Author: Luis Velasquez

Recently I had lunch with the VP of Human Resources of a technology company in Silicon Valley. I was surprised to learn that we had more in common than I thought: we’re both of Hispanic descent, and we both came to this country looking for a better life than we knew at home. When he first made the journey, the only possessions he had to his name were the clothes on his back, a few dollars, and a couple of family mementos. I came with a bit more than that, but needless to say, we both came here with...

After writing my last post, I got a message from a friend of mine. Her message was heartbreaking. She told me that the post was exactly what she needed to hear right now, since she too was going through a difficult separation with her husband. My friend's message made me realize something: the friend I wrote about in the earlier post had a fire within, the motivation to move forward. That motivation to move on and be happy is driving her to find the strength to get through the breakup of her marriage. I often ask myself this very question: what...

A friend of mine recently got divorced, and watching her go through that heartache brought memories of my own divorce flooding back. My friend was having trouble coping with the breakup of her marriage, just like I had. I wanted to help her understand that she’d get through it and that she didn’t have to do it alone. When I told her about my journey, she cried some, especially when I told her she wasn’t alone. She’d been the breadwinner of her household, one of those amazing women who are strong, independent, and self-reliant. After living this way for...

Trust is one of those things that everybody wants, but not too many people know what it is. Trust is paramount in ANY relationship. When you have trust, everything is easier. Let me ask you a question. Do you trust your boss, your coworkers, your significant other, yourself? How is that working for you? Do you remember a time when you had to deal with someone you didn’t trust? How did it feel? Draining, stressful, complicated, exhausting, frustrating, non-productive? Trying to have a relationship—personal or professional—without trust is very hard. On the other hand, when you have trust, your...