I have taken on freelance project management opportunities to keep current.I have completed recruiting projects and business and marketing plans for start-up companies.

At SheWorks! we provide the best technology to manage remote teams collaboratively, with transparency and efficiency. SheWorks! SaaS platform makes remote work easy to monitor and coordinate. If the job can be done remotely, our extensive database of professionals includes includes marketing experts and writers, data analysts, UI/UX programmers, developers, animators, translators, recruiters, assistants and more. My role is to support SheWorks! clients to find and evaluate the best remote, on-demand talent so they can keep their business running smoothly by minimizing costs because they only pay for the hours worked.

BairesDev is an innovative technology services company that specializes in Software Development, Software Outsourcing, Testing, Maintenance & IT Staff Augmentation solutions.Team member of the Company's Headhunters in charge of filling Top and Middle Management vacancies, searching for candidates from Canada to Argentina.

I have taken on freelance project management opportunities to keep current.I have completed some recruiting projects and several business and marketing plans for start-up companies.

Diplomat Hotels was founded in 2011 with the goal of becoming the largest hotel chain in Colombia, the target was to have 100 hotels operating by 2021, most of them under the Wyndham Hotel Brand. I was hired during the final construction stage of the Capital Towers Building Complex. Diplomat Hotels was a startup company with 12 employees; when the company acquired a second hotel outside of Bogotá, the staff increased to 50.During the construction process, the company had liquidity issues and I was tasked with acting as liaison among stakeholders. When money started to flow slowly, major issues appeared and communication between teams was almost impossible.I created, coordinated, and participated in the Construction Committee to support progress and hotel operations, generating closer relationships, helping correct issues, and diminishing future difficulties. I was hired for another position, but the CEO acknowledged my expertise as project manager and my positive results.Diplomat Hotels acquired a resort hotel outside Bogotá with 420 rooms, an 18-hole golf course, 10 tennis courts, 2 pools, and a spa. We took possession in February 2012 and we had to be fully functional in 6 weeks.I implemented Diplomat and Wyndham guidelines, trained personnel, organized inventories, and coordinated preventive maintenance for all hotel areas where guests have contact with. I also supported other areas such as Operations, Reservations, and Front Desk. I achieved great results through creative solutions to everyday problems.This was my first opportunity in a complex industry and even though I had no prior knowledge of the hotel industry, I learned quickly. In addition, I accepted the liaison role, creating a better working environment and accomplishing targeted goals to finish construction and open hotels. As a team, we were able to reduce operational mistakes, save money, and initiate hotel operations on time.

e-hunters is a joint venture between Head Hunters International and elempleo.com, the largest job search engine in Colombia which belongs to the largest Colombian newspaper. Its core business is middle management recruiting. Projected sales in 2010 was USD $875K with 7 employees.I knew this industry because I had worked with Korn/Ferry International and Head Hunters International, and Proactel as a freelancer. My main objective was to analyze the numbers situation, collaborate with elempleo.com management, and cut expenses. I managed every aspect of company activities, reporting monthly to the Board of Directors. I set up budget estimations for 2010 and managed 6 employees.In order to control operating expenses for 2009 and 2010, I moved the office to El Tiempo headquarters to gain a special rental price and lower operating costs by 15% in 6 months.After initially analyzing the company, I realized the client contract was written so clients did not pay for services rendered. I worked with El Tiempo’s legal department to develop a contract that covered all issues. As a result, losses in 2009 from unpaid searches were reduced 80% compared to 2008.Executive and middle management recruiting is very competitive in Colombia. To give us a competitive advantage, I redefined sales and marketing strategies. I initiated new sales strategies that ensured customers would repurchase and decreased the drop-out rate. I hired a sales associate to accurately forecast sales.We offered more personalized consulting services to clients, hiring consultants with more experience to work faster and more accurately. We helped clients resolve issues by recommending retraining rather than hiring new personnel. We developed more exact profiles that matched their needs, becoming a consulting practice.In the end, my greatest accomplishment was to “fire” myself. I had achieved my goals for e-hunters and I left the job.

