Meet Zach Santos

 

We recently connected with Zach Santos and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zach, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

There are a multitude of factors that have contributed to my work ethic. It began with my parents, and each of their upbringings. My mom was born in Texas and didn’t have much growing up. My dad was also born in Texas to immigrants from Mexico. Both of my parents had to work extremely hard for everything that they had, and in turn, taught me about the value of hard work. My dad always talked about being the best at whatever you choose to pursue in life. My mom consistently urged me to go to college. My dad also believed in the power of an education, but put more emphasis in the desire to be great at what you do. My first opportunity to work towards something came when I was nine years old when I wanted to purchase an iPod Nano. I asked my parents to buy me this device and my dad pointed to the lawnmower in the garage and said, “get to work”. I remember, with his help, pushing the equipment through the neighborhood, mowing yards, and saving to earn that iPod. Another chapter in my work ethic development was from my time working at Bush’s Chicken. I worked at Bush’s all four years of high school and learned quite a bit about the power of hard work during that time. I was so proud of my first paycheck and still have the pay stub to this day. Another contributing factor was my participation in high school band, which instilled countless positive qualities, including hard work. The same can be said of my involvement in Drum Corps International. By this time, I was beginning to enter the work force and began to apply all the things I had learned to the job I had dreamed of. Today, I use the work ethic I developed to constantly improve my services and be the best I can be for those around me.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I consider myself a jack of all trades. I received my music education degree from the University of Texas at Austin where I also earned a trumpet performance, and business certificate. Several years ago I earned an MBA and most recently became fully self-employed. The first six years of my career were spent as an associate band director at Vista Ridge High School. My current job is marching arts design, where I work with a team to create shows for high school bands around the country. I am also a choreographer for marching bands and help students express themselves through their performances. I am also a part-time REALTOR® and investor who owns and manages a small portfolio of rental properties. I earned my license in order to negotiate for my own transactions, but have found joy in helping others pursue their real estate goals! I hope to continue to grow my real estate business while exploring opportunities in the STR, BRRR, and flipping space. The newest venture I am pursuing is “The Band Blueprint”, a company that will provide a virtual curriculum for music educators and hopefully be a one-stop shop for band programs. I am incredibly luckily to combine so many of my passions and wake up each day excited to work and engage in my chosen professions.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three most important skills to me would be knowledge/education, passion, and discipline. Knowledge will teach you the skills you need to get to where you want to go. Discipline will allow you to get there, and passion will show you where. When these three skills work in tandem, you can set yourself on a path to live the life that you truly desire.
I would tell anyone beginning their journey to say yes to every opportunity that comes their way and be fearless about pursuing their passions. I believe that knowledge and education are the most valuable thing anyone on Earth can possess. I recently heard on a podcast that knowledge may be the only thing that someone can’t take from you, and that was an extremely thought provoking, and motivating idea.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

My parents are incredible, and I owe many of my successes to how they raised me. I believe that the most impactful thing they did for me was to be present. They were loving, caring, supportive, nurturing, stern, and many other things, but at the end of the day they were always there for me. Time is the most valuable resource that we can give to anyone, and I am so fortunate that my parents gave theirs to raising me and my siblings. We make time for the things that we care about, and so I believe that my parents’ giving me their time has reinforced how I choose to spend my time. Without their support, I would not be who I am today.

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