About Ruben Ugarte
My name is Ruben, and I’m an expert in data and decision-making. I love helping companies and executives make sense of all the numbers they see regularly and make better decisions. So much of a company’s success comes down to how many high-quality decisions they can make consistently over time. We are told from an early age to make “the right decisions,” but it’s not taught in school.
You can find me online at RubenUgarte.com | Twitter | LinkedIn
Why Did You Become an Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author, Etc. in the First Place?
I think it was the only sensible path for me! I realized at an early age that I didn’t enjoy working for other people. I lose motivation, but I was always excited and energetic when I worked on my own projects. I knew I needed to figure out a way to earn a living while still working for myself. That search took me over 10 years, but I now run a successful consulting practice helping companies with their data.
How Do You Deal With Fear?
I had to overcome many fears, including rejection, financial fears, and even fear of success! I can’t say that I know the exact formula but what has worked for me is to tackle it a little bit at a time. Making one phone call instead of 10. Over time, I can work up to 2 phone calls and then 3 and so on. Soon, I can look back and recognize the fear is gone.
How Do You Deal With Rejection?
I try to remember that rejection is rarely personal. I may have caught the person on the wrong day, or it simply wasn’t a good fit. Whenever a rejection happens, I look back to the situation and separate what was under my control and what wasn’t. If I did my best, then I can move on. If I missed something, then I can work on it next week.
What’s the Name of Your Company? What Exactly Does Your Company Do, How Do You Help People?
My company’s name is Practico Analytics, and I help executives and companies get more insights out of their data. I’ll do this through strategy, consulting, coaching, training, and other conveyances.
For example, I helped one client use data to discover a bug that prevented over 50% of their users from actually using their product. With another client, they realized that one marketing channel was driving 80% of their sales and decreased their marketing costs by optimizing their budgets. These are the kinds of insights that I help my clients discover.
Name One of the Biggest Challenges You Have Faced and How Did You Overcome It?
One of the biggest challenges was learning how to keep me motivated. If I didn’t motivate myself, I wouldn’t make progress on my marketing and securing clients. I would also struggle to maintain client relationships. I overcame this challenge by understanding exactly what got me excited and how to design my business around these ideas.
What Piece of Advice Do You Wish Someone Had Given You at the Start of Your Career?
Find yourself a great mentor or coach. I recently started working with a coach, and it is like night and day. Having someone who can guide you and help with key challenges is incredible. I wish that I didn’t think that I could do everything myself instead of seeking help.
Who Are Your Biggest Influences and People You Admire and Why?
To start, my parents have had a huge influence on me. They are both entrepreneurs, so I learned early that it was ok to go out on your own. They also supported me as I was starting my business. Their advice was timely and relevant since they had also gone through starting their own businesses. I hope that I can be as helpful to my future children as they were to me.
Name a Person Who Helped You Along the Way?
A mentor who has had a significant influence on my career is Alan Weiss. He has helped me better understand how to deal with clients, how to market, and how to build my confidence and self-esteem.
What Do You See as Your Greatest Success in Life, So Far?
Being able to run my own business and design my days around it has been a major success. Every day I realize that I’m choosing where to spend my time and energy, which feels amazing.
What Book Would You Recommend and Why?
There are many books to recommend here. Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin, and Boys Among Men by Jonathan Abrams come to mind.
What’s a Personal Self-Talk, Mantra, Affirmation or Self-Belief That Contributes to Your Success?
There are always options, and everything has a solution. It doesn’t mean that you might like the solution, but there is a way to resolve challenges and questions.