MBA S.A.S. is a sole proprietorship, representing 15 cable channels in Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain. At the time I was working we employed 8 people. When I started my job, I realized there was no space for an extra person. I would have to find a place I could contribute since there was no place for me in sales. The owner negotiated the big contracts with the largest cable companies and there was another employee in charge of the small local cable companies. None of the other employees spoke English, which made it hard for them to reach the Caribbean market.My responsibilities were to be the main contact between Caracol International and TV5 Monde and MBA S.A.S. I monitored and reviewed monthly billing and compared payments received versus billing, identifying inconsistencies that led to the recovery of significant funds.I reviewed all payments and invoices and presented my findings to the owner. We billed the clients for missing payments and recouped 10% of the 2 previous years.While organizing and reviewing contracts of the non-Spanish speaking countries of the Caribbean, I found that all the contracts had expired and companies were billed at the previous rate. In many cases, cable companies were small and MBA would not bill because there was a language barrier. I made contact with the channel to determine the situation and renegotiated the contracts, billing for all unpaid services.I was with MBA for only a short time since I was originally hired to do sales and those positions were filled. I took the initiative to identify a way I could help the company. Due my curiosity, analytical thinking, and detailed outlook, I initiated my own responsibility and saved the company money.

Easy Colombia S.A. is a subsidiary of EASY, a Chilean home improvement specialty retailer and part of CENCOSUD, one of the largest and most prestigious retail conglomerates in Latin America. It has active operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Perú and Colombia and employs more than 140K collaborators.I was the first employee at Easy Colombia, along with 5 expatriates who relocated to Bogotá. I provided executive-level administrative support to the general manager, compiling and analyzing data and conducting market research.I developed alliances with travel agencies, hotels, long-distance carriers, and health insurance companies and coordinated with executive assistants in Chile and Argentina. I started working a week before the expatriates arrived in Colombia. When I realized there were no procedures in place, I defined processes for daily activities such as billing and payments. I designed forms to expedite certain tasks and improved productivity with proactive thinking, anticipating problems and generating creative solutions.Five expatriates with their families relocated to Colombia. Though the law firm was giving the company advice, no one was taking charge of helping their families during the relocation process. I contacted local businesses and schools, taking into account each family’s requirements. As a result, their relocation process was smooth and they were all happy.I was happy at work, but the CEO became a general manager due to market conditions and no longer needed an executive assistant. I was overqualified for the job and all local positions where I could work were already filled, it was necessary to look for a more appropriate position.

Proactel was a headhunting company based out in Miami, Florida, specializing in recruiting personnel for technology and telecommunications industries.I searched, interviewed, evaluated and recruited candidates for two IT job openings for a major multinational telecommunications company in Colombia.In one month I finished the process and presented 5 candidates for each position. The client company hired one for each position.I was contacted often by Proactel to do recruiting, but I could not accept these opportunities because I was already employed.

Caracol Televisión S.A., the leading private broadcasting company in Colombia, hired me to define and implement a strategy for the introduction of Narrowcasting and Digital Signage in the Colombian market. I researched concepts in foreign markets to benchmark the Colombian market and define the scope of the project. For a 3-month pilot program, I designed and implemented a package with HomeCenter. This program exceeded expectations, earning USD $8K in advertising (from 8 clients) and USD $4K in content production.I also defined the marketing and sales plan, operation strategies, price strategies, and negotiated with vendors. I selected and recruited employees for positions in operations, sales and content production while managing a team of 7.My initial objective was to determine the feasibility of the concept. Once I had an initial idea of what narrowcasting entailed, I travelled to the US and Canada to meet key players in the industry.I needed to hire people with operational expertise, but with a limited budget, I looked for people within Caracol who were willing to help while still completing their responsibilities. I put together a great team.I garnered interest from different industries, such as supermarkets, department stores, shopping centers, a movie multiplex, and financial services. I was working with the legal department to finalize the service agreement, but it was taking time to revise all the details.In the summer of 2006, Caracol’s main competitor passed them in TV ratings and all activities that were not directly related to broadcasting were put on hold. I had a great team, but I couldn’t start operations. I spoke with Caracol’s VP and explained the situation, but they trusted the project could wait.In the end my contract expired and Caracol let the narrowcasting project (called Spider) die because they needed to concentrate on their core business.

