We’re looking forward to introducing you to Claudio Gutierrez. Check out our conversation below.
Claudio, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I consider myself a morning person, so I like to get as much as done as possible during the first couple of hours of my day. I usually start with a little cardio, during which I catch up on overnight emails, news, personal messages, and jotting down ideas for my business. I then try to catch daily Mass at 8:15. All of these activities energize me and get me ready for the day… sometimes I don’t even need coffee after so much physical, mental, and spiritual stimuli before 9:00 AM!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an engineer by degree but an artist at heart, so I try to combine both facets of my life into creating the best project management company out there, Valens Project Consulting.
Not only do we offer excellent engineering and project management consulting services, but we also have developed a line of business operational improvement courses that can be tailored to individual companies across various industries. I started Valens in 2017 because I saw a need for proper, best practices, project management, but I have since realized that most projects we were contacted for were for operational improvement, so we have concentrated on that in the last few years.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
It was early on in my career, when I worked designing armored vehicles for a Florida-based company. Not only would we get very specific requests against expected threats, but we were supplied with in-field video of our vehicles surviving and fighting back against these threats in Iraq and Afghanistan. It made me feel that our engineering efforts had power over forces of evil that wished nothing but to cause chaos in their own homeland.
Soon thereafter, I because acquainted to the concept of continuous improvement and not just to say that we had improved something, but be able to prove it theoretically and practically. That’s the power of giving people a sense of realization and satisfaction that I like to embrace and harness with Valens Project Consulting.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Just a couple of years after founding Valens Project Consulting, the world closed down because of the way governments reacted to covid. With commerce reduced across the board, it was just a matter of time before my clients would reach out to see about cancelling their contracts. I was forced with a decision: either sue them for the remainder of the value of the contracts, or work with them and not make enemies out of them so we could work again in the future… after all, we were all in the same boat. It was at that point that I seriously considered giving up on Valens and looking for a job back in Corporate America, but luckily, a few customers stayed on and the old ones came back!
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. Ever since I was in managerial positions in Corporate America and had to deal with managing teams and setting expectations and even delivering bad news, I always approached it from the humane angle that I’ve led Valens Project Consulting with over the years. This served particularly useful to me last year when I was running for State Representative. I saw how fake and duplicitous many politicians were and how they said one thing in public and did otherwise in private. I resolved to stick to my guns of leading by compassion and with human dignity in mind. Although my first run for political run did not end as I had hoped, it succeeded in elevating the conversation in a district that had historically been very divided and has set the stage for future plans to help our city.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I looked beyond my immediate surroundings to make a difference, but geographically and time-wise. As a board of directors member of the Houston Symphony, I know that my current efforts don’t pay off on a personal level, but rather in a society-wide level, and they don’t necessarily bear fruit immediately… it may take years or even generations for some initiatives to fully succeed. In the same manner, I hope that my efforts through Valens support our clients when they need it the most, whether it’s for an immediate turnaround or for culturally changing an organization through our best practices.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://valensprojectconsulting.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valensprojectconsulting/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valensprojectconsulting
- Twitter: https://x.com/valenspc
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/valensprojectconsulting
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@valensprojectconsulting
- Other: https://claudiogut.medium.com/
Image Credits
Claudio Gutierrez and/or Inna Aracri
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
