Meet Jesse Hormachea

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

Hi Jesse, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started Valdivya because I wanted to apply my operational leadership experience across a wider range of teams. Over the course of my career, I’ve worked with companies of different sizes and across many industries, and I kept seeing the same challenges come up as teams grew. I realized I could have the most impact by focusing on what I do best: building organizational structure, strengthening processes, and mentoring people into new roles. Working independently also allows me to be selective about the teams I support and to focus on work that is especially meaningful to me.

I’ve always been passionate about solving complex problems with technology and working directly with teams to help them grow. I care deeply about mentorship, clear ownership, and making sure people have the systems, tools, and support they need to do their best work. I work well side-by-side with founders and other executives to execute on their vision.

I offer part-time, fractional operational leadership so growing companies can access senior-level guidance without the cost and commitment of a full-time executive. That often includes support with hiring and onboarding, process design, operational tooling including Jira, Microsoft apps and AI enablement.

I chose the name Valdivya as an homage to Valdivia, the Chilean city where my Dad’s family is from. The region’s mix of volcanoes, forests, and coastline mixed with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Chilean people felt like the right inspiration for the business I’m building.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Valdivya is my solopreneur business, so I am personally responsible for every team I support. I come in as a fractional senior operational leader to help growing teams scale in a sustainable way. That often includes hiring and onboarding with clear roles and expectations, strengthening processes and operational rhythms, optimizing tooling like Atlassian products including Jira & Confluence, Microsoft 365 apps including Copilot, and AI-enabled workflows, and helping eliminate waste through better governance and smarter systems.

What sets me apart is that I’m not a traditional consultant who drops in with a strategy deck and leaves. I’m hands-on. I work alongside teams, roll up my sleeves, and help them actually execute. The fractional model gives companies access to experienced leadership without the cost and long-term commitment of a full-time executive. It’s a practical way for teams to be strategic about how they grow.

I also lead with empathy and coaching. My greatest reward is seeing future leaders grow into new roles and watching teams gain confidence as their systems start working for them. I’ve had incredible mentors throughout my career, and Valdivya is my way of passing that forward and extending my impact beyond a single organization.

This is also an especially exciting time to be doing this work. With the rise of mainstream AI through tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini, every role inside a company is changing. I help leaders and teams adopt these tools in practical, responsible ways so they close skill gaps, move faster, and make better decisions without losing the human side of their work. The human side of the work is critical, and I’m intentional about not losing that in all the conversation around AI, systems, tools, and process.

Business-wise, getting here wasn’t instant or easy. It came from years of leading teams, learning through real challenges, and watching both successes and failures up close. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that growth only works when people, process, and technology move forward together.

At the end of the day, my goal is simple: help growing teams save money, grow leaders from within, improve retention, and build operations that actually support their people. I want my work through Valdivya to be known as a trusted partner for teams who want to scale with clarity, integrity, and purpose.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a huge Denver fan and have lived here for 25 years, so narrowing it down is hard. I’d want to show a visitor both the energy of the city and the outdoor spaces that make Denver special.

One of the very first stops would be the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, specifically the view facing west toward downtown. You get this incredible overlook of City Park with the city skyline and the mountains beyond it. It’s beautiful in every season and an easy place to walk, explore, and take in the city.

Since I’m a runner, a lot of our mornings would start outdoors. Cheesman Park and Wash Park are two of my go-to spots, and both are perfect for a run. Denver’s trail system is also a huge highlight. I’ve logged countless miles on the Cherry Creek Trail and the Platte River Trail. These spaces are where I unplug, reset, and get away from screens, which I think is incredibly important as a leader. Big shoutout to Denver Parks and Recreation for maintaining such amazing community spaces.

For food, Shells & Sauce in Congress Park near the Botanic Gardens is a must. It’s a small, family-run Italian restaurant that’s been my go-to for years. My wife and I even hosted our wedding dinner on the top floor, so it will always be a special place for us. The food is consistently great, the staff is wonderful, and it has that perfect neighborhood feel.
We’d also spend time downtown because I love the mix of old and new that defines Denver now. ComedyWorks is one of my favorite spots for a night out because of the intimate setting and the range of comedians they bring in. The Denver Performing Arts Complex is another must for award-winning shows including all the Broadway hits. Union Station is always worth a visit, and heading through RiNo for food, art, and breweries rounds out the experience. There’s always something happening, and the city just keeps evolving.

If I had a week to show someone Denver, it would be a balance of parks, trails, great food, live shows, and neighborhoods that each have their own personality. That combination is what has kept me here for so long.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s no one who has had a greater impact on my life than my wife, Sarah Hormachea (https://www.sarahhormachea.com/) She is a board-certified diabetes specialist with a master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition and works as a practicing dietitian. We truly balance each other out and consistently push each other to be better, both personally and professionally. We’ve been partners for almost 16 years and have taken more than a few leaps of faith together, all of which led to meaningful growth. We’ve traveled through many countries including a extended stay in Chile, navigated career changes, and supported each other through building businesses. She’s been running her own practice successfully for three years and was recently elected to the board of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (https://www.adces.org/). Her support and belief in me are a big reason I’m able to step into this new chapter with confidence. We’re a great team.

Website: https://valdivya.com

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

Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valdivya/

Image Credits
All photos are my own.