This was a government position that needed Presidential approval. Proexport is the commercial branch of the Ministry of Commerce of Colombia that promotes exports to the world. It supports and advises Colombian exporters in developing successful marketing and sales strategies. Currently it has 26 offices around the world with one located in New York and one in Miami.In October 2003 I was assigned to the position and began working unofficially, assisting with training sessions, trade shows, and participating in budget planning. I managed all aspects of the New York branch, including operations, marketing, and recruiting personnel.I started researching markets and identified possible clients, taking into account the production capacity of the Colombian market for all sectors. I collaborated with the Colombian office to get information on products and producers looking to expand their businesses.As an example, a Colombian jeweler was assigned to the Miami office and asked for help in presenting his product to a New York jeweler. With no response from Miami, he visited me and I set up an appointment for him with the jeweler. With my help, the Colombian producer began to do business in New York.There are several trade shows organized by the Colombian government for exporters and it was my job to get potential buyers to attend these shows. I needed to identify buyers that met the requirements of the exporters. During the year I was at Proexport, there were 3 main shows held. I was able to identify and invite buyers who met the exporters’ requirements, creating business opportunities in the amount of USD $1.6M.This was a difficult job in the sense that I ran into many obstacles that didn’t permit me to do what I was hired to accomplish. Many times I was fighting battles that had nothing to do with my job. I achieved as much as I could for exporters and I had great relationships with the Colombian office. In the end, it was a great learning experience.

Head Hunters International is an executive recruiting firm that specializes in hiring top executives for the financial industry. I have worked for HHI as a freelancer many times over the years, sometimes for many months.When I worked for HHI from 2002 to 2004, it was a small company with fewer than 10 employees. In 2007 it had grown to a mid-size company with 25 employees. It is a big player in the market, competing with multinational financial recruiting companies that have operations in Colombia.In this position, I researched the Colombian market to identify senior-level executives for positions in local corporations. I recruited and assessed candidates, prepared confidential reports, and advised corporate clients on strategic hires. My goal was to contribute to building leadership capital for companies in the area of strategic human resources.I was hired to replace a vice president of the company while she took maternity leave. This partner was unable to travel for many months, so I would travel and interview candidates when necessary. I supported the president and owner of the company in all duties, including employee supervision.I knew this was a temporary assignment but I worked as if it was a permanent position because they had confidence in my expertise and my professional style. With my experience, I trained employees and improved their skills. While I was there I ran the office efficiently. I was called a few years later to cover once more for a VP who was taking a leave of absence.With HHI I had a special relationship with the partners and the employees. When I worked for them I contributed to the company by bringing in new ideas and training personnel. Small companies can benefit from creativity and reasoning from outside their industry. When I worked for HHI, I contributed with my out-of-the-industry experience and knowledge.

While vacationing in Thailand, I saw a business opportunity and bought 30 pounds of glass beads to make jewelry that was not available in Colombia. I founded and developed a small business of women’s accessories, mainly matching necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.I learned to make jewelry and customized items upon request. The jewelry sold by word of mouth. Initially I did everything, but when sales started growing, I hired friends to make and sell the jewelry. My friends in other countries liked the products and I sent them inventory that they could sell informally.I designed, manufactured and marketed the jewelry, building a distribution network in Miami, New York, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia and achieving sales of USD $13K (1,600 pieces) in the first year of operation.After 9 months I ran out of the beads I purchased at a street market in Chiang Mai. I tried ordering through the internet but couldn’t find a vendor. I went back to Thailand to buy more beads to continue the business until the last beads were finished. The market in Colombia was growing and professional designers were coming into the business with new ideas and materials. It was not my expertise and I knew I couldn’t compete with them.It was wonderful – I saw a market opportunity and took advantage of it. I could live on the profits and travel. I recognized when it was time to leave the market, having taken full advantage of the situation and making a lot of money with little investment.

