What inspired you to start your own company?
Throughout my career I searched to find a place where I fit in, a place where I was heard and could make a difference in this world. I moved to Las Vegas in 2010 from Santa Fe, NM where I was Assistant General Manager for a resort in the Diamond Resorts collection. After a couple of years as AGM in Santa Fe I was recruited and relocated joining their corporate team. In my new role, Manager of Room Operations, I had the privilege of working with 46 resorts in North America and the Caribbean and 35 in the EU. Traveling and working with people globally allowed me to find a better understanding culturally, generationally and even regionally. This excited me and sparked my interested to create an environment where people were able to freely work together in a cooperative way. I was excited to create my own company culture. To create an environment/space that allowed people to feel safe having ideas and feel their voice was heard. A place that made people feel supported and excited to make change in our community together.
What is your favorite part of your position?
I love that I am able to create my own corporate culture that allows people to feel empowered to collaborate and have a voice. Being an advocate for a new generation providing education and mentoring. Being able to expand economic opportunities and advancements for the LGBT community and being able to work with our corporate partners in strategizing the creation of sustainable solutions.
Do you have any current mentors in the industry or anyone that helped you when you were first getting started? What advice or teachings were most impactful?
Throughout my career I have had many mentors that assisted in smoothing out my rough edges and helping me to feel worthy of my success both current and future. As a young gay person from a small town in Northern New Mexico I was trained to feel like I didn’t belong. I grew up as an outsider in my community and in turn felt that way for a large portion of my adult life as well. Some of the greatest things I have learned from those mentors are:
Understanding my worth and believing my voice is loud and should be heard. Believing that I am not an impostor and that I deserved to feel accomplished and proud of my successes.
Knowing it was ok to be a gay man in an industry that was saturated with people who didn’t understand it. Knowing I would have to educate them on my journey to allow them to see my community differently.
What drew you to join the GLCCNV as a member?
I am proud to say that I have 2 different companies that are members of the NGLCC and GLCCNV.
- QLI International – 100% Owner
- Backstage Resolution – Managing Partner
It’s important to me to work with other members in order to create opportunities and bring people together to network and find ways to synergize. Being able to engage the community and working together to advocate, develop and connect. To promote along side existing gay and gay-friendly businesses providing resources, services, outreach and more throughout Nevada. I look forward to serving the Chamber in this new role of Director of Corporate Development.