Name: Jimmy Gonzalez
Title: Email Developer
Location: The beautiful city of Cartago, Costa Rica
Favorite Philosophy: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Book of Joshua, Chapter 1. Verse. 9
What does your usual workday tend to look like?
For me, every work day starts at 5 am — thanks to a 14-year-old son, Joshua, and a 10-year-old daughter, Abigail. First is getting them up and ready for school in the morning, followed by cleaning up the house. I like to keep things neat and tidy so I can’t start my day until the mess is gone.
Then it’s time for work! I’ll start by reviewing all the projects I am currently involved in and collaborating with co-workers to figure out the best approach to take so that I can make a plan for the day. Over the last year, I have been primarily focused on VEEVA — which was totally new to me when I first started! But we knew this platform would be a valuable resource to our clients, and so I dove right in, learning extensively about creating and executing VEEVA emails and CLM presentations.
My background is in graphic design so I love the design aspect of a great email campaign — it’s a skill that’s so important to elevate the quality of a final email. But now, I have the capacity to work in so many different areas and really help our clients create meaningful campaigns in every way they may need us.
How would you describe your job to a bunch of kindergarteners?
I take a great design and put it into an email inbox.
What do you think the coolest thing about email is right now / in the future?
Right now, dark mode is a major focus! We have dedicated a lot of time to learn all about this advancement because it’s something more and more people are using on their devices. The user experience is and will continue to be such an important aspect of marketing decision-making, and this means making sure an email design works flawlessly in every setting.
And in the future, interactive emails will continue to evolve with new capabilities and experiences. We’ve only just begun to see what we’re capable of doing in this area.
What do you love about working for Assemble?
So many things! But the most important thing to me is that the company feels like a real family. You have the ability to take new ideas and issues to the owners and leadership team at any time and you know your voice will be heard. Everyone here is so willing to listen and help, so I don’t just feel like a number; I feel valued and respected, which motivates me even more.
Also, the learning opportunities! I have been able to learn so much about new platforms and technologies that are shaping the world of digital marketing, which has helped me grow my own career tremendously.
What motivates you professionally?
My family! Every day, I work so hard to be an example for them. And my wife, Marcela, recently graduated from law school while juggling work at a law firm with her studies over the last four years. I am so proud of her, and she continues to motivate me to do my best in everything I do.
What are your favorite things to do in your free time?
We moved to Cartago about four years ago, and with the grace of God, bought our first home! So over the last few years, I was very much involved in a lot of renovation projects, both inside and out. My grandfather and uncles were all contractors, so from a very young age, I grew up learning from them and helping however I could. For our home, I created the design plans and worked with a friend of mine who is an architect to bring them to life. I also worked on the renovation of our back deck and built my own office (it’s so nice having your own space!). The whole process was such an awesome
experience for me, and now I can look around, knowing that I touched every centimeter of this place. We love it — it’s our dream home!
When I am taking it easy, I love to watch TV; mostly videos on YouTube about traveling. It’s tough to plan a trip as a family of four for yourself, so I love to follow people who have gone to cool places around the world to see the different cultures and learn about other people. But I do have plans to take my family to Disney World in February! I went last year with my mother and sister and absolutely loved it, so I want my kids to experience it too. So a lot of my free time is researching and planning to make it the best trip for them.
If you were able to plan your last meal ever, what would it be?
The best meal for lunch or dinner is Casado! The dish is a combination of protein (chicken, pork, beef, fish, etc.), rice, black beans, plantains, and a salad. It’s so popular in CR and incredibly delicious. And for dessert, I would have Tres Leches, a fantastic sponge cake, whose name comes from being soaked in three different kinds of milk.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy?
Another house! My wife and I have plans to own a couple of homes in the future as investments, so if we won the lottery, that’s the first thing we would do. As a lawyer, Marcela learns about new properties right as they hit the market, so she would take care of the buying process, and then I would renovate!
And if money wasn’t an issue, I would love to buy more houses to give to charity. We know that there are a lot of people renting at monthly costs that they really cannot afford, so if I had the opportunity I would buy a bunch of homes and keep rent so low to provide a better situation for their families.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell myself to continue to study and don’t waste your time! In the past, I would let myself get easily distracted and procrastinate when I could have just gotten something done. I’m a lot better at staying focused now!
