Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorge Benito.
Hi Jorge, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Argentina during a challenging period of dictatorship, growing up as an only child. My early life was defined by the country’s transition to democracy and the struggle against hyperinflation.
To help make ends meet, my mother opened a small produce shop in front of our house, where I learned my first lessons in economics—adjusting prices twice a day to keep pace with the speed of inflation and the devaluation of the currency.
Contrasting with our family’s immediate concerns for survival were the invaluable lessons I learned from my uncle/godfather and my aunt, a true powerhouse. Together, they owned several businesses, including a restaurant at the local racetrack, where I sometimes worked, along with my cousins.
Similar to the story ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ by Robert Kiyosaki, I was influenced by two different life philosophies from my father and my uncle. Besides many other supportive actions toward my family and other relatives, my uncle financed my music classes for 10 years. Through these classes, I learned not only how to play an instrument but also about people skills, discipline, the value of education, and—likely my uncle’s main intention—I was exposed to a sociocultural environment that was not available at home.
After receiving some offers for scholarships from universities overseas and other opportunities that I couldn’t take, I went to college for Marketing.
These experiences laid the foundation for my diverse career path. I’ve held a wide range of jobs: selling gadgets door-to-door, working at the racetrack, in restaurants, at a radio station, in a movie theater, in coffee shops, in a bookstore, at telemarketing companies selling phones and timeshares, selling corporate catering, making TV appearances in soap operas, in a law office, in a web development company (which I bought years later), and later as an executive in a larger manufacturing company, opening their doors (and mine) to the international market—without much knowledge of their industry but with an already helpful notion of management and sales. It seems like a wide variety, but the good thing is that I was never fired from any job; I just wanted something more.
In 2000, I saw some signs, anticipating another economic crisis in Argentina. I thought, “Not this again,” and one year before one of the country’s biggest financial crises; I left everything and moved to the USA. Several years later, I co-founded a digital marketing agency in Miami. This venture also tapped into my marketing background and allowed me to help small business owners in Miami achieve unprecedented growth. However, I realized these entrepreneurs needed more than just marketing advice; they sought deeper, more comprehensive guidance and support.
This idea led me to pursue further education in coaching, culminating in a Certified Professional Coach program at the University of Miami and a certificate in Leadership Principles from Harvard Business School. During the pandemic, I decided to deepen my expertise and enrolled in an MBA specializing in coaching from a UK university, mostly through online classes, with a couple of trips to England close to the end of the program, graduating at the age of 46.
My journey from my origins in Argentina to becoming an entrepreneur, marketer, and business coach in the USA has been driven by continuous learning, adaptation, and countless teachers and mentors to whom I’m extremely grateful. I’ve supported numerous individuals through various transitions, from becoming entrepreneurs to thriving in new cultures and careers, always applying the lessons of resilience, adaptability, and business insights I’ve learned along the way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m not sure what a smooth road is. Even when everything is going well, I find it a new challenge to keep looking at my comfort zone from an unsafe distance.
Something that changed my way of seeing things when I was young; my mother had a stroke when I was 17 years old that left her paralyzed on one side of her body; my father had to work, and I was an only child, so the rest of the picture is obvious.
Eventually, we adapted; she didn’t get better; she just learned how to handle things with her limitations (talk about someone with resilience), so I started to work and eventually enrolled in college. A few years later, she passed away, along with my motivation for college (and, for a while, everything else). There were many more obstacles and challenges, but this one marked me at an early age.
Some reflections (That I can share) about this are:
- Make the most of your life today, look around, enjoy the ride, and appreciate what and who you have. We often focus too much on what we lack and overlook our blessings.
- You’re building your future right now, so tackle what you’ve postponed for tomorrow, today. Do what’s necessary to ensure you’ll thank yourself in the future for taking care of your health, relationships, and finances.
- Call your parents often; one day, you’ll treasure those old voicemail messages and wish you could get new ones.
We’ve been impressed with JB Coaches, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
This is a funny anecdote.
With the name of my firm being “JB Coaches,” some people think that is a strategic move because it includes the name of the activity in the continuous present while it leaves options open because, since the beginning, I planned to have a team of coaches working under my company name.
The real story is different.
Working in the digital marketing agency, I continuously stressed to my clients the importance of choosing a company name, a domain name, the market research needed, and all the necessary considerations and due diligence.
But there I was, as soon as I completed my formal coach training, already with a few new client contracts that needed to be sent out, a merchant account, and an insurance policy that required an LLC with a name.
So, I just picked “JB Coaches”—my initials with the only variation of “Coach” I found available on GoDaddy—to comply with all that, thinking I would research and craft a proper company name in the future, one that fully represents my areas of specialization in Leadership Development, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship.
But shortly after that, with the contracts signed and the company name being referenced in important circles, I had to stick to it and ended up making the whole logo, branding, and website with that name.
As they say, the shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot.
Do you have any advice for those just starting?
There is a concept called The Navy SEALs’ 40% Rule, which posits that when you think you’ve reached your limit, you’re only at 40% of your potential.
I would seriously recommend anyone opening a business to apply that rule. Whenever you think you’ve already done everything you needed to do, you’re at 40%. A new business or profession is a new territory in which we don’t know a lot of things (which is an advantage for disrupting industries), but unless you have the brain and work ethic of Elon Musk, who works (smartly) 80 hours a week, ignorance is not bliss.
When you open a business and think you did EVERYTHING you could do more, learn more, network more, reflect, apply what you learned, rinse, and repeat. And be humble, respectful, and learn from those who are already there; industry awareness is underrated.
Contact Info:
- Website: jbcoaches.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbcoaches/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbcoaches/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbendito/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JbCoaches
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jb-coaches-life-and-business-coach-miami
- Other: Digital Marketing Company: https://ibisstudio.com/
