We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julio Aguirre a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Julio thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

It was roughly 2015, I was at a fork in the road about life. I had a baby on the way, living in my mom’s basement with my then-girlfriend, and at a dead-end job. Internally I felt like I needed to do something more to provide for my future family. We were living paycheck to paycheck and not making ends meet sometimes. It was important for me to get out of this rut that we were in. At the time I was unaware of how to express my needs. I was in a dark place, I needed more and my family needed more. There was an opportunity at work where they provided a discount and tuition reimbursement for more college learning. I had already received a degree in Broadcast Journalism, but I wasn’t using it. I was a Merchandise Manager for our Flooring department. I went in and asked for more information and was immediately hooked. This was the perfect opportunity for me to grow and succeed. What did I want to go back to school for? At the end of the day, what will provide me with more money? What is Business Administration? Sure, let’s do it! Those were questions I asked, for me, all I wanted was a generic degree. A Bachelor in Business Administration sounded really good. I bet on myself! In 2017, I graduated! Ask my mom, I was never good at school, but my teachers were supportive, my girlfriend was extremely supportive, and my family was proud of me. That degree led me to feel confident in leaving the company I was at for 7 years. In 2018 I went to work at Yahoo, doubled my salary, joined a Board, accepted therapy, and created my own brand. I was confident in who I was, I had a meaning, and I was happy. I bet on myself and am continuing to win. Now I have two beautiful daughters, a stable career, and a better awareness of my mental health.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Therapy has been a godsend. I do not take this privilege lightly. The benefits that it has brought me have been astronomical. The person that I am today is because of therapy. in 2017, I was in a dark place. I was not the best version of myself. I knew that I could be doing better. I knew there was someone inside of me that was a brighter person. At one point in life, I thought I wouldn’t make it past 25. My life was dark, my father had just been deported, we were homeless because of it, and my mom had lost everything. My two sisters, my mom, and my dog slept in a one-bedroom shack. I slept on the floor for a few months. My mom worked three jobs to make ends meet. She worked at the grocery store, local hardware store, and as a waitress. I don’t know how she did it, but she made it happen. She was able to buy a house again and provide a roof over her kids. This hardship led me to want to do more with my life, to break the cycle, and to not allow my kids to face that kind of struggle.

I don’t believe I provide a service or product. I just share my thoughts with those who are willing to read about them. I write about my life and my current life struggle. Currently, I am in the process of a divorce, and with two young daughters, I am navigating through a difficult task. I don’t want to scar them with my needs, but I also need to put myself first. I need to feel loved, cared for, accepted, and respected. Those things have been important to me. I am enough. Therapy has allowed me to learn more and more about myself. My writing has allowed me to have an avenue to express myself, to be vulnerable, and to show other men that sharing their feelings is important. I receive messages about my writing and how it provides them comfort to share more with their family. That is why I continue to write. I write for those people who don’t have the opportunity or safe space to share.

I write to express myself. My brand is my person; a father, a son, an incomplete person, a work in progress.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2005 my family and I moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa from Los Angeles, California. I left my friends, my extended family, and my girlfriend. I was 15 at the time and had a lot of learning to do. I went from a community where I felt like one. Seeing my Hispanic family as one. Seeing those people all around. Hearing my Spanish language being spoken daily. it was beautiful. Moving to Iowa was a difficult experience. I was too Hispanic for the white kids, I was too white for the Hispanic kids, it was so hard. I felt alone for most of my high school career. Playing soccer and baseball helped me build relationships with other kids. The best thing is, some of those friendships that were created in my late teens are still going strong today. I appreciate those friendships more than anything.

Life in the Midwest has been a journey within itself. When we moved here my dad had a goal of opening his own restaurant. My mom’s idea was to support him in opening a smaller restaurant, maybe a burger place. But he had his mind made up on opening an Italian restaurant. My parents immigrated from El Salvador in the mid-80s. We are not Italian. But my father worked in the restaurant business all of his life in the US and felt like he knew about Italian food. He ended up opening the restaurant in Council Bluffs, it was successful for a moment, but the city was delaying an alcohol license. this caused an issue with the patrons, my dad thought it was a racist tactic. Im not sure. He had a tricky past.

With the decline in the restaurant, the money my parent poured into it, and the amount it was losing, my dad started to drink more alcohol. He was becoming a different person. There was infidelity, trust issues, and legal issues. My dad was caught drunk driving a couple of times, his residency was taken away, and then he was thrown into jail. He was released. His restaurant closed, and he had to search for his next job to start providing for the family.

I remember this vividly, he was hired at the local meatpacking place, for some odd reason the night before he came home with new knives from work. I think he stole them, I’m not sure. The next morning he was off to quit the job and start a new job at the local Country Club as a sous chef. He made my sister and me some breakfast, he had on his best turtleneck and trousers. He was looking really good. I could tell his confidence level was at an all-time high… He left and never came home.

There was an ICE raid at the meatpacking place and he was caught. Rumor has it, my uncle called the agency to check on this place. I hear that he was jealous that my dad was able to get a sous chef job at the Country Club. My uncle was a partner with my dad at the restaurant. My dad was thrown in jail again and never came back. He was moved to Oklahoma, then Texas, and then deported back to El Salvador. I was 18 without a father. Lost.

I am now 34. Still here. learning from his mistakes.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

“crying makes you look weak”

I’ve been told that all of my life. However, sharing my feelings has provided me with growth and connection.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.slimjimmyproductions.com/
• Instagram: juliodkaguirre
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-aguirre/