Interview with Juan Rosario
by Luis D. Cubero
Juan Rosario is the owner and founder of various technology businesses including Animate Marketing, PRCS Computer Services and www.mitecnicodepc.com. He has been a computer system professor for five universities and a curriculum designer for 15 universities in Puerto Rico & US. He is also a certified computer technician and worked in the past for Compaq Computers and Nabisco Royal.
Juan, you were a technician before. Now you are responsible for starting various technology businesses. Tell us a little bit about that transition and; why you decided to start your own business?
The transition process is hard, but possible. The first thing you need is to have faith in yourself and in the business that you are going to develop. Then, you must combine your faith with passion and commitment, because from day one you will need to work very hard. In addition, you will need to make a financial investment and have a backup plan for health insurance, etc…
I decided to start my own business, because I wanted the freedom of being my own boss and the opportunity to reach the financial independence I always wanted.
Did you face any challenges in starting any of your businesses?
Yes. A lot of challenges; like for example:
– Governmental regulations, patterns and permits.
– Competition
– Changing conditions in the market.
I know you have use sales teams to promote your products. What characteristics do you look for when selecting the members of your team?
I look for:
– Integrity and responsibility
– The ideal member must be persistent and tenacious
– The ideal sales member is a person who follows the action plan on a daily basis.
One definition of leadership is the ability to influence people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization. How important is leadership for you; and how you motivate your team?
Leadership is extremely important for me. To motivate my team:
– I begin every week with an inspirational speech. I like to present to them real examples about how to deal with life tribulations or how to have the correct perspective under difficult situations.
– Also, I use a monthly questionnaire that allows me to know what my sales team considers important.
– I’m in continuous communication with them.
– I set weekly goals and challenges and call them to take actions.
– I provide the necessary training and tools for them.
– I provide support when a member is not performing well
– And I like to give credit for a well-done job and bonuses when special goals are met.
Could you describe us how’s a typical day for you?
I begin everyday giving thanks to the Great Creator of the Universe for the gift of life and I declare favor and mercy over my life, my family and my business. Then, I have good breakfast with my wonderful wife. After that, I go to my office and review my to-do list and give any instructions to my sales team if necessary. Then, I start working on what needs to be done for that particular day, until noon; because I always like to have lunch with my wife. Later, I continue working until 5:00pm and finally go back home with my wife to share some good time together.
What kind of education or training would you recommend to a person who wants to start his or her own business?
I would recommend college or university courses in entrepreneurship, because the person will learn quickly the business principles and probably would be more successful than taking informal training.
Anything you would like to say to those looking for a career in the technology world?
Becoming successful begins with faith, you need to believe in your-self and always declare positive over your business. However, faith alone is not good enough; you will also need a business plan with its corresponding action framework, and the proper training, which in the technology industry never ends. You will need to read and practice with new technology, virtually every day. In addition, you need to be responsible with your clients and supportive with your employees.
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