his sales methodology, and that is why I rejected him for many years.
But lately reading me has made me more open to listening to him and everything he says has really been very inspiring, many things they say.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
I’ve gone into it a lot like you can’t get too excited because I’ve had chances. Clients say yes, let’s go ahead and in the end it doesn’t happen. And I’ve had other failures and neither. I have also learned that it is not the last chance. And as entrepreneurial entrepreneurs we always have more opportunities. We are in control of how to create them, so that gives me a lot of encouragement that there is always something later.
And failures are sometimes the best lessons to learn.
Denisse
Dan
many things that Another person I know launches without that, well he’s going to know and he’s probably going to make a lot of mistakes out there. I would start by identifying who the key customer is, if there really is a market, and how you can help.
Denisse
Dan
Denisse
Dan
Organic wine to us.
Denisse
Dan
And that’s where I started and then I kept looking for my clients at the same time and then I was able to make a profit and. And well, there is already one, continue. But the point is to never stop doing marketing, no matter how busy you are with your clients, you can’t stop. And sometimes that happened to me, that I had clients, I didn’t have time anymore, I didn’t do marketing and well, when those projects were finished, I started all over again.
And that, that’s, that’s not good, not at all.