You hold degrees in corporate finance and biochemistry. What future did you dream for yourself?
I was one of three sons who immigrated with my family to the United States from Nicaragua. My father told us that unless we figured out a different path in college, we were going to be engineers. My brothers enjoyed it and became engineers. Although I started out in engineering, I didn’t find it interesting. What I did find interesting was biochemistry. I enjoyed working in the research labs but when I finished my degree, I had no idea what I was going to do. I got scared and decided to begin a master’s program in biochemistry. I completed all the courses and did the research, but I fell short of writing a thesis. I didn’t want to spend the extra year because I had realized by then what I wanted to do with my degree, and I wanted to get my career started.
I started working in the research industry, first at Elan Pharmaceuticals and then at Genentech. In the early 2000s the Genentech executive team made Operational Excellence (OE) a key strategy. I worked as part of the first OE team to develop efficiency measures across production operations. This meant I got to learn about the different business lines to manufacture and distribute medicine while coaching leaders to gain efficiencies cross-functionally. Ultimately, we wanted quality medicine to reach patients when they needed it. Working at Genentech made me realize I belonged in science and health care. That’s how I got started in corporate finance. I was fascinated with the numbers and how actions could generate savings. Then I realized I was always going to the finance teams to justify my projects for the return on investment. It was so cumbersome that I thought I would just get a finance degree, and then I could cut out the finance team. I was naïve, and I thought once I got an advanced degree in corporate finance, things would be different. They weren’t. I still needed to go back to the finance team. However, I learned a lot about business acumen and political savviness to balance both the scientific side with the business entrepreneurial side.
How do you keep learning and growing?
Training by itself doesn’t always drive the difference. It’s when you put it into practice and integrate your lessons into your daily life that adds richness. Any experience you have can help you evolve into a better person.
What is the best career advice received?
When I was just beginning my career, a man named Joe Terranova saw something in me and gave me this advice, “Keep doing what you are doing. You are either going to get fired or promoted. If you get fired, you are not where you are supposed to be. And if you stay, you will only continue to bring more benefits.” Be ready! Whatever that means for you. Go to school, volunteer, take an internship. Opportunities won’t look like one. It’ll look like more work and pain, but it leads to better things so don’t be afraid to step into them. And finally, listen to older people who have advice. They have had more life kilometers.
What career advice would you give to your colleagues?
Write your goals. When you write something down, it’s very powerful.
