Today we’d like to introduce you to George Cabrera.
George, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am the son and grandson of Cuban immigrants, proudly born and raised in Passaic, New Jersey. I came to South Florida over 25 years ago, to go to college and earn my master’s degree in international business. While I was in school, I held several jobs to support myself.
After graduating from college, I worked for Nortel Networks, a global telecommunications company. A few years later, I was hired to be the chief financial officer – and eventually the CEO – of the nation’s largest Hispanic youth-oriented non-profit. I held the job for 13 years. During this time, CEOs of other organizations sought my advice on situations within their organizations. I realized that I could offer my services professionally. I had a vision for how to help organizations reach their goals and objectives. This is when I decided to start Cabrera Consulting Group.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I grew up in a family that was very loving and nurturing — and very protective. In my early childhood, I was raised by my mother and my grandparents who had fled Cuba after the Communist takeover. Back in Cuba, my grandfather had won the lottery and used the money to buy a bodega, a grocery store in Havana. It always was his dream to start his own business. But it was a short-lived dream. After the government seized his property, my family left for the states. They settled in New Jersey, where my aunt lived. My grandfather went to work for a factory that made TV antennas – a job he held until he retired. My grandmother sewed swimsuits. At night, along with my mother, they cleaned offices. They did this for me – to make my life better. When I turned 18, I decided to move to Miami to go to college. This was very hard on my family, especially my grandparents, because I had never been away from home. After two years, my grandparents – along with my aunt and uncle – relocated to Miami.
Upon their arrival to Miami, I immediately started looking for a home. Seeing my grandparents getting older, I wanted them to have a home with a backyard. Living in an urban area in New Jersey, it was hard for them to have.
I remember buying my first home at 21. Everyone in my family was freaking out because I was so young and learning and dealing with a mortgage broker and a bank and trying to get credit. It was really hard and scary. But I always wanted to provide a better lifestyle for my family. My grandparents worked very hard in this country, but they never learned to speak English and they never owned a home. They were afraid to take chances. My mother, on the other hand, held a very good position with the city of Passaic, NJ, and worked there for many years. She was the relocation officer, the person who coordinated assistance during emergencies and helped the Hispanic community. As a youngster, I remember her beeper going off late one Christmas Eve – she was being called to the scene of an apartment building on fire. I accompanied my mom, I will never forget the scene that night. A man died in the fire and some families lost everything they owned. It was my mother’s job to help them. She was always helping someone. My mom was my greatest role model. So was my grandfather, who fed people who could not afford to buy food when he owned his grocery store. Their examples made me strong. It taught me that life is about paying it forward, giving back.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cabrera Consulting Group, Inc. – what should we know?
Cabrera Consulting Group CCG) is a full-service consulting firm that specializes in strategic management, business development, theater management and other services. We help for-profits and non-profits companies reach their goals and objectives.
One of my specialties is advising and counseling CEOs. When I started my company, I wanted to offer “therapeutic advice” to CEOs and senior managers. When I was a non-profit CEO, I remember when I just wanted to talk. But leaders cannot take their struggles to the people below them or the people above. Leadership can be a very lonely place. Based on my experience, I wanted to be the person who helps guide a CEO through tough decisions.
This is CCG’s mission. No matter how big or small the job, we always strive for excellence. We know that senior managers are busy leading their organization. We take the pressure off our clients by taking on the nuts and bolts of daily operations. We are problem-solvers and the visionaries. This is what we do best.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Happiness is success. I think we all make the mistake of staying in unhappy situations because of the risks — we have families to support and responsibilities to fulfill. But I have learned through smart, calculated risks, that your happiness is what determines your success. If you are happy you are going to do well. This does not mean that you will not have to work hard and push yourself, because it’s not going to be easy. Nothing good in life is ever easy. I really owe my success to my wife who is always so supportive and allows me to follow my goals and my dreams. I could not do this without her.
I have reached the point in my life where I will not do anything that does not make me happy. Sometimes, I have had to work on more than one project at a time. In my case, I have my business management consulting company, but all my life I have had a creative side. I’ve been involved in producing many musical productions that reflect my cultural heritage. Last year, I was blessed to serve as one of the executive producers of the hit immersive play “The AMPARO Experience” – the story of the real Havana Club. The show was about the Arrechabala family who lost their rum factory in Cuba during the revolution. The show was about the Cuban exile experience and it hit a nerve in Miami, where it ran for eight months to mostly sold-out performances. It really hit my emotional buttons and became the most impactful thing that I have ever been involved with. I felt that it told my family’s story.
My experience working with AMPARO and with other shows has led me to fortify my production company, which is called 3FEO – based on Los Tres Feos, the name of my grandfather’s bodega in Cuba. 3FEO is the cultural arm of Cabrera Consulting Group and I hope to continue producing great shows that relate to our heritage and culture. I am very happy that my formal business life and my creative life are both on track.
Contact Info:
- Address: 113 Almeria Avenue
Coral Gables, FL. 33134 - Website: www.CabreraCG.com
- Phone: 305-608-5279
- Email: George@CabreraCG.com
Image Credit:
Hazel Photography
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