We recently connected with JJ Ruescas and have shared our conversation below.

JJ, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

The initial days of embarking on what I now know did not resemble the present situation at all.

It mirrors any iterative process, akin to what some people term as craftsmanship.

In 2013, I made a commitment that altered my life: never concluding a single day without dedicating at least 10 focused minutes to learning something new.

However, it wasn’t mere random curiosity; rather, it was structured. Each month, I chose a specific topic to delve into.

All of this was fueled by a yearning for continuous personal and professional growth.

Following this principle, I delved into topics such as running, meditation, breathing techniques, neuroscience, emotional management, etc.

Over time, a desire to share my knowledge with others blossomed, though I was unsure of how to go about it.

Moreover, despite my fear of sharing, as individuals with my type of unorthodox education are often labeled “Jack of all Trades,” I am now grateful that I overcame that fear and took action.

In 2017, I had recently participated in a program called AltMBA by Seth Godin, a four-week program that revealed a different approach to creating lasting change and fostering continuous growth in people.

Inspired by this program, I created my own version of it in Spanish first.

The program was excellent, but the marketing and financial aspects were lacking.

At that time, I worked as a DevOps/Tech Leader in a software company, providing financial stability. All I needed to do was carve out time for my own initiatives and focus on them.

It wasn’t easy, but it was achievable, and the more I worked on my projects, despite suboptimal results, the more confidence I gained.

Fast forward, I began creating more similar programs, all aimed at enhancing personal development from various perspectives.

That’s when I stepped out of my comfort zone, integrating not only the mental aspect of personal development but also the physiological and emotional aspects — areas I had to work on myself until I felt confident in sharing my experiences, tools, and techniques.

While still employed at the software company, I decided to tailor something for company leaders and startup founders in the US. The logic was simple: if I could assist a leader in upgrading, the chances of positively impacting them, their company, clients, and even their family were higher.

I must confess that I dislike the idea of being labeled “a coach.” Even though I employ coaching techniques, I chose to create my own title. That’s when I became a Human Optimization Strategist.

As of the writing of this article in 2024, this identity I crafted allows me not only to work with leaders and amplify the impact I aim to create but also with various individuals seeking practical ways to improve personally and professionally.

Recently I found a quote by Ram Dass that summarizes my current life philosophy: “I help people as a way to work on myself, and I work on myself to help people… To me, that’s what the emerging game is all about.”

JJ, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Human Optimization Strategy is the term I coined to delineate practical methods for enhancing an individual’s physiology, psychology, and emotions.

By amalgamating principles, techniques, and tactics from these three domains, I formulated the HumanOps Framework—a practical guide to personal development. This framework assists in evaluating a baseline and provides effective means to ascend, leveraging a blend of technology and both modern and ancient practices.

I serve three primary client categories.

The first comprises Company and Startup Leaders, with whom I engage in one-on-one sessions. Aligned with the HumanOps Framework, the predominant goal for these leaders is to prevent burnout and attain optimal, sustainable performance. Additional details can be found here: [https://jjruescas.com/high-performance-coaching/](https://jjruescas.com/high-performance-coaching/)

The second category encompasses companies investing in the personal and professional growth of their members. Utilizing the HumanOps Framework, I conduct tailored workshops to address this requirement. Most often, I customize these workshops to enhance content effectiveness and practicality, fostering enduring change in the audience. More info here: https://www.jjruescas.com/workshops

The third category includes individuals seeking to optimize their Nervous System function, achieve mental clarity, and alleviate overall stress. My approach involves leading Breathwork sessions that integrate both modern and ancient techniques. These sessions have led to the establishment of a Research Team within my business, aiming to provide personalized sessions to individuals using technology.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I love this question because it’s the same one I pose on “The Optimizing Me Podcast” ([https://www.jjruescas.com/Spotify](https://www.jjruescas.com/Spotify)).

I dedicated a continuous 7 years to acquiring knowledge, driven by an unyielding obsession.

My motivation stemmed from the desire to establish my own business, contribute to others, and lead a fulfilling life.

However, I didn’t take one single step towards that goal in about 4 years.

As a foreigner residing in the US, I had convinced myself: “Once I attain Permanent Residency, I’ll launch my own business.” However, upon reaching that milestone, I confronted the reality that I had been deceiving myself. The root cause was a fear of truly taking action.

It became clear to me that I had been consuming information under the guise of “not knowing enough to start my own business.”

Recognizing this, I understood the need for a shift in my behavior.

This realization prompted me to compel myself into creating programs, webinars, and courses of various kinds—an active effort to unlearn the ingrained behavior of “not being enough.”

Today, I am immensely grateful for my honesty with myself and the decision to take action despite my own fears.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Consistency and a Continuous Improvement Mindset.

We all have habits, repetitive actions in both life and business.

The manner in which we provide a product or service can be seen as a business habit. However, not everyone possesses an unyielding curiosity to inquire, “How can I enhance this product/service in the next iteration?” That’s the question that consistently occupies my thoughts.

What I’m expressing is not groundbreaking. In fact, this mirrors the behavior of nature.

Aligning myself with nature, I believe, is what fortifies my self-confidence and likely contributes to building my reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jjruescas.com
• Instagram: https://www.jjruescas.com/instagram
• Facebook: https://www.jjruescas.com/facebook
• Linkedin: https://www.jjruescas.com/linkedin
• Twitter: https://www.jjruescas.com/twitter
• Youtube: https://www.jjruescas.com/youtube
• Other: You can use any of the photos in this PressKit https://jjruescas.com/press-kit-eng