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

Wiley, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success requires a combination of determination, resilience, and adaptability. It commands a clear vision, defined goals, and unwavering dedication toward accomplishment. The ability to learn from failures, persist through setbacks, and continuously improve is crucial. Building meaningful relationships, staying open to new ideas, and embracing change are as important as cultivating self-discipline and managing time effectively. A make-moves mindset and the courage to take calculated risks propels one towards success. Prioritizing health, both physical and mental, is the key to building sustainable success. Ultimately, success is a personalized journey resulting from consistent effort, a willingness to learn, and the ability to develop in a constantly changing world.

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.

Wiley Cortez was born and raised in Southern California and is an entrepreneur and confidence coach with over a decade of experience. After becoming an entrepreneur at a young age, Wiley learned the challenges and obstacles that can present themselves on the road to success in business. Wiley is also married to Rachael Cortez, and together they have a beautiful daughter named Sicilly. But things were not always this glamorous for him. Wiley used to live on the streets of Los Angeles, CA, in the 90s for some time, experiencing everything from gang violence to drug trade to county jail. Usually, people that live through this lifestyle get blacklisted from entering the business world. Still, Wiley always retained his vision for a better life and reached a critical breakthrough that allowed him to push forward through life and slowly attain this level of success. Flashing forward to today, he now owns a few multi-million dollar businesses.Wiley Cortez is Co-Founder and Sales Director at PRICOR Tech, leading Seattle’s underground plumbing and piping construction. Another business Wiley co-founded is called Go BlueLight, which is a Seattle-based full-service home provider that is available 24 hours a day. Wiley also founded Dominate Don’t Compete in 2015, successfully scaled the business as a CEO, and sold it in 2020 with a clean exit.Lastly, Wiley Cortez is also the Founder and CEO of Make Moves Not Statements. Here, Wiley has committed his life to helping others design an unimaginable life built on a firm Foundation, which brings Confidence and a lifetime commitment to fulfill your purpose. Wiley believes that “for actual change and success to begin, we must first begin transforming who we are from the foundation of our current reality.”Wiley models his success after and looks up to people who follow similar life paths. Specifically, the people who came from the streets and ultimately created legitimate success in the world of economic productivity. When asked about how he changed the most in terms of upgrading his lifestyle and personal success, Wiley said:“I’ve changed by investing in self-development that has allowed me to build and grow my team(s) to create a successful business, Make Moves Not Statements.”One of the most exciting things in Wiley’s journey was his decision to move to Seattle for a while because of some trouble in Southern California. However, this decision was incredible for two reasons: the first was that it allowed him to escape from an unnecessarily stressful situation, and the second was that Seattle ended up being where one of his businesses would be birthed.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Establishing a social media presence requires a strategic approach that aligns with your goals and target audience. Creating clear and consistent content that resonates with your audience’s interests, needs, and preferences is crucial. Engaging with your followers by having meaningful conversations, responding promptly, and offering value through informative or entertaining posts helps build a loyal community. Understanding their unique dynamics and utilizing analytics to refine strategies are essential for optimizing your presence. Authenticity, transparency, and staying true to your brand and values are key to creating trust and credibility, forming a successful social media presence.

Any advice for managing a team?

Effectively managing a team and sustaining high morale involves a balance of leadership, communication, and empathy. A strong leader encourages trust and transparency, empowering the team to contribute their best. Open communication facilitates understanding, alignment with goals, and sharing of ideas. Recognizing and appreciating individual and collective achievements increases morale and motivates the team. Providing constructive feedback and support while encouraging growth and skill development produces a positive environment. Understanding each team member’s strengths, challenges, and aspirations allows for individual support and encouragement, fostering a sense of belonging and value. Additionally, promoting a healthy work-life balance and a positive workplace culture contribute significantly to sustaining high morale within the team.

Contact Info:

• Website: wileycortez.com
• Instagram: wiley_cortez
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wileycortezbrands
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/wileycortez
• Youtube: youtube.com/channel/wileycortez