Korn Ferry International (KFI) is one of the leading executive search firms in the world. In 2000, it was one of the leading companies in Colombia with 20 employees. I co-led Korn Ferry Selection, a specialty practice aimed at middle management recruiting for all industry sectors in Colombia. In addition, I designed and executed search and networking strategies for prospective clients seeking these positions.I was hired to expand their market into middle management recruitment, working with a senior associate who knew the industry but had no project management or selling skills. We researched the market, identified the competition and pricing, and defined a service that we would offer to actual clients and also to prospective clients.After 6 months of operation, I exceeded expected results, generating 25% of Korn Ferry’s total earnings in Colombia. We were very successful in selling this new service, but we found that we couldn’t use KFI’s resources as expected. I learned the process very quickly and had the advantage of having worked in the business, so I approached the process from the standpoint of the client, providing services beyond the rest of the industry.There was a downside to this method; we had to sell and complete the processes at the same time. And as we grew, we didn’t have time for both. The business was growing rapidly and we were a big percentage of KFI Colombia’s total earnings.We were able to set up procedures and serve our clients, but after 9/11 all companies around the world cut recruiting. KFI in Colombia was affected by this situation and had to downsize their services.

Mobil de Colombia was a subsidiary of Mobil Oil Corporation (now ExxonMobil) and the leading oil company in Colombia before the merger. In 1994, Mobil Oil Corp. launched the On the Run program, a franchise system of convenience stores that complemented the services offered by the gas stations. In 1998, the concept was introduced in Colombia.I created and developed the On the Run convenience store franchise in Colombia, including marketing and merchandising activities. I designed and developed the marketing plan and created strategic alliances that optimized space usage and increased client flow in the stores. I oversaw brand management and vendor negotiations.Within the convenience stores, we launched Gorila Dog, On the Run’s own hot dog brand, after developing a strategic alliance with Suizo, Coca-Cola and Productos Margarita (today Frito Lay). We exceeded expected sales by more than 80%.

After 8 months training in the US and Mexico, I arrived in Colombia in December 1997. The site for the first On the Run was already chosen and I had to launch the concept in Colombia. I had to define the product mix, keeping as close as possible to the original concept while taking into account local market conditions. The convenience store was new in Colombian markets and Mobil was not known for this concept. I had to explain the concept to consumer goods vendors and negotiate with them.I learned many negotiation skils while in Fairfax and I was trying to keep the concept as close as the original while developing strategic alliances with main consumer goods companies to promote their brands. I targeted Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Marlboro, BAT, and some local player, increasing other income in USD $2K a year per store and increased store sales by 70% after the grand openings.In this position, I developed the vendor network for the On the Run convenience stores. I managed and negotiated with at least 80 vendors in Bogotá and Cali.Initially, I was in charge of merchandising, but I realized people in Colombia had no training in the On the Run concept of a larger retail space with many details that were not taken into account, especially by the engineering team. There were issues with the way the stores were designed that necessitated a redesign the week before the grand opening. I collaborated with the director of the Engineering Department to send a group of engineers to Fairfax to learn the basics of designing these types of stores. Stores built after this had few last minute corrections.

I was finishing my MBA at Cornell and seeking jobs in the US. Mobil Oil in the US contacted me on behalf of Mobil de Colombia.This training program took place in Fairfax, Virginia, USA. I gained a deep understanding of the convenience store channel in the United States and Mexico by visiting main markets for On the Run such as Chicago, Phoenix, New England, and Mexico City. I completed a 3-week manager’s training course in Mobil’s “Center of Retail Excellence”.

As a marketing intern, I gained an understanding of P&G’s marketing principles while attending numerous training programs and working in a highly competitive market as a member of Ariel’s marketing team.I developed a strategy and plans to implement a joint marketing program with the top washing machine manufacturer after having researched the Colombian washing machine market. I obtained approval from top management for immediate implementation of the program.In addition, I conducted an in-depth analysis and evaluation of previous promotions both in Colombia and in other locations. Based on my findings, I recommended key elements be included in a promotion to support a major Ariel re-launch.

Gómez, Cajiao y Asociados is a leading civil engineering consulting firm with as many as 120 employees and 35 years of participation in the development of important infrastructure projects in the country.As a civil engineer, I modeled the hydraulics of the Sinú River for Urrá dam, using various computer programs. I participated in the team that oversaw the redesign of 236 miles of railroad track from La Loma to Santa Marta, Colombia.In the summer of 1995, I did an Internship. I led a 7-person project team to coordinate the design, drawings, and reports for secondary access roads to the British Petroleum Company installations in eastern Colombia.