Francisco Gonzales talks about leaving Monterrey for Mexico City and studying in Madrid, with advice from mentor Lorenzo Zambrano. He argues that discomfort and challenge build stronger people, especially in business.
Most people from Monterrey come to Mexico City and say, I'll go and get out of here in a flash. You know, having been here changes your mindset about many things. Even for people who, for example, have been here their whole lives.
Just having.
The opportunity to see other options.
For example, I had to make the.
Decision to go to Madrid to study a master's degree because they only let me for a year. I went for an interview. Lorenzo Zambrano was my dad's classmate in high school. And I met him and I said, listen, give me an appointment because I want you to give me some tips. I want to go to Stanford or I want to go to a one year program at IMD or the Instituto de Empressa. Quote. But in Spain we had radio stations and there weren't any Spaniards, let's say only my dad. There's still no craze for the Sephardites. And you know what? So I went to Lorenzo, he said, come on, tell me, first interview.
And he said, do you want me.
To write you a letter of recommendation?
Yeah, well, you're going to have to.
Come to three meetings with three different people. You don't know how many twos ask me. And I went and he said, look, Poncho, you're under 24, 20, 26 years old. Are you going to Stanford to a one year program where everyone is already getting a master's degree?
Stanford is stupid.
But no, but you just got married, dude.
Go have fun.
I mean, go learn. Now you don't want to go to Switzerland?
Damn, how boring. They don't even laugh there, huh?
There's no sun and not even coming out.
Spain. Well, what can I tell you?
So he convinced me. He wrote me a letter of recommendation.
I also asked the devil for one.
And asked a rector at the time of Udem and to go to the business school anyway.
And what I'm telling you, going back.
To your question about difficult situations, I've always liked how I know that great personalities are born and form from discontent or discomfort. And I'm not saying anything goes before the community. Everything is easy when it comes to comfort, right?
So that's what I'm telling you.
Mainly about business challenges.
