Meet Hanz Cortes | Engineer & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hanz Cortes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hanz, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
To stay true to myself and my values as a human being.

There have been challenging moments that required deciding between two paths:

– One leading to very appealing outcomes or quick and easy success, but requiring me to “fit into the mold”, be someone else, or even compromise my values. The easy hike, if you will.
– Another one leading to stunning results, clearly after tons of hard work and obvious delayed reward, but without the expectation to be some way or think differently to cater to anyone. The steep mountain, if you will.

Needles to say, the strenuous trail that keeps you true to yourself has always been the most rewarding one, with the most beautiful views.

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way? What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Act one – The Shock

I was sitting in front of the interviewer, feeling confident. I checked all the boxes in the job rec and nailed every single question they asked. Pretty rare for a recent college grad in Mexico City. I was starting to envision how awesome my future seemed after a few months in my new job, all the debts I would be able to pay off, the stability, those rad shoes I always wanted to… Suddenly, I was interrupted by the interviewer, “it seems that you’re all set! We’ll just need you to cut off your dreadlocks before your starting date. We’ll see you then!” I was shocked! I knew I needed to do something about it or say something at the very least. But… what?! I’d never experienced nor felt anything like that before. I remember I took a deep breath and started speaking my mind, “Well… If you find someone else with the qualifications you need for the job, feel free to reach out to them. Otherwise, call me if you want to hire me. I’m not cutting off my dreadlocks”.

Act two – Enough is Enough

They ended up hiring me, but I knew from the beginning that it wouldn’t be the right place for me. Though, I really needed the money. My family needed it, so I had to suck it up and make an effort. At least my soul was still in its place… I don’t remember exactly what triggered my need to go to my office, lock the door, and start sending my resume to all the tech startups of my dreams — shooting for the stars if you will. It might have been one of the unapologetic entitled people I had to deal with or the anxiety that having a poorly paid but highly demanding job was generating.

Act three – A New Beginning

I was stepping down from a bus at a public transit terminal when I received a phone call. THE phone call. It was a person from a tech startup in San Francisco, CA, letting me know they were interested in having a series of interviews with me. They thought I was the perfect fit for the position to which I submitted my resume. I was ecstatic! I still remember the looks of people thinking I was going nuts after I hung up and started jumping and yelling at the sky, “yes, YES!”. This was the inflection point I was hoping for, waiting for, working for. Someone I admire once said that “luck” is a close friend of “action”, as most of the time, you get what you actively pursue instead of getting it by plain luck. I understood what they said on a more profound level at that moment.

Final Act – Fast Forward

Nine years later, I find myself working remotely in a senior position for another tech startup from Longmont, CO. Settled in a townhome with my wife and our two cats. The hardest challenges I’ve had to overcome are:
– Being away from my family and friends
– Getting used to a completely different world, culturally speaking, and,
– Choosing every day that being away, but providing my family with a better life, is a much better tradeoff than being close and having a life with fewer opportunities to obtain a better lifestyle

Living in an accepting environment and remaining true to oneself will always result in a more positive perspective of everything around you.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife, Marla Potterveld, the smartest, most beautiful, and accepting human being I’ve found walking on the same life trail I was walking on.

My mother, Graciela Bernal, who taught me that it’s never too late to leave behind something or someone that’s holding you back or making you be someone you’re not. It’s better for everyone, especially yourself.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rashanz/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanzcortes/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RasHanz

Image Credits
Hanz Cortes & Marla Potterveld